Yahoo News UK tourists issued passport warning ahead of summer 2025 holidays
Brits have been warned to avoid certain dates when renewing their passports or they could face unnecessary delays. Travellers whose passports are due to expire should stay clear of applying for a new passport during the first three months of the year as that’s when applications are busiest.
Holidaymakers are urged to plan ahead if they want their new passport “returned much faster”. The warning comes as many people are caught out by leaving it too late to new their passport, especially with the EU requiring UK passports to be valid for three months after the intended departure date.
Mario Van Poppel, from foreign currency provider Manor FX, obtained data via a Freedom of Information request, to find the busiest dates for passport applications. March 17 in 2023 was the busiest day for submissions since the start of 2022. That was followed by February 1, January 31, March 18 and January 30 (all 2023).
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Making up the top 10 were January 29, 2023, March 20 and April 10 this year, plus May 1 and April 27 in 2022. Mario said: “While it is not always possible to predict the exact date your renewal will be dealt with, there are patterns in this data that show the first three months of the year are definitely the busiest.”
Since leaving the EU, UK citizens travelling to all countries in the single market must have a passport issued less than 10 years before the departure date and valid for three months after the planned return date. Also included are Norway, Iceland, Switzerland and Lichtenstein - but despite being in the EU, Ireland is not.
Passports issued after 2018 are valid for precisely 10 years, but those issued before then could be valid for up to 10 years and nine months due to older rules. The data also revealed that, unsurprisingly, Christmas Day, Christmas Eve and Boxing Day were the quietest days for passport renewals. Meanwhile, December 23, 18 and 17 were also at the bottom of the rankings for the number of documents received.
The HMPO website states: “You can technically renew your passport at any time. It is generally advised to renew your passport around nine months before your current passport expires. This accounts for possible delays or complications. It also gives you peace of mind regarding the six or three-month travel rule that applies to many countries.”
Mario added: “The thought of booking a trip and then realising your passport has run out is a nightmare for most. But it is something that has caught out many people over the years. With new rules in place, the importance of getting your passport renewal sorted sooner rather than later has never been more important.
“Unlike getting some last-minute foreign currency, getting a new passport days or even hours ahead of reaching the departure gate is simply not possible.”
