Whilst the prospect of escaping to sunnier climates is appealing, passport holders are being urged to heed crucial advice before making any travel arrangements. Whether you’re planning an upcoming trip or have already secured a summer holiday, immediate attention is needed as this could significantly affect your plans.

The warning was recently highlighted by Kylie, who posts as englandandeverywhere on TikTok, where she regularly shares invaluable travel guidance with her considerable following. In her latest clip, she turned her attention to passports, issuing a vital caution about a particular regulation that could catch unsuspecting travellers off guard.

This isn’t the only travel-related advice to have emerged recently. Just a few weeks ago, holidaymakers were similarly urged to carry out another essential passport check.

Kylie said: “This is your annual reminder that, if you still have a red passport and you renewed it before October 2018, you may have been issued a passport that’s valid for longer for 10 years and, if you plan on going to the EU, you may have to check that it’s actually valid for travel.

“The EU has two requirements for entry. The issue date has to be less than 10 years, but then it also needs three months from the expiry date.”

She continued: “If we look at the dates in my old passport, it was issued in September 2015, and it has an expiry date of June 2026. So, if we take the three months from June 2026, that means it comes out to about March 2026, which is still a month away but, with the issue date being September 2015, I couldn’t actually enter the EU on this passport from September last year.

“Now this is only an EU requirement. A lot of the other countries around the world don’t care about the issue date, and only go from the expiry date but, even then, every country has different requirements.

“For example, Turkey want 150 days from the expiry, but places like Thailand want six months. It’s always good to get into the habit of checking Gov.uk before you go anywhere.

“It gives you all of the information as to what the passport requirements are there. Especially with the EU, with their entry systems coming up, it will give you all the information on there as to when those come into effect.”

Kylie stressed that, regardless of destination, verifying the issue date remains crucial. According to her, travellers may need to scrutinise their existing passports for more than two additional years.

She emphasised that nobody wishes to arrive at the airport only to face being “turned away”, making this check well worth undertaking. It’s essential people take action immediately to prevent frustration later on.

What you need to know

As Kylie mentioned, there are crucial passport regulations that must be adhered to when travelling within the EU. Guidelines for non-EU nationals have been outlined on the Your Europe website.

The advice states: “If you are a national from a country outside the EU wishing to visit or travel within the EU, you will need a valid passport and possibly a visa. Your passport should be valid for at least three months after the date you intend to leave the EU, and it must have been issued within the last 10 years.

“This means your travel document must have been issued within the previous 10 years the day you enter the EU on condition that it is valid until the end of your stay, plus an additional three months. Children and minors must have their own passport and visa, if required.”

Further guidance about additional EU travel regulations can be accessed on the website. When travelling by plane, you should always verify the country’s passport requirements beforehand, as these may vary depending on your destination.

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