Booking a holiday is exciting but it can get stressful if you don't have the correct travel documents.
You’ll probably be aware that passports have changed since the UK left the European Union (EU) but you might be wondering if your old burgundy passport can still be used for travel.
As with anything concerning your passport, it’s crucial that you check it’s fine to use before you arrive at the airport.
You may not be able to travel if your passport is considered damaged #DontRiskIt 🛂
— His Majesty’s Passport Office (@HM_Passport) September 3, 2024
Signs of damage can include pages missing, rips, stains on the pages, or the cover is coming away. See our full guidance on damaged passports at: https://t.co/TNntAKeX8l pic.twitter.com/nNvQj7JXY8
Can you still use a red/burgundy passport in 2024?
Passports are now a deep blue and the newest ones are the King Charles III passports following his coronation but can the old burgundy/red ones still be used?
If you’re going on holiday and are worried that your burgundy passport isn’t accepted anymore, there’s no need to worry.
Burgundy passports are still allowed to be used if they are still valid for travel so you’ll need to check the expiry date and the rules regarding how much time you should have left on your passport to travel to your chosen destination.
If your passport still has ‘European Union’ on the cover, you can still use it but only if it’s valid for travel, according to the Government website.
You’ll probably find that when it’s time to renew your passport next, you’ll be given a blue one but you don’t need to renew your passport unless yours has expired or it doesn’t have enough time left on it for travel.
How to renew your passport
If your passport needs to be renewed, you can apply for a new one either by post or online.
Recommended reading:
- How much does it cost to buy or renew a passport? Full list of prices
- How to claim compensation for a delayed or cancelled flight
- The countries you can travel to with less than six months left on your passport
Renewing passports online is cheaper than filling out paper forms and sending them off via the post.
To renew your passport, you’ll need to find your old passport and any passports you might have from another country.
If you have a passport from another country, you’ll need to send either photocopies of each page, including blank ones, or send the physical passport.
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