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The UK passport 10-year rule for travel to Europe

British passports are checked like any non-EU passport in the Schengen area. Two dates matter: when your passport was issued, and when it expires. Older passports can pass one test and fail the other.

Quick answer

To visit the Schengen area, a British passport must have been issued less than 10 years before the day you arrive and must expire at least 3 months after the day you plan to leave. If you renewed before 1 October 2018, extra months carried over from your old passport may push the expiry date past 10 years, but those months don't count: check the issue date.

What are the two passport rules for Europe?

The UK Foreign Office (FCDO) says that for the Schengen area your passport must:

  • have a date of issue less than 10 years before the date you arrive, and
  • have an expiry date at least 3 months after the day you plan to leave the Schengen area.

Both rules come from EU law, which says a travel document must have been issued within the previous 10 years on the day you enter and be valid until the end of your stay plus 3 months. They apply to every non-EU passport, including British passports.

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For a trip with stops outside Europe too, use the full passport validity checker.

Why can an "in date" passport fail the 10-year rule?

British passports renewed before 1 October 2018 could include extra months carried over from the old passport. That means the expiry date can be more than 10 years after the issue date. FCDO says that if you renewed before 1 October 2018, your passport might have a date of issue more than 10 years ago, making it invalid for entry to the Schengen area even though it hasn't expired. The expiry date itself doesn't need to be within 10 years of the issue date: what matters is the issue date on the day you arrive.

Worked examples

  • Old passport, good expiry date: fails. Issued 1 March 2016, expires 1 December 2026. Trip to Spain from 1 to 14 April 2026. The passport must have been issued after 1 April 2016, but it was issued on 1 March 2016. It fails the 10-year rule even though it is valid well beyond 14 July 2026 (3 months after leaving).
  • Newer passport, too close to expiry: fails. Issued 10 June 2017, expires 10 June 2027. Trip from 1 to 20 May 2027. The issue date is fine, but the passport must be valid until 20 August 2027 and it expires on 10 June 2027.
  • Same passport, earlier trip: passes. Trip from 1 to 20 February 2027. It must be valid until 20 May 2027 (it is, until 10 June) and must have been issued after 1 February 2017 (it was, on 10 June 2017).

How are the 3 months counted?

From the day you leave the Schengen area, not the day you arrive and not the day you leave each country. If you go from France to Italy to Greece, the 3 months count from the day you leave Greece for a non-Schengen country. If the date three months later doesn't exist (for example, leaving on 30 November), it's the last day of that month: 28 February, or 29 February in a leap year.

Does the 10-year rule apply outside the Schengen area?

FCDO lists the same two checks for British passports visiting Cyprus and Montenegro. Ireland is different: British citizens don't legally need a passport there because of the Common Travel Area, though airlines and ferries may ask for one. Other countries have their own rules: see passport validity by country.

Staying a while? Your passport rules are separate from the 90-day limit. Count your days with the Schengen 90/180 calculator.

Frequently asked questions

What is the 10-year passport rule?
For the Schengen area, your passport must have been issued less than 10 years before the day you arrive. It applies to British passports, alongside the rule that the passport must be valid 3 months after you leave.
Do extra months on my old UK passport count?
Not for the Schengen area. If you renewed before 1 October 2018, your passport may have an expiry date more than 10 years after it was issued. Only the issue date counts for the 10-year check.
Do I need 6 months on my UK passport for Europe?
No. The Schengen rule is 3 months after the day you leave, plus an issue date less than 10 years before you arrive.
What if my passport is exactly 10 years old on the day I arrive?
FCDO says the date of issue must be less than 10 years before the date you arrive, so on the exact 10th anniversary it no longer qualifies. Arrive at least a day earlier or renew.

Official sources