🕷️ Crawler Inspector

URL Lookup

Direct Parameter Lookup

Raw Queries and Responses

1. Shard Calculation

Query:

Response:

Calculated Shard: 133 (from laksa144)

2. Crawled Status Check

Query:

curl -X POST \
  'http://laksa133.int.ahrefs:8124/' \
  -H 'Content-Type: text/plain' \
  -H 'X-ClickHouse-Database: crawler3' \
  -H 'Authorization: Basic YXBpOg==' \
  -d 'SELECT getAhrefsURLFromUnparsed(src_unparsed) AS found_url, ifNull(toUnixTimestamp(download_stamp), 0) AS crawl_time, ifNull(toUnixTimestamp(props_url_first_seen), 0) AS first_indexed_time, download_http_code AS http_code, src_unparsed AS src_unparsed, src_root_hash AS src_root_hash, history_drop_reason AS history_drop_reason, meta_title AS meta_title, meta_descriptions AS meta_descriptions, attrs_boilerpipe_text AS attrs_boilerpipe_text, attrs_markdown AS attrs_markdown, attrs_readable_markdown AS attrs_readable_markdown, meta_canonical AS meta_canonical FROM crawler3.page_info_local FINAL PREWHERE (src_root_hash, src_unparsed) IN ((getAhrefsRootHashFromUnparsed(getAhrefsUnparsedNoserviceFromURL(\'https://www.cntraveller.com/article/uk-passport-issue-date-rules\')), getAhrefsUnparsedNoserviceFromURL(\'https://www.cntraveller.com/article/uk-passport-issue-date-rules\'))) FORMAT JSONEachRow'

Response:

{"found_url":"https:\/\/www.cntraveller.com\/article\/uk-passport-issue-date-rules","crawl_time":1776026432,"first_indexed_time":1681299800,"http_code":200,"src_unparsed":"com,cntraveller!www,\/article\/uk-passport-issue-date-rules s443","src_root_hash":"15336320982881475333","history_drop_reason":null,"meta_title":"Why UK passport holders need to check the issue date of their passports before travelling to the EU | CN Traveller","meta_descriptions":["British passports cannot be more than 10 years old when travelling to the EU – which means you need to look at the date it was issued rather than the date it expires."],"attrs_boilerpipe_text":"Did you know that the expiry date on burgundy British passports might be meaningless when travelling to EU countries (except\nIreland\n) or Schengen zone countries such as\nSwitzerland\n,\nNorway\nand\nIceland\n? This is because since Brexit,\nBritish passports\ncannot be more than 10 years old when used to travel to the EU – which means you need to look at the date the passport was\nissued\n, rather than the date it expires. Most people – understandably – assume that an adult passport lasts 10 years, but if your passport was issued before 1 October 2018, extra months might have been added to its expiry date if the previous passport was renewed before it fully expired (the additional months used to be rolled over).\nIn spite of being a travel journalist, I was caught out by this sneaky rule on a recent trip to\nFrance\n(you can read more on the\nFCO’s website\n). It was ironic because I was aware of it, and then forgot about it. I had completed a trip to the US just the previous week and hadn’t thought twice about a trip to\nFrance\nwith my daughter for the\nEaster holidays\nbecause I still have seven months left on my passport – it expires in November 2023 (you need a minimum of three months to travel to the EU). So I checked in online with Easyjet – uploading my passport details as requested – travelled to London Gatwick with my four year old, had our passports checked before dropping off our\nsuitcase\n, and then proceeded through security.\nGet essential travel tips, destination inspiration, itineraries, and the best places to stay in your inbox.\nSign up to the Condé Nast Traveller Daily newsletter\nA couple of hours later we were queuing to board the plane, but when it came to our turn a member of Easyjet staff scanned my passport and it flashed up as “amber” on her screen. She sternly proceeded to tell me that my passport had expired and we wouldn’t be allowed to board. My daughter started crying and begging to be allowed to see her grandparents whom we were supposed to be visiting. The Easyjet representative was unsympathetic – insisting there was no way we could travel and telling me to step away from the gate. I was shocked – it felt like an arbitrary rule. She wouldn’t even acknowledge that it was confusing for flyers and accepted no responsibility on behalf of the airline for not flagging it during the booking or check-in process.\nGetty Images\nWe then had to wait two hours for our suitcase to be returned while they off-loaded it from the plane. Obviously, it’s my own fault – the rule has been in place since January 2021. But I wanted to share my experience because if I can make this mistake, then other people will do so too. And it’s a costly one – flights lost, hotel lost, holiday lost.\nTo make matters worse, this happened last week – during the first week of the five-week-long HM\nPassport Office strikes\n. What this meant was that I was not able to get a new passport quickly enough to travel during the Easter break (I would have booked new flights if I could). Normally you can pay £193.50 to apply for an Online Premium passport that can be collected in two days, or a Fast Track one that takes a week. When I returned home I attempted to get an appointment for an Online Premium premium passport but it took me two days to secure a slot (every time I clicked it said there were no available appointments – same for Fast Track).\nAfter many dozens of attempts, I finally managed to proceed with the application on 6 April, but the soonest appointment I could get was 25 April and I would have to fly to the passport office in\nBelfast\nto collect it (I live in London). There were no slots in\nEngland\navailable. As I have a business trip to\nBerlin\nat the beginning of\nMay\n, I went ahead with this – paying £250 for flights to Belfast plus another £100 for a hotel. I then realised my daughters’ passport expires in\nSeptember\n2023 and if we wanted to go on holiday abroad this\nsummer\n, I would need to get one for her too (you can’t use Online Premium for kids – and it costs £126 Fast Track). So far, there are no appointments available.\nThese are the current rules for British passport holders travelling to the EU and Schengen zone. Your passport must be:\nIssued less than 10 years before the date you enter the country (check the “date of issue”)\nValid for at least three months after the day you plan to leave\nYou do not need a visa for short trips to the EU or countries in the Schengen area if both of the\nfollowing apply: you’re staying for 90 days or less in a 180-day period OR you’re visiting as a tourist or for certain other reasons","attrs_markdown":"[Skip to main content](https:\/\/www.cntraveller.com\/article\/uk-passport-issue-date-rules#main-content)\n\n[2026 Readers' Choice Awards Survey](https:\/\/www.cntraveller.com\/article\/vote-readers-choice-awards)\n\n[Vote Now](https:\/\/www.cntraveller.com\/article\/vote-readers-choice-awards)\n\n[Subscribe](https:\/\/www.cntraveller.com\/subscribe)\n\n[Newsletters](https:\/\/www.cntraveller.com\/newsletter)\n\nMenu\n\n[Inspiration](https:\/\/www.cntraveller.com\/topic\/inspiration)\n\n[Destinations](https:\/\/www.cntraveller.com\/topic\/destinations)\n\n[Places to Stay](https:\/\/www.cntraveller.com\/topic\/places-to-stay)\n\n[Style & Culture](https:\/\/www.cntraveller.com\/topic\/style-culture)\n\n[Food & Drinks](https:\/\/www.cntraveller.com\/topic\/eating-drinking)\n\n[Wellness & Spas](https:\/\/www.cntraveller.com\/topic\/wellness-and-spas)\n\n[News & Advice](https:\/\/www.cntraveller.com\/topic\/news-and-advice)\n\n[Gold List](https:\/\/www.cntraveller.com\/gold-list-2026)\n\n[Subscribe](https:\/\/www.cntraveller.com\/subscribe)\n\nMenu\n\n[Inspiration](https:\/\/www.cntraveller.com\/topic\/inspiration)\n\n[Destinations](https:\/\/www.cntraveller.com\/topic\/destinations)\n\n[Places to Stay](https:\/\/www.cntraveller.com\/topic\/places-to-stay)\n\n[Houses to Rent](https:\/\/www.cntraveller.com\/topic\/houses-to-rent)[Hotels](https:\/\/www.cntraveller.com\/topic\/hotels)[Villas](https:\/\/www.cntraveller.com\/topic\/villas)[All Places to Stay](https:\/\/www.cntraveller.com\/topic\/places-to-stay)\n\n[Style & Culture](https:\/\/www.cntraveller.com\/topic\/style-culture)\n\n[Food & Drinks](https:\/\/www.cntraveller.com\/topic\/eating-drinking)\n\n[Wellness & Spas](https:\/\/www.cntraveller.com\/topic\/wellness-and-spas)\n\n[News & Advice](https:\/\/www.cntraveller.com\/topic\/news-and-advice)\n\n[Partnerships](https:\/\/www.cntraveller.com\/topic\/conde-nast-traveller-partnership)\n\nMORE\n\n[Awards](https:\/\/www.cntraveller.com\/topic\/awards)\n\n[Traveller's Directory](https:\/\/www.cntraveller.com\/topic\/travellers-directory)\n\n[Travel Tips](https:\/\/www.cntraveller.com\/topic\/travel-tips)\n\n[Video](https:\/\/www.cntraveller.com\/video)\n\n[Podcasts](https:\/\/www.cntraveller.com\/topic\/podcast)\n\n[Competitions](https:\/\/www.cntraveller.com\/topic\/competitions)\n\n[Events](https:\/\/www.cntraveller.com\/topic\/events)\n\n[Search](https:\/\/www.cntraveller.com\/search)\n\n[Newsletters](https:\/\/www.cntraveller.com\/newsletter)\n\n[Subscribe](https:\/\/www.cntraveller.com\/subscribe)\n\n[Travel Tips](https:\/\/www.cntraveller.com\/topic\/travel-tips)\n\n# Why UK passport holders need to check the issue date of their passports before travelling to the EU\n\nMake sure you don't get caught out by the new passport rules before it's too late…\n\nBy [Jenny Southan](https:\/\/www.cntraveller.com\/profile\/jenny-southan)\n\n12 April 2023\n\n![Why UK passport holders need to check the issue date of their passports before travelling to the EU](https:\/\/media.cntraveller.com\/photos\/642eb3e93a5d4d1b5eb98b24\/16:9\/w_2560%2Cc_limit\/GettyImages-184940708.jpeg)\n\nGetty Images\n\nDid you know that the expiry date on burgundy British passports might be meaningless when travelling to EU countries (except [Ireland](https:\/\/www.cntraveller.com\/gallery\/the-best-hotels-in-ireland)) or Schengen zone countries such as [Switzerland](https:\/\/www.cntraveller.com\/bc\/article\/hidden-hotels-switzerland), [Norway](https:\/\/www.cntraveller.com\/topic\/norway) and [Iceland](https:\/\/www.cntraveller.com\/gallery\/iceland-hotels)? This is because since Brexit, [British passports](https:\/\/www.cntraveller.com\/article\/how-long-does-it-take-get-passport) cannot be more than 10 years old when used to travel to the EU – which means you need to look at the date the passport was *issued*, rather than the date it expires. Most people – understandably – assume that an adult passport lasts 10 years, but if your passport was issued before 1 October 2018, extra months might have been added to its expiry date if the previous passport was renewed before it fully expired (the additional months used to be rolled over).\n\nIn spite of being a travel journalist, I was caught out by this sneaky rule on a recent trip to [France](https:\/\/www.cntraveller.com\/gallery\/beautiful-places-france) (you can read more on the [FCO’s website](https:\/\/www.gov.uk\/foreign-travel-advice\/france\/entry-requirements)). It was ironic because I was aware of it, and then forgot about it. I had completed a trip to the US just the previous week and hadn’t thought twice about a trip to [France](https:\/\/www.cntraveller.com\/gallery\/road-trips-france) with my daughter for the [Easter holidays](https:\/\/www.cntraveller.com\/gallery\/best-holiday-destinations-in-april) because I still have seven months left on my passport – it expires in November 2023 (you need a minimum of three months to travel to the EU). So I checked in online with Easyjet – uploading my passport details as requested – travelled to London Gatwick with my four year old, had our passports checked before dropping off our [suitcase](https:\/\/www.cntraveller.com\/gallery\/best-luggage), and then proceeded through security.\n\n### Get essential travel tips, destination inspiration, itineraries, and the best places to stay in your inbox.\nSign up to the Condé Nast Traveller Daily newsletter\n\nA couple of hours later we were queuing to board the plane, but when it came to our turn a member of Easyjet staff scanned my passport and it flashed up as “amber” on her screen. She sternly proceeded to tell me that my passport had expired and we wouldn’t be allowed to board. My daughter started crying and begging to be allowed to see her grandparents whom we were supposed to be visiting. The Easyjet representative was unsympathetic – insisting there was no way we could travel and telling me to step away from the gate. I was shocked – it felt like an arbitrary rule. She wouldn’t even acknowledge that it was confusing for flyers and accepted no responsibility on behalf of the airline for not flagging it during the booking or check-in process.\n\n![Why UK passport holders need to check the issue date of their passports before travelling to the EU](https:\/\/media.cntraveller.com\/photos\/642eb3efaaf8221f9557eab5\/master\/w_1600%2Cc_limit\/GettyImages-1384632126.jpeg)\n\nGetty Images\n\nWe then had to wait two hours for our suitcase to be returned while they off-loaded it from the plane. Obviously, it’s my own fault – the rule has been in place since January 2021. But I wanted to share my experience because if I can make this mistake, then other people will do so too. And it’s a costly one – flights lost, hotel lost, holiday lost.\n\nTo make matters worse, this happened last week – during the first week of the five-week-long HM [Passport Office strikes](https:\/\/www.cntraveller.com\/article\/passport-office-strike). What this meant was that I was not able to get a new passport quickly enough to travel during the Easter break (I would have booked new flights if I could). Normally you can pay £193.50 to apply for an Online Premium passport that can be collected in two days, or a Fast Track one that takes a week. When I returned home I attempted to get an appointment for an Online Premium premium passport but it took me two days to secure a slot (every time I clicked it said there were no available appointments – same for Fast Track).\n\nAfter many dozens of attempts, I finally managed to proceed with the application on 6 April, but the soonest appointment I could get was 25 April and I would have to fly to the passport office in [Belfast](https:\/\/www.cntraveller.com\/gallery\/hotels-in-belfast) to collect it (I live in London). There were no slots in [England](https:\/\/www.cntraveller.com\/gallery\/beautiful-places-england) available. As I have a business trip to [Berlin](https:\/\/www.cntraveller.com\/gallery\/best-berlin-restaurants) at the beginning of [May](https:\/\/www.cntraveller.com\/gallery\/best-holiday-destinations-in-may), I went ahead with this – paying £250 for flights to Belfast plus another £100 for a hotel. I then realised my daughters’ passport expires in [September](https:\/\/www.cntraveller.com\/gallery\/best-holiday-destinations-in-september) 2023 and if we wanted to go on holiday abroad this [summer](https:\/\/www.cntraveller.com\/gallery\/summer-holiday-ideas), I would need to get one for her too (you can’t use Online Premium for kids – and it costs £126 Fast Track). So far, there are no appointments available.\n\nThese are the current rules for British passport holders travelling to the EU and Schengen zone. Your passport must be:\n\n- Issued less than 10 years before the date you enter the country (check the “date of issue”)\n- Valid for at least three months after the day you plan to leave\n- You do not need a visa for short trips to the EU or countries in the Schengen area if both of the  \n  following apply: you’re staying for 90 days or less in a 180-day period OR you’re visiting as a tourist or for certain other reasons\n\n[Jenny Southan](https:\/\/www.cntraveller.com\/profile\/jenny-southan) is the editor, founder and CEO of Globetrender, the UK's leading travel trend forecasting agency and online magazine dedicated to the future of travel. Jenny is also an experienced public speaker, a spokesperson for BBC Radio and an award-winning freelance travel journalist whose work has been featured in ... [Read More](https:\/\/www.cntraveller.com\/profile\/jenny-southan)\n\nContributor\n\nTopics[Europe](https:\/\/www.cntraveller.com\/topic\/europe)[Travel Tips](https:\/\/www.cntraveller.com\/topic\/travel-tips)[Flights](https:\/\/www.cntraveller.com\/topic\/flights)\n\n### Get essential travel tips, destination inspiration, itineraries, and the best places to stay in your inbox.\nSign up to the Condé Nast Traveller Daily newsletter\n\nTo learn how we process your data, visit our [Privacy Notice](https:\/\/www.condenast.com\/privacy-pages\/uk\/privacy). You can unsubscribe at any time. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the [Google Privacy Policy](https:\/\/policies.google.com\/privacy) and [Terms of Service](https:\/\/policies.google.com\/terms) apply.\n\nMore from Condé Nast Traveller\n\n- [![How long does it take to get a passport in the UK? Everything you need to know](https:\/\/media.cntraveller.com\/photos\/627b8ff98ad3da5fda7aa925\/4:3\/w_640%2Cc_limit\/passport-GettyImages-1294378018.jpeg)Inspiration How long does it take to get a passport in the UK? Everything you need to know By Connor Sturges](https:\/\/www.cntraveller.com\/article\/how-long-does-it-take-get-passport)\n- [![How to sleep on a plane \\&\\#8211; even if you're in the middle seat](https:\/\/media.cntraveller.com\/photos\/640f46d31688043e77acc609\/4:3\/w_640%2Cc_limit\/Airplane%2520marvin-meyer-WN0tvAqaLBY-unsplash.jpg)Travel Tips How to sleep on a plane – even if you're in the middle seat By Kaitlyn McInnis](https:\/\/www.cntraveller.com\/article\/how-to-sleep-on-plane)\n- [![Who you should travel with, based on your zodiac sign](https:\/\/media.cntraveller.com\/photos\/62c5e37f91a9f4d7cb877b8d\/4:3\/w_640%2Cc_limit\/Hannah%2520George_2019_Gemini_Artwork.jpg)Inspiration Who you should travel with, based on your zodiac sign By Isabelle Kliger](https:\/\/www.cntraveller.com\/article\/who-to-travel-with-star-sign)\n- [![Fingerprints, face scans and automated systems: What the EU’s new travel rules mean for British travellers](https:\/\/media.cntraveller.com\/photos\/663386ed60e1af2e1e478714\/4:3\/w_640%2Cc_limit\/undefined)Travel Tips Fingerprints, face scans and automated systems: What the EU’s new travel rules mean for British travellers By Emma Clarke](https:\/\/www.cntraveller.com\/article\/what-are-the-eus-new-travel-rules-for-british-travellers-2026#intcid=recommendations_cnt-row-bottom-recirc-v4_533301e9-bd3d-4f63-90b7-5a4d926c3753_similar2-3_similar2_3)\n- [![Is the future of film European? How the continent continues to allure set-jetting travellers](https:\/\/media.cntraveller.com\/photos\/698f13347d730035a893c99b\/4:3\/w_640%2Cc_limit\/undefined)Style & Culture Is the future of film European? How the continent continues to allure set-jetting travellers By Olivia Morelli](https:\/\/www.cntraveller.com\/article\/is-the-future-of-film-european-how-the-continent-continues-to-allure-set-jetting-travellers#intcid=recommendations_cnt-row-bottom-recirc-v4_533301e9-bd3d-4f63-90b7-5a4d926c3753_similar2-3_similar2_3)\n- [![The happiest countries in the world for 2026 have just been revealed](https:\/\/media.cntraveller.com\/photos\/6412e5a16a81e10067e038e4\/4:3\/w_640%2Cc_limit\/undefined)Inspiration The happiest countries in the world for 2026 have just been revealed By Sarah James](https:\/\/www.cntraveller.com\/gallery\/happiest-countries-world-2026#intcid=recommendations_cnt-row-bottom-recirc-v4_533301e9-bd3d-4f63-90b7-5a4d926c3753_similar2-3_similar2_3)\n\n[![Condé Nast Traveller](https:\/\/www.cntraveller.com\/verso\/static\/condenasttraveler-global\/assets\/logo-uk-reverse.svg)](https:\/\/www.cntraveller.com\/)\n\nMore from Condé Nast Traveller\n\n- [About Condé Nast Traveller](https:\/\/www.cntraveller.com\/info\/about-us)\n- [Newsletters](https:\/\/www.cntraveller.com\/newsletter)\n- [Subscribe](https:\/\/www.cntraveller.com\/subscribe)\n- [Competitions](https:\/\/www.cntraveller.com\/topic\/competitions)\n\nContact\n\n- [Contact Us](https:\/\/www.cntraveller.com\/article\/contact-us)\n- [Careers](https:\/\/www.condenast.com\/careers)\n\n- [Privacy notice and cookie statement](https:\/\/www.condenast.com\/privacy-pages\/uk\/privacy)\n- [Code of Conduct](https:\/\/www.condenast.com\/privacy-pages\/uk\/code-of-conduct)\n- [Terms & conditions](https:\/\/www.condenast.com\/privacy-pages\/uk\/terms)\n- [Editorial Complaints Policy](https:\/\/www.condenast.com\/privacy-pages\/uk\/complaints\/policy)\n- [Site Map](https:\/\/www.cntraveller.com\/sitemap)\n- Your Privacy Choices\n\n© Condé Nast Britain 2026.\n\n###### Select international site\nBritain\n\n- [India](https:\/\/www.cntraveller.in\/)\n- [Spain](https:\/\/www.traveler.es\/)\n- [United States](https:\/\/www.cntraveler.com\/)\n- [Middle East](https:\/\/www.cntravellerme.com\/)\n- [Germany](https:\/\/www.cntraveller.de\/)","attrs_readable_markdown":"Did you know that the expiry date on burgundy British passports might be meaningless when travelling to EU countries (except [Ireland](https:\/\/www.cntraveller.com\/gallery\/the-best-hotels-in-ireland)) or Schengen zone countries such as [Switzerland](https:\/\/www.cntraveller.com\/bc\/article\/hidden-hotels-switzerland), [Norway](https:\/\/www.cntraveller.com\/topic\/norway) and [Iceland](https:\/\/www.cntraveller.com\/gallery\/iceland-hotels)? This is because since Brexit, [British passports](https:\/\/www.cntraveller.com\/article\/how-long-does-it-take-get-passport) cannot be more than 10 years old when used to travel to the EU – which means you need to look at the date the passport was *issued*, rather than the date it expires. Most people – understandably – assume that an adult passport lasts 10 years, but if your passport was issued before 1 October 2018, extra months might have been added to its expiry date if the previous passport was renewed before it fully expired (the additional months used to be rolled over).\n\nIn spite of being a travel journalist, I was caught out by this sneaky rule on a recent trip to [France](https:\/\/www.cntraveller.com\/gallery\/beautiful-places-france) (you can read more on the [FCO’s website](https:\/\/www.gov.uk\/foreign-travel-advice\/france\/entry-requirements)). It was ironic because I was aware of it, and then forgot about it. I had completed a trip to the US just the previous week and hadn’t thought twice about a trip to [France](https:\/\/www.cntraveller.com\/gallery\/road-trips-france) with my daughter for the [Easter holidays](https:\/\/www.cntraveller.com\/gallery\/best-holiday-destinations-in-april) because I still have seven months left on my passport – it expires in November 2023 (you need a minimum of three months to travel to the EU). So I checked in online with Easyjet – uploading my passport details as requested – travelled to London Gatwick with my four year old, had our passports checked before dropping off our [suitcase](https:\/\/www.cntraveller.com\/gallery\/best-luggage), and then proceeded through security.\n\n### Get essential travel tips, destination inspiration, itineraries, and the best places to stay in your inbox.\nSign up to the Condé Nast Traveller Daily newsletter\n\nA couple of hours later we were queuing to board the plane, but when it came to our turn a member of Easyjet staff scanned my passport and it flashed up as “amber” on her screen. She sternly proceeded to tell me that my passport had expired and we wouldn’t be allowed to board. My daughter started crying and begging to be allowed to see her grandparents whom we were supposed to be visiting. The Easyjet representative was unsympathetic – insisting there was no way we could travel and telling me to step away from the gate. I was shocked – it felt like an arbitrary rule. She wouldn’t even acknowledge that it was confusing for flyers and accepted no responsibility on behalf of the airline for not flagging it during the booking or check-in process.\n\n![Why UK passport holders need to check the issue date of their passports before travelling to the EU](https:\/\/media.cntraveller.com\/photos\/642eb3efaaf8221f9557eab5\/master\/w_1600%2Cc_limit\/GettyImages-1384632126.jpeg)\n\nGetty Images\n\nWe then had to wait two hours for our suitcase to be returned while they off-loaded it from the plane. Obviously, it’s my own fault – the rule has been in place since January 2021. But I wanted to share my experience because if I can make this mistake, then other people will do so too. And it’s a costly one – flights lost, hotel lost, holiday lost.\n\nTo make matters worse, this happened last week – during the first week of the five-week-long HM [Passport Office strikes](https:\/\/www.cntraveller.com\/article\/passport-office-strike). What this meant was that I was not able to get a new passport quickly enough to travel during the Easter break (I would have booked new flights if I could). Normally you can pay £193.50 to apply for an Online Premium passport that can be collected in two days, or a Fast Track one that takes a week. When I returned home I attempted to get an appointment for an Online Premium premium passport but it took me two days to secure a slot (every time I clicked it said there were no available appointments – same for Fast Track).\n\nAfter many dozens of attempts, I finally managed to proceed with the application on 6 April, but the soonest appointment I could get was 25 April and I would have to fly to the passport office in [Belfast](https:\/\/www.cntraveller.com\/gallery\/hotels-in-belfast) to collect it (I live in London). There were no slots in [England](https:\/\/www.cntraveller.com\/gallery\/beautiful-places-england) available. As I have a business trip to [Berlin](https:\/\/www.cntraveller.com\/gallery\/best-berlin-restaurants) at the beginning of [May](https:\/\/www.cntraveller.com\/gallery\/best-holiday-destinations-in-may), I went ahead with this – paying £250 for flights to Belfast plus another £100 for a hotel. I then realised my daughters’ passport expires in [September](https:\/\/www.cntraveller.com\/gallery\/best-holiday-destinations-in-september) 2023 and if we wanted to go on holiday abroad this [summer](https:\/\/www.cntraveller.com\/gallery\/summer-holiday-ideas), I would need to get one for her too (you can’t use Online Premium for kids – and it costs £126 Fast Track). So far, there are no appointments available.\n\nThese are the current rules for British passport holders travelling to the EU and Schengen zone. Your passport must be:\n\n- Issued less than 10 years before the date you enter the country (check the “date of issue”)\n- Valid for at least three months after the day you plan to leave\n- You do not need a visa for short trips to the EU or countries in the Schengen area if both of the  \n  following apply: you’re staying for 90 days or less in a 180-day period OR you’re visiting as a tourist or for certain other reasons","meta_canonical":null}

3. Robots.txt Check

Query:

Response:

4. Spam/Ban Check

Query:

Response:

5. Seen Status Check

ℹ️ Skipped - page is already crawled

📄

INDEXABLE

✅

CRAWLED

2 days ago

🤖

ROBOTS ALLOWED

Page Info Filters

Filter	Status	Condition	Details
HTTP status	PASS	`download_http_code = 200`	HTTP 200
Age cutoff	PASS	`download_stamp > now() - 6 MONTH`	0.1 months ago
History drop	PASS	`isNull(history_drop_reason)`	No drop reason
Spam/ban	PASS	`fh_dont_index != 1 AND ml_spam_score = 0`	ml_spam_score=0
Canonical	PASS	`meta_canonical IS NULL OR = '' OR = src_unparsed`	Not set

Page Details

Property	Value
URL	https://www.cntraveller.com/article/uk-passport-issue-date-rules
Last Crawled	2026-04-12 20:40:32 (2 days ago)
First Indexed	2023-04-12 11:43:20 (3 years ago)
HTTP Status Code	200
Meta Title	Why UK passport holders need to check the issue date of their passports before travelling to the EU \| CN Traveller
Meta Description	British passports cannot be more than 10 years old when travelling to the EU – which means you need to look at the date it was issued rather than the date it expires.
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Boilerpipe Text	Did you know that the expiry date on burgundy British passports might be meaningless when travelling to EU countries (except Ireland ) or Schengen zone countries such as Switzerland , Norway and Iceland ? This is because since Brexit, British passports cannot be more than 10 years old when used to travel to the EU – which means you need to look at the date the passport was issued , rather than the date it expires. Most people – understandably – assume that an adult passport lasts 10 years, but if your passport was issued before 1 October 2018, extra months might have been added to its expiry date if the previous passport was renewed before it fully expired (the additional months used to be rolled over). In spite of being a travel journalist, I was caught out by this sneaky rule on a recent trip to France (you can read more on the FCO’s website ). It was ironic because I was aware of it, and then forgot about it. I had completed a trip to the US just the previous week and hadn’t thought twice about a trip to France with my daughter for the Easter holidays because I still have seven months left on my passport – it expires in November 2023 (you need a minimum of three months to travel to the EU). So I checked in online with Easyjet – uploading my passport details as requested – travelled to London Gatwick with my four year old, had our passports checked before dropping off our suitcase , and then proceeded through security. Get essential travel tips, destination inspiration, itineraries, and the best places to stay in your inbox. Sign up to the Condé Nast Traveller Daily newsletter A couple of hours later we were queuing to board the plane, but when it came to our turn a member of Easyjet staff scanned my passport and it flashed up as “amber” on her screen. She sternly proceeded to tell me that my passport had expired and we wouldn’t be allowed to board. My daughter started crying and begging to be allowed to see her grandparents whom we were supposed to be visiting. The Easyjet representative was unsympathetic – insisting there was no way we could travel and telling me to step away from the gate. I was shocked – it felt like an arbitrary rule. She wouldn’t even acknowledge that it was confusing for flyers and accepted no responsibility on behalf of the airline for not flagging it during the booking or check-in process. Getty Images We then had to wait two hours for our suitcase to be returned while they off-loaded it from the plane. Obviously, it’s my own fault – the rule has been in place since January 2021. But I wanted to share my experience because if I can make this mistake, then other people will do so too. And it’s a costly one – flights lost, hotel lost, holiday lost. To make matters worse, this happened last week – during the first week of the five-week-long HM Passport Office strikes . What this meant was that I was not able to get a new passport quickly enough to travel during the Easter break (I would have booked new flights if I could). Normally you can pay £193.50 to apply for an Online Premium passport that can be collected in two days, or a Fast Track one that takes a week. When I returned home I attempted to get an appointment for an Online Premium premium passport but it took me two days to secure a slot (every time I clicked it said there were no available appointments – same for Fast Track). After many dozens of attempts, I finally managed to proceed with the application on 6 April, but the soonest appointment I could get was 25 April and I would have to fly to the passport office in Belfast to collect it (I live in London). There were no slots in England available. As I have a business trip to Berlin at the beginning of May , I went ahead with this – paying £250 for flights to Belfast plus another £100 for a hotel. I then realised my daughters’ passport expires in September 2023 and if we wanted to go on holiday abroad this summer , I would need to get one for her too (you can’t use Online Premium for kids – and it costs £126 Fast Track). So far, there are no appointments available. These are the current rules for British passport holders travelling to the EU and Schengen zone. Your passport must be: Issued less than 10 years before the date you enter the country (check the “date of issue”) Valid for at least three months after the day you plan to leave You do not need a visa for short trips to the EU or countries in the Schengen area if both of the following apply: you’re staying for 90 days or less in a 180-day period OR you’re visiting as a tourist or for certain other reasons
Markdown	[Skip to main content](https://www.cntraveller.com/article/uk-passport-issue-date-rules#main-content) [2026 Readers' Choice Awards Survey](https://www.cntraveller.com/article/vote-readers-choice-awards) [Vote Now](https://www.cntraveller.com/article/vote-readers-choice-awards) [Subscribe](https://www.cntraveller.com/subscribe) [Newsletters](https://www.cntraveller.com/newsletter) Menu [Inspiration](https://www.cntraveller.com/topic/inspiration) [Destinations](https://www.cntraveller.com/topic/destinations) [Places to Stay](https://www.cntraveller.com/topic/places-to-stay) [Style & Culture](https://www.cntraveller.com/topic/style-culture) [Food & Drinks](https://www.cntraveller.com/topic/eating-drinking) [Wellness & Spas](https://www.cntraveller.com/topic/wellness-and-spas) [News & Advice](https://www.cntraveller.com/topic/news-and-advice) [Gold List](https://www.cntraveller.com/gold-list-2026) [Subscribe](https://www.cntraveller.com/subscribe) Menu [Inspiration](https://www.cntraveller.com/topic/inspiration) [Destinations](https://www.cntraveller.com/topic/destinations) [Places to Stay](https://www.cntraveller.com/topic/places-to-stay) [Houses to Rent](https://www.cntraveller.com/topic/houses-to-rent)[Hotels](https://www.cntraveller.com/topic/hotels)[Villas](https://www.cntraveller.com/topic/villas)[All Places to Stay](https://www.cntraveller.com/topic/places-to-stay) [Style & Culture](https://www.cntraveller.com/topic/style-culture) [Food & Drinks](https://www.cntraveller.com/topic/eating-drinking) [Wellness & Spas](https://www.cntraveller.com/topic/wellness-and-spas) [News & Advice](https://www.cntraveller.com/topic/news-and-advice) [Partnerships](https://www.cntraveller.com/topic/conde-nast-traveller-partnership) MORE [Awards](https://www.cntraveller.com/topic/awards) [Traveller's Directory](https://www.cntraveller.com/topic/travellers-directory) [Travel Tips](https://www.cntraveller.com/topic/travel-tips) [Video](https://www.cntraveller.com/video) [Podcasts](https://www.cntraveller.com/topic/podcast) [Competitions](https://www.cntraveller.com/topic/competitions) [Events](https://www.cntraveller.com/topic/events) [Search](https://www.cntraveller.com/search) [Newsletters](https://www.cntraveller.com/newsletter) [Subscribe](https://www.cntraveller.com/subscribe) [Travel Tips](https://www.cntraveller.com/topic/travel-tips) # Why UK passport holders need to check the issue date of their passports before travelling to the EU Make sure you don't get caught out by the new passport rules before it's too late… By [Jenny Southan](https://www.cntraveller.com/profile/jenny-southan) 12 April 2023 ![Why UK passport holders need to check the issue date of their passports before travelling to the EU](https://media.cntraveller.com/photos/642eb3e93a5d4d1b5eb98b24/16:9/w_2560%2Cc_limit/GettyImages-184940708.jpeg) Getty Images Did you know that the expiry date on burgundy British passports might be meaningless when travelling to EU countries (except [Ireland](https://www.cntraveller.com/gallery/the-best-hotels-in-ireland)) or Schengen zone countries such as [Switzerland](https://www.cntraveller.com/bc/article/hidden-hotels-switzerland), [Norway](https://www.cntraveller.com/topic/norway) and [Iceland](https://www.cntraveller.com/gallery/iceland-hotels)? This is because since Brexit, [British passports](https://www.cntraveller.com/article/how-long-does-it-take-get-passport) cannot be more than 10 years old when used to travel to the EU – which means you need to look at the date the passport was issued, rather than the date it expires. Most people – understandably – assume that an adult passport lasts 10 years, but if your passport was issued before 1 October 2018, extra months might have been added to its expiry date if the previous passport was renewed before it fully expired (the additional months used to be rolled over). In spite of being a travel journalist, I was caught out by this sneaky rule on a recent trip to [France](https://www.cntraveller.com/gallery/beautiful-places-france) (you can read more on the [FCO’s website](https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/france/entry-requirements)). It was ironic because I was aware of it, and then forgot about it. I had completed a trip to the US just the previous week and hadn’t thought twice about a trip to [France](https://www.cntraveller.com/gallery/road-trips-france) with my daughter for the [Easter holidays](https://www.cntraveller.com/gallery/best-holiday-destinations-in-april) because I still have seven months left on my passport – it expires in November 2023 (you need a minimum of three months to travel to the EU). So I checked in online with Easyjet – uploading my passport details as requested – travelled to London Gatwick with my four year old, had our passports checked before dropping off our [suitcase](https://www.cntraveller.com/gallery/best-luggage), and then proceeded through security. ### Get essential travel tips, destination inspiration, itineraries, and the best places to stay in your inbox. Sign up to the Condé Nast Traveller Daily newsletter A couple of hours later we were queuing to board the plane, but when it came to our turn a member of Easyjet staff scanned my passport and it flashed up as “amber” on her screen. She sternly proceeded to tell me that my passport had expired and we wouldn’t be allowed to board. My daughter started crying and begging to be allowed to see her grandparents whom we were supposed to be visiting. The Easyjet representative was unsympathetic – insisting there was no way we could travel and telling me to step away from the gate. I was shocked – it felt like an arbitrary rule. She wouldn’t even acknowledge that it was confusing for flyers and accepted no responsibility on behalf of the airline for not flagging it during the booking or check-in process. ![Why UK passport holders need to check the issue date of their passports before travelling to the EU](https://media.cntraveller.com/photos/642eb3efaaf8221f9557eab5/master/w_1600%2Cc_limit/GettyImages-1384632126.jpeg) Getty Images We then had to wait two hours for our suitcase to be returned while they off-loaded it from the plane. Obviously, it’s my own fault – the rule has been in place since January 2021. But I wanted to share my experience because if I can make this mistake, then other people will do so too. And it’s a costly one – flights lost, hotel lost, holiday lost. To make matters worse, this happened last week – during the first week of the five-week-long HM [Passport Office strikes](https://www.cntraveller.com/article/passport-office-strike). What this meant was that I was not able to get a new passport quickly enough to travel during the Easter break (I would have booked new flights if I could). Normally you can pay £193.50 to apply for an Online Premium passport that can be collected in two days, or a Fast Track one that takes a week. When I returned home I attempted to get an appointment for an Online Premium premium passport but it took me two days to secure a slot (every time I clicked it said there were no available appointments – same for Fast Track). After many dozens of attempts, I finally managed to proceed with the application on 6 April, but the soonest appointment I could get was 25 April and I would have to fly to the passport office in [Belfast](https://www.cntraveller.com/gallery/hotels-in-belfast) to collect it (I live in London). There were no slots in [England](https://www.cntraveller.com/gallery/beautiful-places-england) available. As I have a business trip to [Berlin](https://www.cntraveller.com/gallery/best-berlin-restaurants) at the beginning of [May](https://www.cntraveller.com/gallery/best-holiday-destinations-in-may), I went ahead with this – paying £250 for flights to Belfast plus another £100 for a hotel. I then realised my daughters’ passport expires in [September](https://www.cntraveller.com/gallery/best-holiday-destinations-in-september) 2023 and if we wanted to go on holiday abroad this [summer](https://www.cntraveller.com/gallery/summer-holiday-ideas), I would need to get one for her too (you can’t use Online Premium for kids – and it costs £126 Fast Track). So far, there are no appointments available. These are the current rules for British passport holders travelling to the EU and Schengen zone. Your passport must be: - Issued less than 10 years before the date you enter the country (check the “date of issue”) - Valid for at least three months after the day you plan to leave - You do not need a visa for short trips to the EU or countries in the Schengen area if both of the following apply: you’re staying for 90 days or less in a 180-day period OR you’re visiting as a tourist or for certain other reasons [Jenny Southan](https://www.cntraveller.com/profile/jenny-southan) is the editor, founder and CEO of Globetrender, the UK's leading travel trend forecasting agency and online magazine dedicated to the future of travel. Jenny is also an experienced public speaker, a spokesperson for BBC Radio and an award-winning freelance travel journalist whose work has been featured in ... [Read More](https://www.cntraveller.com/profile/jenny-southan) Contributor Topics[Europe](https://www.cntraveller.com/topic/europe)[Travel Tips](https://www.cntraveller.com/topic/travel-tips)[Flights](https://www.cntraveller.com/topic/flights) ### Get essential travel tips, destination inspiration, itineraries, and the best places to stay in your inbox. Sign up to the Condé Nast Traveller Daily newsletter To learn how we process your data, visit our [Privacy Notice](https://www.condenast.com/privacy-pages/uk/privacy). You can unsubscribe at any time. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the [Google Privacy Policy](https://policies.google.com/privacy) and [Terms of Service](https://policies.google.com/terms) apply. More from Condé Nast Traveller - [![How long does it take to get a passport in the UK? Everything you need to know](https://media.cntraveller.com/photos/627b8ff98ad3da5fda7aa925/4:3/w_640%2Cc_limit/passport-GettyImages-1294378018.jpeg)Inspiration How long does it take to get a passport in the UK? Everything you need to know By Connor Sturges](https://www.cntraveller.com/article/how-long-does-it-take-get-passport) - [![How to sleep on a plane \&\#8211; even if you're in the middle seat](https://media.cntraveller.com/photos/640f46d31688043e77acc609/4:3/w_640%2Cc_limit/Airplane%2520marvin-meyer-WN0tvAqaLBY-unsplash.jpg)Travel Tips How to sleep on a plane – even if you're in the middle seat By Kaitlyn McInnis](https://www.cntraveller.com/article/how-to-sleep-on-plane) - [![Who you should travel with, based on your zodiac sign](https://media.cntraveller.com/photos/62c5e37f91a9f4d7cb877b8d/4:3/w_640%2Cc_limit/Hannah%2520George_2019_Gemini_Artwork.jpg)Inspiration Who you should travel with, based on your zodiac sign By Isabelle Kliger](https://www.cntraveller.com/article/who-to-travel-with-star-sign) - [![Fingerprints, face scans and automated systems: What the EU’s new travel rules mean for British travellers](https://media.cntraveller.com/photos/663386ed60e1af2e1e478714/4:3/w_640%2Cc_limit/undefined)Travel Tips Fingerprints, face scans and automated systems: What the EU’s new travel rules mean for British travellers By Emma Clarke](https://www.cntraveller.com/article/what-are-the-eus-new-travel-rules-for-british-travellers-2026#intcid=recommendations_cnt-row-bottom-recirc-v4_533301e9-bd3d-4f63-90b7-5a4d926c3753_similar2-3_similar2_3) - [![Is the future of film European? How the continent continues to allure set-jetting travellers](https://media.cntraveller.com/photos/698f13347d730035a893c99b/4:3/w_640%2Cc_limit/undefined)Style & Culture Is the future of film European? 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Readable Markdown	Did you know that the expiry date on burgundy British passports might be meaningless when travelling to EU countries (except [Ireland](https://www.cntraveller.com/gallery/the-best-hotels-in-ireland)) or Schengen zone countries such as [Switzerland](https://www.cntraveller.com/bc/article/hidden-hotels-switzerland), [Norway](https://www.cntraveller.com/topic/norway) and [Iceland](https://www.cntraveller.com/gallery/iceland-hotels)? This is because since Brexit, [British passports](https://www.cntraveller.com/article/how-long-does-it-take-get-passport) cannot be more than 10 years old when used to travel to the EU – which means you need to look at the date the passport was issued, rather than the date it expires. Most people – understandably – assume that an adult passport lasts 10 years, but if your passport was issued before 1 October 2018, extra months might have been added to its expiry date if the previous passport was renewed before it fully expired (the additional months used to be rolled over). In spite of being a travel journalist, I was caught out by this sneaky rule on a recent trip to [France](https://www.cntraveller.com/gallery/beautiful-places-france) (you can read more on the [FCO’s website](https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/france/entry-requirements)). It was ironic because I was aware of it, and then forgot about it. I had completed a trip to the US just the previous week and hadn’t thought twice about a trip to [France](https://www.cntraveller.com/gallery/road-trips-france) with my daughter for the [Easter holidays](https://www.cntraveller.com/gallery/best-holiday-destinations-in-april) because I still have seven months left on my passport – it expires in November 2023 (you need a minimum of three months to travel to the EU). So I checked in online with Easyjet – uploading my passport details as requested – travelled to London Gatwick with my four year old, had our passports checked before dropping off our [suitcase](https://www.cntraveller.com/gallery/best-luggage), and then proceeded through security. ### Get essential travel tips, destination inspiration, itineraries, and the best places to stay in your inbox. Sign up to the Condé Nast Traveller Daily newsletter A couple of hours later we were queuing to board the plane, but when it came to our turn a member of Easyjet staff scanned my passport and it flashed up as “amber” on her screen. She sternly proceeded to tell me that my passport had expired and we wouldn’t be allowed to board. My daughter started crying and begging to be allowed to see her grandparents whom we were supposed to be visiting. The Easyjet representative was unsympathetic – insisting there was no way we could travel and telling me to step away from the gate. I was shocked – it felt like an arbitrary rule. She wouldn’t even acknowledge that it was confusing for flyers and accepted no responsibility on behalf of the airline for not flagging it during the booking or check-in process. ![Why UK passport holders need to check the issue date of their passports before travelling to the EU](https://media.cntraveller.com/photos/642eb3efaaf8221f9557eab5/master/w_1600%2Cc_limit/GettyImages-1384632126.jpeg) Getty Images We then had to wait two hours for our suitcase to be returned while they off-loaded it from the plane. Obviously, it’s my own fault – the rule has been in place since January 2021. But I wanted to share my experience because if I can make this mistake, then other people will do so too. And it’s a costly one – flights lost, hotel lost, holiday lost. To make matters worse, this happened last week – during the first week of the five-week-long HM [Passport Office strikes](https://www.cntraveller.com/article/passport-office-strike). What this meant was that I was not able to get a new passport quickly enough to travel during the Easter break (I would have booked new flights if I could). Normally you can pay £193.50 to apply for an Online Premium passport that can be collected in two days, or a Fast Track one that takes a week. When I returned home I attempted to get an appointment for an Online Premium premium passport but it took me two days to secure a slot (every time I clicked it said there were no available appointments – same for Fast Track). After many dozens of attempts, I finally managed to proceed with the application on 6 April, but the soonest appointment I could get was 25 April and I would have to fly to the passport office in [Belfast](https://www.cntraveller.com/gallery/hotels-in-belfast) to collect it (I live in London). There were no slots in [England](https://www.cntraveller.com/gallery/beautiful-places-england) available. As I have a business trip to [Berlin](https://www.cntraveller.com/gallery/best-berlin-restaurants) at the beginning of [May](https://www.cntraveller.com/gallery/best-holiday-destinations-in-may), I went ahead with this – paying £250 for flights to Belfast plus another £100 for a hotel. I then realised my daughters’ passport expires in [September](https://www.cntraveller.com/gallery/best-holiday-destinations-in-september) 2023 and if we wanted to go on holiday abroad this [summer](https://www.cntraveller.com/gallery/summer-holiday-ideas), I would need to get one for her too (you can’t use Online Premium for kids – and it costs £126 Fast Track). So far, there are no appointments available. These are the current rules for British passport holders travelling to the EU and Schengen zone. Your passport must be: - Issued less than 10 years before the date you enter the country (check the “date of issue”) - Valid for at least three months after the day you plan to leave - You do not need a visa for short trips to the EU or countries in the Schengen area if both of the following apply: you’re staying for 90 days or less in a 180-day period OR you’re visiting as a tourist or for certain other reasons
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