At the beginning of 2021, Brexit rules came into force impacting everything from food imports to mobile roaming charges. One key area that has been impacted is travel, with new passport requirements in place for Britons hoping to visit the European Union (EU).
The Government website explains: “You must check your passport meets these requirements before you travel.
“If your passport was issued before” October 1, 2018, extra months may have been added to its expiry date.
This rule applies to all EU countries (except Ireland), as well as Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Andorra, Monaco, San Marino and Vatican City.
Britons who are planning a trip to the EU should make sure they check their passport meets these rules, and leave plenty of time to apply for a new one if it does not.
Typically, the Government says a passport should take up to 10 weeks to arrive.
However, in April, applicants were warned they could face delays of more than two months due to a backlog of requests at Her Majesty’s Passport Office.
You can apply for a passport online using a debit or credit card to use this service.
According to Gov.uk: “It’s £9.50 cheaper to apply for a passport online than by post.”