Family Travel: Time to Check Your Passports
Going on a family holiday is something many of us haven’t been able to do for a long time due to the pandemic, and summer 2022 will see many families heading abroad for the first time in two years. With this in mind, it’s crucial to make sure your and your children’s passports are in date.
9th May is the last date for a 10-week passport renewal for those wanting to jet away on 18th July, the week many schools in England and Wales start to break up for summer.
Co-op Insurance is calling on travellers to renew their passports as the insurer says demand for travel insurance has doubled in 2022.
Brits are unable to travel without having an in-date passport, and typically need at least six months left before expiration in order to travel both to Europe and further across the world (except Ireland – your passport only needs to be valid for the duration of your stay).
How to Renew Your Passport
Co-op Insurance is urging holiday makers not to delay in checking their passports, as figures obtained from the Passport Office show that 4.5 million* Brits – almost 7% of the UK’s total population – will see their documents expire before the 18th July 2022, the week that many schools in England and Wales start to break up for summer.
Travelling without a valid passport is not possible and most European countries now require British travellers to have a passport which is valid for at least three months after the date they intend to leave the EU country they are visiting and also one which was issued within the previous ten years.
Graham Ward-Lush, head of travel at Co-op Insurance, says: “Many of us won’t have had a proper summer holiday since 2019 and we know that millions of Brits all over the country are eagerly anticipating this year’s getaway, particularly as most travel restrictions have now been lifted.
“Many families in England and Wales will be looking to get away at the end of July, which means May 9th is a good deadline to set yourself in order to ensure that new documents arrive back in time.
“There can’t be a more heart-breaking scenario than unearthing a passport the night before travel, only to realise that it is out of date. We want to help ensure that people all over the UK manage to have their dream holiday this summer and aren’t stranded at home due to invalid travel documentation!”
Passport renewals cost between £75-85, and can be done digitally using the Government’s online service or via the Post Office’s check and send service.
