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ARCHIVED - European Commission changes passport advice for UK travellers
The EC says UK holidaymakers should be allowed to fly to Spain and other destinations with 10-year-old passports
The European Commission has updated its travel advice for UK citizens and confirmed that British holidaymakers shouldn’t be prevented from boarding flights to EU countries if their passport was issued within the previous 10 years at the time of entry.
Prior to Brexit, even though the UK was not part of the Schengen Agreement, British tourists could still travel freely to destinations like Spain and Portugal. Now, British passport holders are considered non-EU nationals and some countries are insisting that passports be no more than 10 years old from the date of issue. In addition, they must be valid for at least three months after the intended departure date.
The regulation has led to countless UK travellers being turned away at the airport, but with the summer holidays fast approaching for millions of Brits, the European Commission has now said that a "more generous interpretation of the rules is possible."
The EC said in a statement: "Our previous advice was intended to make sure travellers are prepared to comply with the most stringent possible interpretation of the Schengen rules."
The initial rule requiring passports to be less than 10 years old was designed to guarantee entry for UK tourists, the Commission explained, but "based on the experience gathered in implementing these rules" and in discussion with member states, it is "now clear that a more generous interpretation of the rules is possible and we have therefore updated our advice".
From now on, UK travellers should be allowed to fly to EU destinations on passports that have been issued within the previous 10 years at the time of entry into the Schengen Area, the EC clarified.
A government spokesperson commented on the issue: "The European Commission has explicitly advised us, including in correspondence received [on 10 November 2021], that the conditions of a passport being less than 10 years old and valid for three months post-return date are cumulative.
"We are engaging with the Commission to seek further clarification and, if this is no longer the case, will update our advice in due course."
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