A couple expecting to fly to Rome for a romantic surprise trip instead lost £400 and were sent home because of a worryingly common passport mistake. Carla Acosta was hoping to head off on a trip to Rome after being surprised by her boyfriend, who had planned the break.
But when the couple got to the plane they were told they would not be allowed to get on, because her passport didn’t meet the EU’s post-Brexit rule requiring at least three months validity.
Carla said: ” My boyfriend surprised me with a six-day trip to Rome to celebrate four years of us being together and at that moment I remember feeling super excited to go on the trip. As it was a surprise and I only had about 10-12 days to get everything in order, my biggest worry was getting my leave approved at work and what I was going to wear for the trip, checking my passport didn’t even cross my mind in all the excitement.
“When we arrived at the airport early in the morning, all was good and I got my passport and tickets checked at the counter before heading in but when I was at the boarding gate the staff there were shocked at how I got this far as my passport was set to expire on June 10 and I was flying on March 14 and didn’t have 3 months from that day to the expiration day – I had missed it by just four days. I was told I couldn’t board the flight because of the 3-month validity rule, and it made me feel horrible.
They managed to get through checks at the airport but were refused at the gate
“If you buy your own ticket and something like this happens you probably feel stupid and disappointed, but as it was a gift from my boyfriend, I felt extremely guilty that I had not checked my passport. I even told him to go alone and at least meet our friends who live there, but he refused to go without me on our anniversary. I cried a lot and felt really bad for my boyfriend because it was a waste of his money, and we couldn’t go to Rome to celebrate our relationship.
“We lost a total of more than £400 in flight and hotel bookings. It was a huge let down and now, I always check my passport and visas before planning each trip. I wasn’t aware of the 3-month rule to go to EU countries, and I wish I had been more careful. My advice to other travellers would be to always be extra cautious and check your travel documents before planning your trips so this doesn’t happen to you.”
Research from Post Office found that nearly half of UK passport holders who are planning on travelling abroadare aiming to book their 2025 holiday in January. But a quarter saythey never check the validity of their passport when booking a trip.
Previous research has shown that a quarter are unaware of the 10-year passport rule for travelling to EU destinations, while 23% didn’t know the six-month validity requirement for certain countries. Nearly a quarter are unlikely to renew their passport even if it’s set to expire within six months of their planned trip. As a result, thousands of travellers may mistakenly believe their passport is valid.
In 2024, the January-March period saw a 69% increase in passport renewals at Post Office branches compared to the rest of the year.
Travel Expert and Writer Clare Vooght said: “Check your passport’s validity well in advance to ensure it meets the entry requirements of the country you’re travelling to. Currently, when visiting EU countries your passport needs to be valid for three months, and the issue date must be less than 10 years before your departure date, while six months of passport validity is either recommended or required for destinations including the US, Canada, Australia, Dubai and Thailand. If you need to apply for a new one, the Passport Office estimates aroundthree weeksfor a standard passport application – so if you’re planning to travel this February Half Term, be sure to check those expiry dates as soon as possible.
“Always check the FCDO website as early as possible when planning your trip to find out if you need to apply for a visa or e-visa ahead of time, or if you’ll need to arrange any particular vaccines.”
Postmaster Richard Fleetwood said: “Many customers are unaware of the rules around passport validity or the specific requirements of their destination country. My top tip to all travellers this February Half Term is simple – plan ahead. Be sure to check your passport’s expiry date and validity before booking your trip and make sure to always review the travel rules for your destination. The February Half Term break will be the first opportunity for many people to travel in the New Year and staying on top of your passport expiry date can save you a lot of stress and disappointment when the trip does arrive. We find that January is always the most popular time for passport applications so would recommend that people check their passport and visit their local Post Office early if they need a new passport.”