The Foreign Office has highlighted three essential passport rules for travellers on its website, one of which concerns a “blank page” which travellers must have if they are heading to certain destinations.
It is important for individuals travelling to Cyprus to be aware that, as stated on the gov.uk website, tourists must have at least one blank page in their passport for stamping.
In addition to this, like many other countries, other passport validity requirements include:
- a passport ‘date of issue’ less than 10 years before the date you arrive – if you renewed your passport before October 1 2018, it may have a date of issue that is more than 10 years ago
- a passport ‘expiry date’ at least three months after the day you plan to leave
The government officials warn travellers to check their passports as soon as possible. This should ideally be done before you book anything to ensure you aren’t waiting for your new passport days before your holiday. You should make sure that your passport – and any other travel documents that you may need – are valid and meet any necessary requirements. They further warn: “You will be denied entry if you do not have a valid travel document or try to use a passport that has been reported lost or stolen.” If you need to, you can renew your passport here.
To renew your passport online, it costs £88.50. In order to do this, you’ll need:
- a digital photo
- a credit or debit card
- your passport
You can also get a paper application form by either:
This is more expensive than applying online with it costing £100. You can pay by either:
- debit or credit card – fill in the form in the application pack
- cheque – made payable to ‘HM Passport Office’
You’ll need two new and identical printed photos of yourself, says gov.uk. You must be aged 16 or over – or turning 16 in the next three weeks – in order to get an adult passport. There’s a different process to get a passport for a child which you can see here.