What are the passport expiry rules in 2025, and is mine valid to enter the EU?

If you’re planning a trip in 2025, it’s important to check your passport is still valid for travel. That’s because post-Brexit EU passport rule changes are continuing to catch out holidaymakers at the airport when they’re travelling to the European Union and Schengen Zone — especially those with burgundy passports.

Holidaymakers whose passports don’t meet the EU’s passport requirements are denied boarding, so it's vital to check if your passport needs renewing when you book your holiday, rather than on the way to the airport.

While these rules are no longer new, they're still important. Here we explain everything you need to know about the post-Brexit passport rules.

And if you do need to renew, remember passport fees increased on 10 April 2025 so you'll need to have applied before then to beat the price hike.

Passport rules to watch out for in 2025

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EU passport rules: is my passport valid for holidays?

 What is the 10-year passport rule?

Since the UK left the European Union, your passport needs to fulfil two criteria when you visit Europe's Schengen zone:

The 10 year rule: It must have been issued less than 10 years before the day you enter the EU/Schengen Zone 

The three month rule: It must be valid for at least three months after the day you plan to leave. 

For example, if you’re entering Spain on 18 April 2025 and returning to the UK on 21 April 2025, your passport needs to have been issued after 18 April 2015 and be valid until 21 July 2025. 

Although these rules aren’t new, people are still getting caught out by it, preventing them from boarding flights.

Since Brexit, UK passport holders are considered ‘third-country nationals’ by EU and Schengen countries with the exception of Ireland. This means you can also only stay for a maximum of 90 days within a six-month period in Schengen countries. Prior to Brexit, you could have stayed as long as you liked.

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Why is the 10 year passport rule important for UK passport holders?

Some UK passports have more than 10 years of validity because until September 2018 the UK Passport Office would add any existing validity on your current passport to your new passport when you renewed it. 

So if your old passport was still valid for nine months when you applied for a new passport, that new passport would be valid for 10 years and nine months. However, since Brexit, EU countries no longer accept the additional validity.

Do these post-Brexit changes to passport rules apply to all European countries?

These passport rules apply to all EU member states except Ireland. They also apply to other countries and microstates in Europe’s Schengen zone: Andorra, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Norway and Switzerland.

You can check entry requirements for specific countries on the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office's (FCDO) advice pages.

My passport was issued more than 10 years ago – can I travel in the EU? 

No. If your passport will be more than 10 years old on your day of arrival, you'll need to apply for a new passport.

If you do try to travel, it's likely that you'll be stopped from boarding at the gate and you won't be able to claim a refund for the flight. These rules only apply to travel to EU countries, and not to the rest of the world.

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UK passport validity for Europe: do I need three months or six months left on my passport?

You need at least three months left on your passport on the day you plan to leave the EU/Schengen Zone.

When the Brexit transition period came to an end, there was some confusion about whether travellers needed six months, but the EU has since issued a clarification.

What about passport expiry rules for travelling to Ireland?

The rules for British passport holders haven’t changed since Brexit. Your passport just needs to be valid and in date, and the 90/180-day rule doesn't apply.

Ireland is part of the Common Travel Area, which means British citizens don’t technically need a passport to visit – only a valid ID. However, some airlines, including Ryanair, insist you have a valid passport so it's best to carry one.

If you fly to Ireland, Irish border officers may also ask to see proof of nationality, so the UK government advises taking your passport with you.

Do I need a visa to travel to Europe?

No. Tourists don't currently need a visa for short visits to the Schengen zone. You can stay for up to 90 days within a 180-day period as a British passport holder. This means that you can visit as many Schengen countries as you like as long as you don’t exceed 90 days in total within 180 days.

Since 2023, Croatia Bulgaria and Romania joined the Schengen zone, meaning that any time spent there now counts towards your 90-day limit. 

Albania and Cyprus have their own individual 90-day limits. If you travel to one of these countries, it doesn’t count towards the 90-day limit for the Schengen zone.  

However, when the European Travel Information and Authorisation Scheme (Etias) launches (currently expected in the last quarter of 2026), UK passport-holders will have to pay a fee of €7 (£6) for an electronic travel authorisation. 

Read more about the latest entry-exit system news.

Damaged passport: how do I know if I need my passport replaced?

While checking expiry dates, it’s also important to consider the damaged passport rule for travel to the EU and beyond — your passport must not be considered to be in need of replacement, according to HM Passport Office criteria. If your passport is considered damaged, you may be denied boarding or entry to a country.

HM Passport Office considers your passport damaged if:

• you cannot read any of your details 
• any of the pages are ripped, cut or missing 
• there are holes, cuts or rips in the cover the cover is coming away 
• there are stains on the pages (for example, ink or water damage). 

Check your passport when you book your travel, and if any of the above apply, you’ll need to apply for a new one.

What is the current wait time for a new passport?

The passport office advises that it will take up to three weeks. However, if more information is needed or you need to be interviewed, it could take longer.

If you do need a new passport, make sure you leave enough time to get it renewed. The Passport Office often gets busier in the months before school summer holidays and Christmas, as there is a rush of renewals. 

Passport fees

Passport fees will increase by 7% as of 10 April. If you submitted your application before then you will avoid the increase.

Online passport renewals (made within the UK) for adults aged 16 years or older cost £88.50, but will increase to £94.50. Passports for children under 16 cost £57.50, but will increase to £61.50. 

Postal passport renewals are more expensive; £100 for adults and £69 for children (going up to £107 and £74 respectively on 10 April).

Can I get a passport urgently?

There are two options for getting an urgent passport — you can book an appointment for either service up to three weeks in advance, via the government passport website’s priority services page.

1 day premium

You’ll need to book an appointment — the earliest you can get one is 2 days after you apply. You can only use this service to renew an adult passport. 

Next, you’ll hand in your old passport, and it will be ready to collect 4 hours after your appointment.

The service costs currently £207.50 for a standard adult passport, and will rise to £222 on 10 April. It will increase from £176.50 to £189 for children.

1 week fast track

You can use this option for renewing a passport, replacing a lost, stolen or damaged passport, to get a child passport, or to change personal details such as your name, place of birth or gender.

The service costs £166.50 for a standard adult passport, and £135.50 for a child passport. The home office has not announced whether it will increase this fee on 10 April

What can I do if I’m denied entry due to my passport being invalid?

It’s the passenger’s responsibility to make sure their passport is valid. You can’t claim compensation if you are turned away at the airport because it’s not.

If the airline wrongly denies you boarding due to a misinterpretation of the EU’s passport rules, you may be entitled to denied boarding compensation and associated costs if you can prove that to be the case.