Martin Lewis Warns UK Holidaymakers to Check Passport and EHIC Cards Before Heading to Europe for Summer Holidays
Key Highlights :
Martin Lewis has warned Brits to check their travel documents ahead of summer holidays to the likes of France, Italy, Greece, Spain and other hotspots. The finance guru urged UK holidaymakers to check both their passport and EHIC cards now, in order to have some leeway if their documents may not be valid.
Speaking on the Martin Lewis Money Show Live, he explained that there are "two key checks" Brits need to make on their passports, to ensure they are valid for travel. He explained: "The first one, you need to check it is under 10 years old on the day you enter the country. People get caught out by that, that is a common condition. Some British passports are over 10 years old and they're still valid but you often can't travel on that.
"And you need to check for many countries, not all, you have at least 6 months left from the day that you enter. If you don't have that then you need to check the country rules to check it is valid."
Since Brexit, even EU countries now require three months' validity and passports to be under 10 years old. The Passport Office is advising to allow up to 10 weeks for renewals, but delays can be longer and Fast Track slots are limited. Martin Lewis warned that an invalid passport could mean that travel insurance companies will not allow you to claim if that's the reason you can't go on holiday.
In addition to passports, Martin Lewis also urged people to check their European Health Insurance Cards (EHIC). Around 5.4 million EHIC cards are due to expire this year, so if yours is one of them, you'll need to get it replaced for a GHIC which is "basically the same thing".
A backlog caused by the Covid pandemic saw millions of Brits leaving their passport renewals until travel reopened, and Passport Office strikes back in May, meaning you could face at least a few weeks' wait for a new passport. The Government's website states that someone with parental responsibility for the child must apply for the passport, and both parents' details must be given when applying. If this isn't possible, authorities will require an explanation before they issue the document.
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. The current average wait is 23 days, so the earlier you check your documents, the better.
Martin Lewis has warned UK holidaymakers to check their passports and EHIC cards now, in order to have some leeway if their documents may not be valid for travel to Europe this summer. With a backlog caused by the Covid pandemic, and Passport Office strikes back in May, Brits are advised to leave 10 weeks for the renewal process to be completed, from the moment officials receive all the required documents including your old passport. Divorced parents are also being urged to check all their documents are in order before applying for a new passport.
