Several countries require a traveler’s passport to be valid for at least six months before they depart for international travel, known as the ‘six-month validity’ rule. Without sufficient validity on their passport, a traveler may be refused entry to a country.

When heading to the EU, UK passports must be less than ten years old on the day the traveler arrives in the EU. This is especially important if a passport has been issued before October 1, 2018, as additional months may have been added to the expiry date if the passport was renewed prior to its expiration.

Since Brexit, UK passport holders must ensure their passports are valid for at least three months after the intended date of departure from the EU, and must also ensure the total period of stay within the Schengen Area totals no more than 90 days in any 180-day period.

Red UK passports began to be phased out in March 2020 and have been replaced by new blue UK passports.

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