Burgundy passport holders warned to check they’re still valid

Brits with burgundy passports from before the UK left the EU are being warned to check it is still valid before travelling.

Brits with burgundy passports from before the UK left the EU are being warned to check it is still valid before travelling due to an expiry date rule change.

The new blue passport design with the lettering “BRITISH PASSPORT” was issued when the UK left the EU last year, replacing the passport that signified being a member of the EU.

Since the middle of last year, anyone applying for a new passport or renewing their old one was issued a new, blue one.

However, thousands can still use their burgundy passport if they are not out-of-date, although, they must pay special attention to a change in the rules surrounding expiry dates.

Passports will now only be valid for exactly 10 years and any additional months on a burgundy passport (passports issued before the UK left the EU) will no longer be valid.

A statement from Hays Travel Plympton, a Plymouth branch of the UK’s largest independent travel agent, said: “Important passport update changes: due to changes in validity since leaving Europe, your passport is now only valid for 10 years from the issue date on your passport.

“If your passport was issued prior to the UK leaving the EU with additional months on, those extra months are no longer valid.”

The statement was shared on social media and said: “Example: passport issue date 21st Jun 2012, passport expiry date 21st Dec 2022.

“Your passport expiry date is now the 21st June 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.”

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