No one, including the government, seems to know what is happening with Brexit. MPs and the public have been calling for Article 50 to be revoked or extended to avoid a no-deal Brexit after Theresa May's first vote failed earlier this month. But the Prime Minister said a no-deal Brexit was a likely possibility. For the public, this means potential passport confusion as planned holidays to Europe are put in jeopardy. So will your passport still be valid after Brexit or should you apply for a new one immediately?
The new rules state that any passport issued by the UK, Gibraltar, Guernsey, Jersey or the Isle of Man will need to be at least six months away from travel to any European country in the Schengen area. The zone consists of 26 countries including France, Germany, Italy, Portugal, and Spain. (Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus and Romania are not on this list and have their own entry requirements. These rules also do not apply to any travel to Ireland.)
The "six months left" rule sounds simple, but there's one factor that confuses some people. It's all related to the previous update. British passports are valid for up to 10 years. However, if you renew your previous passport earlier than necessary, you may have nine months added to the validity of your current passport. Unfortunately, these extra months are not accepted within the Schengen Area. The point is, you might think your passport will be valid on March 29, but you're probably wrong.
Which one is told by the Home Office? 3.5 million passports may be affected. Travel editor Rory Boland said in a statement: "People will be shocked that they could be turned away at the airport and banned from going on holiday - even if their passport is still valid for 15 months "Because this could impact travel arrangements for millions of people, governments and travel companies must urgently step up their efforts to ensure holidaymakers get clear and accurate information so no one is left stranded at the gate."
The government has launched a tool to help you check the validity of your passport. All you have to do is enter some basic information, including where and when you’re traveling, date of birth, and the issue and expiration dates of your current passport. If the website states that your passport is invalid after Brexit, it is recommended that you apply for a new passport as soon as possible.
Remember, this new rule only applies if the UK leaves the EU without a deal. But if you're planning a trip to Europe anytime soon, it's best to err on the side of caution. Theresa May's revised Brexit deal will be voted on next week. If MPs still cannot agree on a deal and Theresa May refuses to withdraw or extend Article 50 before March 29, a no-deal Brexit will be inevitable.
The complete list of Schengen Area countries is as follows:
- Austria
- Belgium
- Czech Republic
- Denmark
- Estonia
- Finland
- France
- Germany
- Greece
- Hungary
- Iceland
- Italy
- Latvia
- Liechtenstein
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- malta
- Netherlands
- Norway
- Poland
- Portugal
- Slovakia
- slovenia
- Spain
- Sweden
- Switzerland
If you do need to renew your passport, unfortunately you won't receive the old blue and gold version. The government announced that this new color scheme will not be rolled out until October 2019.
