How long does my passport need to be valid if I travel? Breakdown by country

British tourists face being turned away at airports and having their holidays ruined if they fail to read their passport’s expiry date correctly. It’s important to check how much longer you need to stay on your passport to travel

The air travel industry is booming again after almost all Covid pandemic measures were lifted. Demand for flights has meant most airports have expanded their routes as passenger numbers are almost 10 times what they were this time last year.

Five million British holidaymakers are expected to take off this summer, many of them traveling overseas for the first time in two years.

But a lot has changed at airports in recent months. From hours of security queues due to a shortage of border guards, to the repeal of free movement legislation in the UK, travelers can’t depart as effortlessly as before.

Some airports are now advising tourists to arrive 2.5 hours before their gates close to avoid missing their flight due to huge queues, while some have even been turned away because their passport is too close to its expiry date.

European Union countries now state that your passport must still be within 10 years of the date of issue, regardless of whether you have months left until the stated expiry date.

Expiration Requirements for Passports

The Foreign Office has issued an update for 33 countries to make it easier for Brits after the change in travel rules due to Brexit.

Here are all the passport expiration requirements you need to know.

Three months

According to HM Passport Office, most EU countries only require UK travelers to have at least three months left on the day of travel before they expire. These countries include:

• Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Cyprus (six months for Northern Cyprus) and the Czech Republic
• Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland and Italy
• Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland and Portugal
• Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden

six months

The following nations require travelers to have at least six months of passport validity left:

• China, Egypt, India, Thailand and Turkey

For those traveling to South Africa, it is recommended that their passport be valid for at least six months before it expires. Although the current rules only provide for a minimum of 30 days from the date of departure.

length of stay

The following countries only require travelers to have a valid passport for the duration of their stay in the country:

• Australia, Barbados, Japan, Mexico, USA

A month

New Zealand requires those entering the country to be valid for at least one month from the date of departure and return to the UK.