Exact date to renew your passport by to travel abroad this summer as warning in place for thousands of Brits

BRITS travelling abroad this summer should make an important passport check to avoid their holiday ending in disaster.

After the UK left the European Union in 2016, most EU countries now require British passports to have been issued withing a distinct time frame.

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There's a higher chance an old passport breaks travel rules - so anybody who owns one is encourage to make vital checks well in advance.

And even if you have a new passport, it's still recommended to check it before travelling to avoid disappointment at the gate.

The burgundy-coloured travel document is no longer issued after the government switched to navy-blue passports in March 2020.

That means burgundy passports are all at least five years old - which creates a higher risk they will flout the rules for visiting certain countries.

The two most important details to check are your passport's issue date and the expiry date.

You'll need to have it renewed exactly six months before the expiry date to ensure you can still travel abroad.

If travelling to the EU, it's crucial that your passport is less than 10 years old.

It will expire exactly 10 years after the date it was issued and you'll need to have it renewed six months before that to ensure you can still travel abroad.

It must also be valid for at least three months after the day you plan to return home.

But Brits heading on holiday continue to be caught out by the rules - as research found that fewer than 50 per cent of people are aware of the 10-year cut-off.

One unlucky Brit shared their horror story with the consumer website Money Saving Expert.

Abigail was due to fly to Lisbon for her best friend's hen do with seven months left on her passport.

She said: "Just as I'm about to get on the plane maybe 50m away, the crew looked at my passport and said I was unable to fly due to an expired passport.

"I had no idea about the 10-year expiry and wasn't allowed to fly to Lisbon."

Non-EU countries also have a range of rules about the time that must be left on your passport.

For countries such as Australia, Canada, or the US, the passport must be valid for the whole duration of your stay.

Other countries such as Thailand require your passport be valid for at least six months from the day you enter.

Alvaro Iturmendi, Confused.com travel insurance expert said: “Booking your holidays can be very exciting, and a welcome distraction to the beginning of the year blues.

"But no matter how far in advance you’re planning, it’s never too early to check your passport’s validity, so you don’t get caught out last minute.

"Our research found that less than half (43 per cent) of travellers knew that if you're heading to the EU, your passport must have been issued less than 10 years before their departure date.

"And if your passport doesn't meet this regulation, it could mean you're denied entry into the country, or may not even be allowed on the flight in the first place.

"Either way, it's likely to lead to a lot of disruption to your holiday plans.