British nationals going to EU caught out by 10-year British passport rule

Nationals of the UK travelling to the EU are being warned not to get caught out by the "passport 10-year rule".

UK passport holders used to be able to carry up to nine months from an old passport over on to a new one. But post-Brexit, EU countries will not accept passports issued more than 10 years ago.

Up to 32 million people applied for passports before the new rules, but it is unknown how many have been affected.

One of them is Nathan Barnes who was refused boarding on a flight to France.

Mr Barnes, a 31-year-old paramedic from Norwich, was on his way to Limoges with his fiancée to visit family.

Despite checking in for the flight online, and going through security and passport control, he was stopped at the departure gate.

"My passport had been issued more than 10 years previously," he said. "They were very matter of fact about it, they just said 'sorry you can't board, off you pop'."

"I was gutted, surprised really. We had checked in online and thought it was fine," he added.

Since the UK left the EU, travellers heading to all countries within the bloc - and including Iceland, Norway, Lichtenstein and Switzerland, but not Ireland - must have a passport which was issued less than 10 years before their departure date.

It must also be valid for three months after their planned return date.

Passports issued after 2018 are valid for exactly 10 years.

However, if a UK passport was issued before September 2018, it could be valid for up to 10 years and nine months.

This is because before 2018 the passport office used to add up to nine months from an old passport on to a new one.

As a result, some people have passports that have not officially expired, and are valid for travel in the rest of the world, but not in parts of Europe because they were issued more than ten years ago.