This passport rule could stop you from entering certain countries, here's how to check

Anyone travelling to Europe this year should check their travel documents thoroughly as a little-known rule has come into effect since the UK left the European Union. All UK travellers must now meet Schengen Area requirements if they want to travel to any EU country except Ireland.

In addition to the EU, the regulations also cover Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Andorra, Monaco, San Marino and the Vatican City, as per The Mirror.

Passport requirements

Passports need to be valid for at least three months after the day you plan to visit but since Brexit, there are further regulations in place. A person’s passport must also have been issued in the last ten years before the date you are due to enter the country and this is a rule that catches many people out as some passports can have a duration of up to 10 years and 9 months before expiry.

If your passport was issued before October 1, 1998, then extra months could have been added to the expiry date but these won’t be valid for travel to the EU and if you turn up with an invalid passport you could be denied entry.

You can check how old your passport is by looking at the ‘date of issue’ on the document to find out if it is valid before you travel, as per The Mirror.

Schengen Area countries

All Schengen Area countries will be affected by the change that has been in place since Brexit but the Foreign Office also recommends that travellers always check the entry requirements of any country before visiting.

Whilst travel is still free to the EU, bloc wide visa arrangements are expected to come in later this year, as per the Daily Record:

• Austria
• Belgium
• Croatia
• Czechia
• Denmark
• Estonia
• Finland
• France
• Germany
• Greece
• Hungary
• Iceland
• Italy
• Latvia
• Liechtenstein
• Lithuania
• Luxembourg
• Malta
• Netherlands
• Norway
• Poland
• Portugal
• Slovakia
• Slovenia
• Spain
• Sweden
• Switzerland

Sources used:

- The Mirror 'Little-known passport rule that may stop you travelling to Europe'

- The Daily Record 'One passport rule could stop UK travellers from entering certain countries - how to check'