UK Passport Rule 2021

by
UK Nationality & Visas

Passport rules for travel to Europe from 1 January 2021

Find out if you need to renew your passport before you travel to Europe from 1 January 2021 and which countries the new rules apply to.

Published 13 September 2018
Last updated 25 September 2020 — see all updates
From:
HM Passport Office

New rules for January 2021

The UK has left the EU, and the transition period after Brexit comes to an end this year.

This page tells you what you’ll need to do from 1 January 2021. It will be updated if anything changes.

For current information, read:

You can also read about the transition period.

Until 1 January 2021, you can continue to travel to Europe with your UK passport until it expires.

New rules will apply for travel to Europe from 1 January 2021.

If your passport is burgundy or has ‘European Union’ on the cover, you can continue to use it until it expires.

You’ll need to have at least 6 months left on an adult or child passport to travel to most countries in Europe (not including Ireland).

If you renewed your current passport before the previous one expired, extra months may have been added to its expiry date. Any extra months on your passport over 10 years may not count towards the 6 months needed.

Check whether you need to renew your passport before travelling to Europe from 1 January 2021

You’ll need to renew your passport before travelling if you do not have enough time left on your passport.

Sign up for email updates on GOV.UK.

Countries this applies to

The new rules will apply for travel to and between most countries in Europe. These are:

  • Andorra
  • Austria
  • Belgium
  • Bulgaria
  • Croatia
  • Cyprus
  • Czech Republic
  • Denmark
  • Estonia
  • Finland
  • France
  • Germany
  • Greece
  • Hungary
  • Iceland
  • Italy
  • Latvia
  • Liechtenstein
  • Lithuania
  • Luxembourg
  • Malta
  • Monaco
  • Netherlands
  • Norway
  • Poland
  • Portugal
  • Romania
  • San Marino
  • Slovakia
  • Slovenia
  • Spain
  • Sweden
  • Switzerland
  • Vatican City

Travel to other EU countries

The new rules will not apply when travelling to Ireland.

Applying for a new passport

If your passport doesn’t meet the new rules, you will need to apply for a new passport before travelling to the countries affected.

Do not book travel unless your passport meets the entry requirements of the country you’re travelling to.

Make sure you apply in plenty of time. If you need to, you can apply to get a passport urgently.

Published 13 September 2018
Last updated 25 September 2020 
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