There are various passport rules that people need to know and important checks that need to be done in advance of going on holiday to ensure there is no disappointment come the day of travel.
If you have a holiday planned in the near future, our experts at Ski Solutions advise you do the following passport checks:
Check the expiry date
It might sound simple, but passport expiry dates are not straightforward and the rules differ depending on where you are travelling.
In the EU and Schengen area, you must have at least three months left on your passport.
Although, you’ll need six months at the very least when visiting countries such as China, Thailand, Turkey and Egypt.
The passport expiry rules are different again when traveling to Australia, Canada and the USA. All you need is enough time on your passport until the end of your stay and you should be all good to travel.
Leaving it this close isn’t recommended though in case there are any forced plan changes for your trip.
Check the date of issue
Passport rules can be confusing and this particular rule can easily catch people out. Even if your passport expiry is still a way off, you need to check the passport issue date, too.
All passports must have been issued in the last 10 years to enter most EU countries.
If your passport was last renewed before 2018, months may have been added to the date, giving you more than 10 years left. Passports issued after 2018 will be valid for exactly 10 years.
Checking both your expiry and issue dates on the passport is crucial to avoid any issues.
Check for damages on your passport
All passports are expected to have some wear and tear but if your passport has any severe damage, it may prevent you from going on holiday.
It is recommended to check your passport for damage and look after it, so you are not worried about having an issue when travelling.
HM Passport Office says your passport may be classed as damaged if:
- You cannot read any of your details
- Any of the pages are ripped, cut or missing
- There are holes, cuts or rips in the cover
- The cover is coming away
- There are stains on the pages (for example, ink or water damage)
Store your new and old passport in a different place
The day of travel can be rushed and frantic, so to avoid you picking up your old passport whilst rushing to the airport (which will have the corner cut off but can be easily missed), store it away separate to your brand-new passport.
Sometimes passports are only checked just before boarding, so it can be quite late on to your journey that you realise you have brought the wrong passport.
This simple mistake will lead to you being denied boarding, and thus you will need to organise a new flight altogether which can be costly.
Check for blank pages in your passport
Not every country will stamp your passport upon arrival and exit, but a lot do. This means if you’re a keen jetsetter with no (or too few) blank pages on your passport, you may be refused entry.
It’s always best to check before you set off, as some countries require two or three blank pages and other require four. If you are a more frequent traveller, it is recommended to purchase a frequent traveller’s passport which will have more pages in it.
Check the image of your passport
It is inevitable and only natural that the way we look will change over time. Don’t worry if you’ve have changed your hair style or colour, shaved your beard or even gained or lost weight, that doesn’t matter. It is the key facial features such as eyes, nose and mouth that airport staff will look at.
It may only be the minority, but those who have had cosmetic procedures or have undergone reconstruction work could look significantly different to their original passport picture and in these instances, it would be recommended you replace your passport with an updated picture before you travel to avoid unexpected issues.
Also don’t forget when applying for a new passport you can’t smile in your image, if you do send an image where you are smiling it may cause unwanted delays.
Replace your passport in good time
HM Passport Office states that it should take around three weeks to process your new passport but be aware they can sometimes need more information from you.
Especially in peak travel months such as the summer, you should allow as much time as possible as your application could take longer to process than usual.
The cost of getting a new passport to travel abroad has increased as of 10th April 2025 from £88.50 to £94.50 for adults via a standard online application, with Children also seeing an increase from £57.50 to £61.50.
Whether you are going on a luxury ski holiday or a city break, these passport checks are important to enjoy a seamless travel experience.
