Parents should check their kids' passports are in date and act now if they aren't, as the summer holidays approach.
While the end of summer term may seem like a good while away, the lengthy wait to get a travel document renewed means now is the time to make sure everything is in order.
The UK's Passport Office advises leaving 10 weeks for the renewal process to be completed, from the moment officials receive all the required documents including your old passport.
According to passportwaitingtime.co.uk, the current average wait is 23 days, which means the new document should be with applicants in the middle of June - leaving decent wiggle room for delays.
Have you had issues with your passport? Email webtravel@reachplc.com
Holidaymakers are urged not to book trips until they've got their new passports however as the waits can be significantly longer, particularly in busy periods leading up to significant holidays.
If the full 10-week wait is needed, then an application made now would be returned in the middle of July.
Parents should apply for a child's passport on their behalf if they are under 16, with a new document costing £53.50 to apply online and £64 to apply with a paper form from the Post Office.
A child passport is valid for five years rather than the ten years an adult's is valid for, so it may have expired quicker than you were expecting, especially if you've not been away since before the coronavirus lockdowns.
You can get more info on gov.uk/get-a-child-passport.
Since the UK left the European Union different rules have been in force governing how long left you should have on a passport when you travel.
Now, everyone who holds a British passport must follow the Schengen area requirements for trips to any EU country except Ireland. Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Andorra, Monaco, San Marino and Vatican City are also covered by the regulations.
While travel is still free - until bloc wide visa arrangements come in next year - there is now more potential for snags.
While most people know their passports should be valid for at least three months after the day they plan to leave, there are extra requirements in place since Brexit.
Your passport must also have been issued less than 10 years before the date you enter the country. Many travellers have been caught out because they think their passports are valid because they are not due to expire for some time.
If you or your child turn up at an airport with an invalid passport you may be denied entry to EU countries. You can check your issue date in your passport, which will be written under the 'date of issue' headline.
If your passport was issued before October 1, 2018, extra months may have been added to its expiry date, but these months will not be valid for people entering the EU.
It's also worth checking on the Foreign Office's website to making sure you meet the entry requirements of the destination country before booking your trip. The rule change may be small, but it is enough to completely scupper a trip if not followed properly.
Have you had a holiday ruined because of passport delays? Email us at webtravel@reachplc.com.
