Ignoring one key passport detail could see Brits forced to fork out £222
If you're planning to jet off abroad before the end of the year, there are some checks you should make.
Brits planning holidays in the coming weeks and months are being urged to stringently check their passports. This is down to some lesser-known travel rules that have come into effect in the wake of Brexit.
All UK residents will require a valid passport for international travel. You can apply for a British passport if you're a British citizen, a British overseas territories citizen, a British overseas citizen, a British subject, a British national (overseas), or a British protected person.
To get a new or replacement document, an application must be submitted to HM Passport Office, with the current average processing time being three weeks or less, reports Liverpool ECHO.
With Scotland's schools now returning and August's scorching weather cooling down, it really feels like the final few weeks of summer.
And if you are looking to make the most of that by jetting off abroad - or if you have plans for a holiday in the quieter autumn season - then there are some things you should double check.
The experts at Confused.com have urged travellers to check their passports to make sure they won't fall foul of any of these regulations.
Alvaro Iturmendi said: "Nothing ruins the end-of-summer buzz faster than being turned away at the airport because your passport is not valid.
"It is easier to get caught out than you might think. Our research found that less than half (43 percent) [of] holiday goers know that if you are heading to the EU, your passport must have been issued less than 10 years before your departure date."
As Mr Iturmendi highlighted, all British passport holders journeying to the Schengen zone must guarantee their passport's 'date of issue' occurs within 10 years of their arrival date.
Furthermore, the passport's 'expiry date' must be at least three months beyond their intended departure from the Schengen zone.
Should your passport not satisfy entry criteria, you'll almost certainly be refused at your departure airport.
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So it is vital to check as soon as possible if your passport has enough time to spare. If you don't find out with more than the estimated three weeks processing time until your holiday, you might be able to get a fast-track replacement.
But this urgent passport service could cost you up to £222, which is extra spending no one wants ahead of a holiday.
And while it is estimated you should get a passport within 21 days, the UK Government has advised it can sometimes take longer than this, "if [they] need more information, or [they] need to interview you".
Anyone to whom this applies will be contacted within the three-week timeframe.
As of April 10 this year, a standard adult passport, for those aged 16 and above, costs £94.50 when applying online, or £107 when using the paper application form.