Find all the information on passports and visas
Some holiday destinations require the appropriate visa in order to travel there, and it is the customer's responsibility to arrange this. For further information on which countries require a visa, please visit the Foreign and Commonwealth Office website.
It is important that the details on passports match those on the travel documentation. For example, the names on the passports must match the names on the flight tickets to avoid any problems on the day of travel. Your passport must be valid for the duration of your holiday, and in many cases for up to 6 months after your expected date of return. For further information, the Passport Office can be contacted on 08705 210 410 (calls charged at national rate).
It usually takes up to four weeks to apply for a new passport, so if you're planning a holiday soon and your passport has expired, it is best to apply for a new one as soon as possible. It is possible to obtain a passport much more quickly, but this comes at a greater cost and we wouldn't advise relying on the service because there is a chance you won't be able to go on holiday. You should be able to get a passport application form from your local Post Office, or you can apply online at the Passport Office website.
Children under 16 have been required to hold their own passport since the 5th of October 1998. Children already on a parent's passport are still allowed to travel either until they reach 16 years of age, or the parent's passport expires.