If you are thinking of venturing further afield this year in your campervan and taking the family across the English Channel to somewhere like France, Spain, Italy or Belgium then you will need to make sure that your passport will be accepted when you get to border control.
There are an increasing number of people who intend to travel overseas in their campervans rather than stay on our shores. They may not have been abroad for 3 or 4 years due in part to the pandemic so as a matter of priority and before booking the likes of a ferry or Eurotunnel check when your passport expires.
Your passport will need to have at least 3 months remaining on it from the date you are due to return otherwise you will not be allowed to enter the likes of France or Spain. So, don’t purchase any ferry or train tickets until you have checked your passport.
If the expiry date is a problem then you have a couple of options. Firstly, you can choose to remain in the UK and take your campervan to the likes of Devon or Cornwall or perhaps the Lake District. If you live in England and are adamant that you want to travel to another country then there is always wales or Scotland. The other option is to apply for a new passport and hope that you get it back in time.
If you apply on a standard basis the passport office say it can take up to around 11 weeks for you to receive your passport. However, there is the possibility of a strike by staff at the passport offices in the next few weeks so there may be a delay in passports being issued. You could try to apply for a passport online which would need you to book an appointment at one of the passport offices but it is presently proving difficult to book such an appointment.
So, check your passport.
