Martin Lewis issues urgent passport warning as new rules could stop people going on holiday this summer

dailyrecord.co.uk:

Martin Lewis has issued an urgent passport warning to everyone planning to travel this summer after new rules could make it invalid - even if it’s in date.

During a special edition of The Martin Lewis Money Show Live on ITV, the consumer champion shared crucial checks everyone should do now, as renewing a passport could take up to 10 weeks, or in some cases, much longer.Martin explained there are two key checks people need to do that will make sure their passport is valid, and said that the first one is the one “people don’t check”.

He told viewers: “You need to check that it is under 10 years old on the day you enter the country - people get caught out by that - that is a common condition as some British passports are over 10 years old and they’re still valid, but you often can’t travel on that.” The second check involves looking at the country you are travelling to as many, but not all, need you to have at least six months left on your passport from the day you enter the country.Martin explained: “You then need to check for many countries, not all, that you have at least six months left from the day that you enter - if you don’t have that, then you need to check the country rules to see if it is valid.” The founder of MoneySavingExpert.com (MSE.com) went on to explain that since Brexit, even European Union (EU) countries require three months validity and under 10 years old on your passport.

For anyone who needs to renew their passport, Martin said that “fast-track slots are limited” and warned that travel insurance companies will not allow your claim if you can’t go on holiday due to an invalid passport.He said: “Let me be plain, [if you have] an invalid passport, the travel insurance company will not allow your claim