UK Passport Validity Checker for Travel to Europe
Check if your UK passport meets the current entry requirements for European countries — including Spain, France, Portugal, Italy, Greece, and more.
Your passport must:
- Have been issued within 10 years before your date of entry
- Be valid for at least 3 months after the date you leave
Enter the date printed in your passport as 'Date of Issue'
Enter the date printed in your passport as 'Date of Expiry'
Enter the date your trip starts (your entry date into the country)
Enter the date you will leave the country — not the date you land back in the UK. For overnight flights, use the date you depart the destination.
Disclaimer: This tool is provided as a guide only. The entry requirements shown are correct to the best of our knowledge at the time of publishing. It is the responsibility of the user to ensure all dates entered are correct and to check current passport validity requirements with official government sources before travel.
FAQ: UK Passport Validity for Travel to Europe
Q: How long must my UK passport be valid to travel to Europe?
Your passport must have been issued within the last 10 years before the date you enter the country, and it must have at least 3 months validity remaining after the date you leave.
Q: How many months do I need on my UK passport to travel to Europe?
You need at least 3 months validity remaining on your passport after the date you leave the country. In addition, your passport must have been issued within 10 years of your date of entry. You do not need 6 months for travel to Europe — this is a common misconception.
Q: Does this apply to Spain, France, Portugal, Italy and Greece?
Yes. These countries follow the Schengen Area entry rules, which require your passport to be issued within the last 10 years and have at least 3 months remaining after your trip.
Q: My passport expiry date is fine, but it was issued more than 10 years ago — can I still travel?
No. If your passport was issued more than 10 years before your entry date, it will not meet the requirements — even if it has plenty of validity left.
Q: Where can I check the latest official advice?
You should always check the latest official guidance on the UK Government’s Foreign Travel Advice pages for your destination country.
Q: How is “3 months validity after return” calculated?
Although many sources say “3 months”, in practice this is treated as 90 days. This avoids confusion, as some months have 28, 30 or 31 days. Airlines and border checks calculate this in days: your passport must have at least 90 days validity after the day you leave the Schengen area. If your passport has fewer than 90 days remaining, you may be refused boarding.