It is important to ensure that your passport remains valid for the entire duration of your trip when travelling abroad.
Not only should your passport be valid for your departure date, but many countries also require it to be valid for at least six months after your arrival.
This rule applies even if you are visiting for just a day.
Due to the higher cost of fast-tracking a new passport compared to standard applications, it is advisable to renew your passport well ahead of time.
If your passport has less than six months of validity left, it is best to apply for a new one as soon as possible.
Processing times currently take around ten weeks, and with travel becoming more common again after the pandemic, the Home Office expects a significant increase in renewal requests.
If you use up all the empty pages in your passport, you may need to renew it before your scheduled renewal date.
Different countries have varying entry requirements: for instance, Italy may need a completely blank visa page, while South Africa may require at least two blank pages.
Make sure to check the entry requirements of your destination before you travel to avoid any issues.
A variety of websites imitate official Government websites for passport applications. These websites attempt to charge users £20 – £100 on top of the official passport fee, by offering additional “validation” services.
When applying for a new passport, be cautious of these websites, and only use trusted sources.
For example, the Post Office’s Check & Send Service offers in-depth passport application guidance, from specially trained Postmasters.
