Portsmouth residents warned to check passports ahead of Brexit - or face being unable to travel to EU

Britain is currently scheduled to leave the EU on October 31 and this could affect people planning on travelling to Europe from November onward.

Portsmouth residents are being advised to check to make sure they don’t need to update their passports if they have booked a trip to the continent in the coming months.

Here’s what you need to know:

Do I need to renew my passport?

If your passport currently has years left on it, you do not need to worry about renewing it. You will still be able to travel to the EU.

However if you have less than six months left then you will need to get a new one.

The government is advising Portsmouth and UK residents that in order to travel to Europe after Brexit you will need to:

- have at least 6 months left on your passport

- your passport to be less than 10 years old (even if it has 6 months or more left)

If you do not renew it, you may not be able to travel to most EU countries and Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland.

How long does it take to renew?

It usually takes 3 weeks if you need to renew your passport. There’s a premium service if you need it sooner.

So if you have a passport with just a couple of months left on it you will want to act soon, with the Brexit deadline of October 31 just three weeks away now, you wouldn’t want to risk missing out on any trips planned.

What other changes to travel will there be after Brexit?

To visit Europe after Brexit there are things you need to do before you travel. These include:

- check your passport

- get travel insurance which covers your healthcare

- check you have the right driving documents

- organise pet travel - you need to contact your vet at least 4 months before you go

This applies both if you’re a tourist or travelling for business. Business travel includes activities such as travelling for meetings and conferences, providing services (even with a charity), and touring art or music.