Red passport holders warned to check if still 'valid' after major rule change
Those who are still using red passports are being warned to pay careful attention to a rule change which could catch them out.
Red passport holders are being urged to check if their travel document is still valid before travelling abroad after a major rule change.
When UK left the EU last year, a new blue passport design with the lettering 'BRITISH PASSPORT' replaced the original red which is slowly being phased out.
However, those who are still using red passports are being warned to pay careful attention to a rule change surrounding expiry dates which could catch them out.
Passports are now only valid for 10 years exactly - additional months on anyone's red passports (passports issued before the UK left the EU ) are no longer valid. This could reduce the validity time by several months without people being aware.
"Example: passport issue date 21st Jun 2012, passport expiry date 21st Dec 2022.
"Your passport expiry date is now the 21st Jun 2022.
"Most countries in the EU require that your passport is valid for six months on the date of return from your holiday, some countries it’s three months, meaning the last date you could return on the above example would be the 21st Dec 2021."
The government advises you check your passport is valid before you travel abroad.
Since 2020, those renewing or applying for a new passport has been issued the new, blue design.