Latest news with #BritishTravellers
The Independent
a day ago
- The Independent
Beat the summer rush: Simon Calder reveals everything you need to know about renewing your passport
On the eve of the peak summer season, one sad certainty is that some British travellers will be turned away from their holiday flights due to post-Brexit rules on passport validity. Sometimes airport staff will make a mistake but in the vast majority of cases the passenger will be at fault. Thankfully renewals are taking around two weeks. So people who spot a problem now and who are holidaying from the second half of July onwards should be able to rescue the situation without resorting to the expensive and inconvenient fast-track route. These are the key points for passport contentedness this summer. European Union – almost all of it Most British summer holidaymakers are going to destinations in the EU or wider Schengen area (including Iceland, Norway and Switzerland). After Brexit, the UK opted to become a 'third country', placing UK passport holders on a par with those from Venezuela. That means for all EU/Schengen countries bar Denmark and Ireland, a UK passport must: Be under 10 years old on the date of entry. Have at least three months remaining on the intended day of departure. For example, a British passport issued on 1 August 2015 and valid until 1 May 2026 can be used to enter the EU up to and including 31 July 2025, for a stay of up to 90 days (but less if the holder has already spent some time in the Schengen area in the past 180 days). What's different about Denmark and Ireland? Denmark, for reasons known only to itself, imposes a stricter rule that breaches Schengen area regulations. Officials say the passport must be under 9 years 9 months on the day of arrival. The Independent has made repeated representations to Copenhagen and Brussels for Denmark to align with the Schengen rules, but to no avail. British travellers to Ireland do not need passports to enter – though Ryanair demands passengers carry valid passports, with no date stipulation. How long will it take me to get a replacement passport? Andy Anderson, who runs the Passport Waiting Time website, says: 'We've seen passport processing times for both first-time applications and renewals increase slightly over the past couple of months. However, turnaround times remain relatively quick. 'First adult passports are currently averaging 19 calendar days, while renewals are taking around 14 days.' He has developed a passport validity checker that aims to help travellers prepare for their journeys. Will I need an Etias permit? No. The European Travel Information and Authorisation System (Etias, also known as an 'e-visa') cannot take effect before October 2026 at the earliest. Etias will be introduced at least six months after the EU's much delayed entry-exit system (EES) is running smoothly. The latest plan from Brussels is that the EES will start in a limited way in October 2025, with a six-month roll out. Can I use the e-gates across Europe? Who knows? Ministers have talked plenty of tosh about Brussels agreeing to let British passengers use e-gates on arrival and departure from the Schengen area. Each nation makes its own decisions, and so the bureaucratic landscape is a patchwork. Gradually more countries are adding the UK to nationalities that can use their e-gates, but there is no uniformity. Thanks to Brexit, you will also need to be manually stamped in and out in addition to the e-gates. Incidentally, hundreds of airports across Europe have now installed entry-exit system kiosks, which some arriving passengers have confused with e-gates. They are entirely separate; the kiosks are simply to take fingerprints and facial biometrics before proceeding to the border. For many countries, your passport is valid up to and including its expiry date. These include Australia, Barbados, Canada, Japan, Mexico, Tunisia and the US. For the avoidance of doubt, the only part of the world that cares when your passport is issued is the EU. Elsewhere, only the expiry date is relevant. Ignore anyone who tells you 'British passports run out after 10 years'. Which popular destinations have trickier red tape? Turkey: "To enter Turkey, your passport must have an 'expiry date' at least 150 days after the date you arrive and at least one blank page,' says the Foreign Office. Oddly, if you apply for a visa for Turkey, the minimum validity drops to 90 days. Morocco: 'Your passport must have an 'expiry date' at least three months after the date you arrive,' says the Foreign Office. UAE (including Dubai and Abu Dhabi): 'Your passport must have an 'expiry date' at least six months after the date you arrive … If you're travelling through the UAE and not passing through immigration, your passport must have an expiry date at least three months after the date you will transit.'
Daily Mail
20-06-2025
- Daily Mail
Flights are 'almost always cheaper' if you depart on two specific days of the week reveals travel expert
A travel expert has revealed the best days of the week to fly to secure a cheap flight. Dawn Morwood, co-director of Cheap Deals Away, says that travelling on two specific days will help tourists save money on their flight. Speaking to the Express, the expert reveals that flying mid-week could help travellers snap up a bargain flight. Dawn says: 'Tuesday and Wednesday departures are almost always cheaper than weekend flights.' Many British travellers try to maximise their time away by flying at the weekend so prices are generally highest on Saturday. If you're able to be flexible with your departure date, it's worth checking the price of your flight across different days. Dawn also claims that booking a flight at the earliest date possible isn't always the best way to save money. She says: 'I've seen people book flights 10 months early thinking they've got a bargain, only to watch the same route drop by £200 per person just weeks before departure. 'Airlines use dynamic pricing, which means they're constantly adjusting based on demand predictions.' However, the expert adds that booking a flight last-minute is also a risky way to travel. She explains that tourists could face 'inflated prices' and 'limited availability' as well as being forced to 'compromise' on 'accommodation quality' if they book late. According to Dawn, the ideal time to book a short-haul flight to Europe is six to eight weeks before departure. When it comes to a long-haul flight, it's best to book eight to 12 weeks ahead of travel.
The Independent
16-06-2025
- The Independent
Is it safe to travel to Turkey? Foreign Office warning over nearby conflicts
As tensions escalate in the Middle East, concerns have risen surrounding the safety of travel to countries neighbouring Israel and Iran – including holiday hotspot Turkey. The Foreign Office (FCDO) considers Turkey's main tourist areas generally safe to travel to, but regional travel guidance has been issued to reflect ongoing hostilities. Israel first launched missiles at Iran on Friday (13 June), saying it was targeting its nuclear and military infrastructure in a 'pre-emptive' move to stop the country from developing a weapon. Iran's retaliatory strikes have since heightened fears that the conflict could spill into the wider region. Both countries have continued to target each other with devastating missiles and airstrikes over the weekend. Turkey, a popular summer holiday destination with British travellers, shares some of its eastern border with Iran, and travellers with trips booked may be questioning whether to holiday there. Here's the latest travel advice for Turkey, plus all the key questions and answers. What does the Foreign Office say? Tourist resorts and cities in Turkey, including Antalya, Bodrum and Cappadocia, are generally considered safe to travel to. However, the FCDO advises against all travel to within 10km of Turkey's border with Syria due to 'fighting and a heightened risk of terrorism'. It adds: 'Due to the ongoing conflict in Syria, roads in Hatay Province leading towards the border may be closed at short notice.' Outside of this area, travellers are warned to remain aware of their surroundings as 'terrorists are very likely to try to carry out attacks in Turkey'. The Foreign Office says that regional events in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories have 'led to heightened tensions' across Turkey. Tourists should avoid 'all demonstrations' connected to the conflict in major cities – particularly Israeli diplomatic missions in Ankara and Istanbul. To go to the Hakkari province in the south east, travellers require permission from the local Governor's Office to 'visit areas near the border with Iraq and Iran'. Are Turkey flights continuing? As of 16 June, Turkey's main tourist airports appear to be operating largely as usual, and both Istanbul Airport and Antalya Airport have frequent arrivals and departures scheduled. However, cancellations continue for flights to and from Turkey to destinations including Baghdad, Beirut, Erbil, Isfahan, Mashhad, Shiraz and Tehran. Airlines Jordan Aviation and Royal Jordanian are still flying between the Jordanian capital Amman and Istanbul. What if I have booked a package holiday to Turkey? The Foreign Office has not issued new advice warning against travel to Turkey, so the conditions for cancelling your trip will depend on your holiday provider – it's best to contact them if you're looking to postpone. There is no obligation for companies to refund bookings if you wish to cancel due to safety concerns and you cannot claim travel insurance unless the Foreign Office advice changes.
The Independent
08-06-2025
- The Independent
Simon Calder on all your passport questions – from expiration dates to Brexit red tape
Q We are due to fly to Greece on 1 July for a week. To my horror I have realised that my son's passport expires on 9 August 2024. I am caught by the 'three-month rule'. My son does not have enough unexpired time on his passport to enable me to travel to Greece with him for our much-needed holiday. Worse, he is now 16 so must apply for a new adult passport in order to travel. While a renewed adult passport can be obtained in two days, so far as I can see there is a minimum of a week in obtaining a brand new adult passport. This would take us past the date of our flight and would mean we could not take our holiday. Is there any way to obtain a passport for my son before Sunday 30 June? Name supplied A I am so sorry: eight years after the vote to leave the European Union, thousands of British travellers are certain to lose their summer holidays due to inadvertent breaches of the post- Brexit passport rules: Under 10 years old since issue date on the day you go in At least 3 months before expiry date on the day you plan to leave Please apply immediately, online, for a renewal of the passport. Send off the old passport, special delivery, to the address given at the end of the application. Then cross your fingers. Straightforward online renewals are often completed within a week. Alternatively, the holiday company may be prepared to let you shift the date a week or two later. If this does not work, then all you can do is pass on the holiday to someone else. Assuming it is a package (flights and accommodation bought in a single transaction) you can transfer it for a payment of £50 or so. In your position, I would be sounding out family and friends in case this becomes necessary. Q I have a query about the benefits of an Irish passport. When you live and work in Northern Ireland but have an Irish passport, you can't get a European Health Insurance Card (Ehic). So when travelling within Europe, you need your British passport and UK Global Health Insurance Card (Ghic) to receive the free health treatment. Please correct me if I am wrong. Alison McQ A As I have written previously, in terms of documentation and ease of travel, the people who are in the strongest post-Brexit position are those with the good fortune to have Irish passports. Thanks to being EU citizens they can speed through Schengen area formalities just as the British once did. And by 2 April they will comprise the only group of foreign people who don't need an Electronic Travel Authorisation for the United Kingdom, due to the age-old Common Travel Agreement. It is quite possible to be a UK citizen and an Irish passport holder at the same time. That is why I have said that I can understand why British citizens who have the good fortune to possess an Irish passport might choose to dispense with the UK version: it offers precious little extra benefit. Having said all that, for the issue of healthcare in the European Union, the key consideration is your country of residence. If you live in Northern Ireland you qualify for a Ghic, which offers free or very heavily subsidised treatment at public hospitals across the EU. The fact that you might also have an Irish passport is not relevant. Indeed, while it is always a good idea for a UK traveller to have a Ghic when travelling to Europe, it is not strictly essential to possess one in order to qualify for treatment on the same basis as local people. The hospital can make contact with the section of the UK NHS Business Services Authority that handles overseas medical care, and verify a patient's status. But best to carry the card. Q I am lucky enough to be a dual passport holder, UK and Irish. I believe that an Irish passport holder exiting the UK and entering the European Union will avoid the forthcoming biometric passport control issue. Coming back, however, how does this apply? For example: can I use my EU passport to enter the EU and when returning use my UK passport to enter the UK? And what happens if I book flights just using the EU passport? Paul Connolly A Once the European Union entry-exit system is running, the value of an EU passport for British travellers will increase still further. The wretched fingerprinting and facial biometric rules – to which we asked to become subject – are currently slated for introduction in November. Once the extra red tape becomes a reality, I predict a surge in applications for Irish passports for those fortunate enough to qualify. Those of us with only a UK passport will have to line up for fingerprints to be taken (on first entry to the Schengen Area) and to have facial biometrics checked (on every arrival and departure). In contrast, EU passport holders will be able to breeze through a fast-track channel. The only check border officials can make is that the document is valid, and that it is yours. Anyone like you who can swerve the system should do so. You will enjoy much smoother progress, and also reduce the queues for us single-passport unfortunates. You could happily enter and leave the EU and wider Schengen Area on your Irish passport and return to the UK on your British passport (there are no formal checks outbound). But I am not sure why you would want to do that: you can speed through the UK Border just as fast with an Irish passport as with a British document. In your position I would leave the UK passport behind, and check in for every flight, ferry or train using your Irish one. Simple and effective. Q I am lucky enough to have a big year of travel planned. It currently looks like this: South Korea in April, Antwerp in September and Japan in November. I'd also like to squeeze in a possible trip to either Florence or Berlin. My problem is: my passport was issued on 23 December 2015 and expires on 23 March 2026. I'm worried about the trip to Japan as I will have less than six months left by the time I go. What is your advice? Olivia C A Lots of people – including some in the travel industry – seem to believe there is some kind of globally ordained rule that your passport should be valid for six months longer than you intend to remain in a foreign country. Fortunately, there is no such edict. Each nation – or, in the case of the European Union, a group of states – decides its own policy. Many countries, including South Korea and Japan, allow tourists to use their passports up to the expiry dates. To run through each of your targets, starting with South Korea: you may read that it is obligatory to obtain a K-ETA (Korea Electronic Travel Authorisation). It isn't. For the whole of 2025, British visitors are exempt, during what the authorities say is a bid 'to stimulate tourism'. That will save you some bureaucracy and 10,000 won (about £5.50). For Antwerp, Berlin or Florence: you can be anywhere in the European Union (and wider Schengen Area) up to 23 December 2025. That is both your passport's 10th birthday, beyond which is not valid for entering the EU, and three months before it expires – the last day you can be in the zone. For Japan, you will just need a blank page for your visa stamp. So make the most of the remaining life of your passport – and make a note in your calendar to renew it perhaps a year from now. One caveat: if there is any likelihood that you may need to travel for work, or family reasons, to a country with a 'six-month rule', look at renewing after your Antwerp trip in September. Egypt, for example, wants six months until expiry on the day you enter. Q I have two passports, French and British. At present, I always travel between the two countries on my French passport. If I used the British one to leave or enter France, the border officers would want to stamp it and might also ask about my length of stay – which is not relevant as I have dual nationality. But when the ETA [electronic travel authorisation] comes in for European visitors to the UK next month, if I travel on the French one I will need to apply for one. What is the best strategy? Jaine F A Travellers who are blessed with the benefit of a European Union passport as well as a UK travel document can swerve all the post-Brexit rules. Using the EU passport they speed through the (almost always) faster Schengen area queue on arrival at their destination, with no need to have their passport stamped. All that border staff can do is check that the EU document is valid and that it belongs to the holder. They will also be able to avoid the future need for biometric checks and the Etias permit. Conversely, going through UK Border Control with a British document avoids any issues with length of stay and, soon, the ETA, which will be mandatory for all EU visitors (except the Irish) entering the UK from 2 April. So travel with both passports; use the French one for crossing into France, the British one for the UK Border. You might be thinking: but I need to give passport information in advance to the airline. Just choose one passport for flight bookings and stick to it. You will need to produce it when boarding flights, but this is a simple ID check rather than anything affecting your immigration status. By the time you arrive at your destination, the airline has lost interest in you. Please note this advice applies only to an EU scenario. Some countries do not allow people to carry two passports. The people who are in the strongest post-Brexit position are those with the fortune to be Irish. They don't need an ETA for the UK thanks to the age-old Common Travel Agreement, and thanks to being EU citizens they can speed through Schengen Area formalities just as the British once did. Q Can you help me with an urgent passport question but not one about expiry dates? I travel often to the EU for work and have no blank pages left in my passport. Will France let me in next week? Name supplied A Relax, at least for your trip to France. If you plan to travel no further than the European Union and the wider Schengen area (including Iceland, Norway and Switzerland), don't worry about your passport filling up. Some background: after Brexit, the UK asked for citizens to become 'third-country nationals' in the eyes of the EU, and Brussels agreed. The Schengen border code insists: 'The travel documents of third-country nationals shall be systematically stamped on entry and exit.' I fear you will not qualify for the very few exemptions, unless you are a member of a ship's crew; a national of Andorra, Monaco or San Marino; or a dignitary 'whose arrival has been officially announced in advance through diplomatic channels'. Since the rules we asked for took effect, each visit to the Schengen area uses half a passport page: one stamp to enter, another to return. But even if your passport is completely full, frontier officials are required to provide an additional sheet of paper on which the stamps are applied. Problems arise, though, if you wish to travel beyond Europe to a country that demands a blank page on which to stamp you in and out. For example, the Foreign Office warns: 'To enter Thailand, your passport must have at least one blank page.' Many other non-EU countries have the same requirement, and India and South Africa both demand two clear-facing pages. This is yet another consequence of Brexit that you may feel you were not warned about. But the problem is not permanent. From November this year, if all goes according to plan, the European Union's entry-exit system will end manual passport stamping and replace it with electronic registration – except for travellers to Cyprus, which is remaining outside the Schengen area, and Ireland, where British residents do not require a passport and will not be stamped in or out. Q I am flying from London to Edinburgh in early August. I have sent my passport off for renewal and I know it could take 10 weeks, which would mean the end of August. I checked with the airline's customer service line to ask if I can use my photo driving licence. To my consternation, they said 'no, it has to be a passport'. If the new one doesn't arrive on time, can I cancel, get a refund and go by train instead? Name supplied A You have been misled. No airline asks for a passport for flights within the UK, and I can only imagine the customer service person didn't quite grasp that this was a domestic flight. There is no legal requirement for photo ID on internal UK flights but airlines are allowed to ask for proof of identity to reduce ticket fraud (such as Person B using a ticket sold to Person A, breaking the conditions of contract and possibly making a profit into the bargain). Ryanair asks all passengers aged 16-plus to carry 'any photo ID which matches the passenger's name in the booking'. For easyJet it's something official: a driving licence or a passport that has expired in the past five years, for example. British Airways merely 'advises' that you carry photographic identification, adding enigmatically: 'This may be requested at certain points in your journey.' And Loganair needs photographic ID only when you are checking in luggage. This should be 'government issued' but the definition is broad enough to include a bus pass. As I have previously mentioned, the 10-week stipulation by HM Passport Office for a straightforward renewal such as yours is ridiculously pessimistic, and I will be surprised if you do not have the document within two weeks of posting the old one off. Finally, even though the government is enticing more people on board domestic flights by halving air passenger duty three months ago, the train is much more civilised and environmentally friendly. And unless you are travelling on a railcard-reduced ticket, you won't be asked for ID. So go by rail next time, perhaps. Q Later this year, I hope to travel to Australia via Sri Lanka and come back direct. I am lucky enough to have both British and Australian passports. What I'm confused about is which one do I use at each stage of the journey? Charlotte E A People who have two passports are in an excellent position, but you need to be careful about how you manage them. Starting with first principles: two types of organisations are interested in the nationality of your passport. The immigration authorities of the country you are travelling to want to know that you are entitled to enter, and also want you to enter and leave their country on the same passport. (One exception to this: the UK has no checks on departure.) The airline wants to know that you are entitled to travel to the destination of your ticket. It is not interested in how you later leave that destination. From the UK to Sri Lanka: the British government doesn't care about when you leave. The airline wants to know that you have a valid passport and visa; for most people, that will be Sri Lanka's electronic travel authorisation (ETA), price $50 (£38). Organise this with your British passport. At the Sri Lankan capital, Colombo, use your British passport to enter and leave. From Sri Lanka to Australia: on departure from Colombo, the airline will want to know that you are entitled to enter Australia. Therefore, present your Australian passport to the airline, which gives you the automatic right to enter with no additional formalities. This will apply even if you are on a connecting flight, eg on Singapore Airlines rather than SriLankan Airlines direct to Melbourne or Sydney. On arrival in Australia, show the passport control people your Australian passport. You should also use this to leave Australia. From Australia to the UK: use your British passport for the flight – otherwise you will be asked, as an Australian, to obtain a UK ETA. On arrival in the UK, just go through the eGates with your British passport. If this all seems too complicated, just apply for the free Australian eVisitor pass, which is fast and easy to obtain, and do the whole thing on your British passport.
The Sun
05-06-2025
- Business
- The Sun
One of Europe's cheapest holiday destinations to enter the Eurozone next year – here's what it means for your trip
A NEW country is set to join the eurozone next year - and it might not be good new for Brits. The European Commission has given Bulgaria the green light to join the eurozone next year. 3 Bulgaria joined the European Union back in 2007 and it will become the 21st country to adopt the euro on January 1, 2026. This means Brits will eventually have to use up any of their old currency, which is the Bulgarian lev. However, once the euro is in place in Bulgaria - it will be easier for Brits to use up leftover change from a previous trips to other euro-accepting countries. According to Eamonn Turley, a financial specialist at Multi Quote Time: "Currently, Brits travelling to Bulgaria are required to exchange their pounds sterling for Bulgarian levs, which typically involves fees and exchange rates that can add uncertainty and cost to their holiday plans. "Once Bulgaria adopts the euro, British travellers will have the convenience of spending the same currency that they would if they were travelling to most other popular European destinations like Spain, France, or Italy. "The majority of Britons spend debit or credit cards when abroad, and with the euro, there is less foreign transaction fees or dynamic currency conversion fees, which can be hidden and bring added cost." Currently for each pound Brits can get 2.32 levs, but each pound will give Brits €1.19 - meaning that Brits get more levs for their money than euros. Eamonn also explained how Bulgaria has traditionally had a lower living standard that other Western European countries. This means that tourists have often flocked there for the country's cheap holidays. "When other Eastern European countries like Estonia and Lithuania joined the Eurozone, there was a bit of price inflation that came with the stronger currency and greater economic integration," added Eamonn. Trade Sunny Beach in Bulgaria for a little-known spot praised by locals "Britons may find that while currency exchange hassles disappear, the prices of meals, hotels, and services may gradually rise." However, there are also positives to the news as he says that stronger economic stability can lead to "improved transport links, more quality hotels, and improved tourist facilities, making Bulgaria an even more competitive holiday destination". He finished by saying: "From my financial perspective, this integration within the eurozone will render Bulgaria a more desirable destination for British tourists wanting convenience and safety with their spending, with perhaps the medium to long-term gain of enhanced tourism service and infrastructure." However, many Bulgarians remain skeptical and fear a rise in prices during the switch - which has happened in other countries that joined over the past decade. Croatia adopted the euro on January 1, 2023, becoming the 20th member state of the eurozone. The country was considered relatively cheap but has become more expensive over the past two decades. 3 According to a European Central Bank blog: "the impact of the euro changeover on consumer prices in Croatia has so far been relatively small". It added: "Continued monitoring is essential. "Croatia's experience is an important lesson for other EU Member States adopting the euro, as it confirms that the economic costs arising from the effect of the changeover on inflation are limited and of a one-off nature." The same could be seen with Bulgaria's transition. There are also several reasons why Brits should swap Spanish holidays for five destinations in stunning European country – with cheap pints & flights. Plus, inside bargain holiday hotspot with cheap booze and wild sex games that's Europe's new party central for Brits.
