When booking a holiday, there’s plenty of things to remember like your passport and travel insurance but there’s one thing you should do that might need bumping up your priority list.

While you’ll probably remember to pack your passport in your bag, you might forget to do one thing and it could cost you your holiday.

Experts at Travel Republic have shared a five-minute check you should do before jetting off to your next holiday destination.

5-minute passport check you should do before going on holiday

All travellers should check their passport expiry date because those with less than three or six months left won’t be accepted in most countries, warn the experts at Travel Republic.

Gemma Brown, Head of Commercial and Travel expert at Travel Republic, warns: “Many UK travellers are still unaware of the various passport validity rules that could cut their trips short, with the 6-month passport rule being the most common.

“A passport is usually valid for 5-10 years and because of this, many simply forget to check when they expire before booking a holiday. It’s important to make this check as most countries will not allow you to travel if your passport has less than three or six months before expiration.

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“If you are planning to travel internationally, your passport must be valid for at least six months from the date of departure to be accepted into most countries. Not all countries require six months and you may be permitted to travel if you have three months remaining on your passport.

“The rules are dependent on where you are travelling and are even based on your nationality in some cases. For peace of mind, we advise you to renew your passport and check the entry requirements of your destination to avoid entry refusal.”

To help you out, Travel Republic has listed the top holiday destinations that will accept an expiring passport.

Destinations where an expiring British passport will be accepted

The following countries ask that your passport is valid until the day you leave the country:

  • Argentina
  • Australia
  • Barbados
  • Canada
  • Chile
  • Gibraltar
  • Ireland
  • Jamaica
  • Japan
  • Mauritius
  • Mexico
  • Tunisia
  • St Lucia
  • USA

It’s important to note that Canada will allow entry if you have six months or less on your passport but it might take you longer to get through immigration.

UK passport renewal guide

Destinations where a British passport will need to be valid for at least three months

The following destinations will require you to have three months left on your passport from the day you plan to leave. Your passport must also be less than 10 years old on the day you enter the country.

  • Andorra
  • Austria
  • Belgium
  • Bulgaria
  • Croatia
  • Republic of Cyprus
  • Denmark
  • Estonia
  • Finland
  • France
  • Germany
  • Greece
  • Italy
  • Malta
  • Monaco
  • Portugal
  • Spain

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Destinations where a British passport will need to be valid for at least six months

In most cases, this rule means that your passport needs to be valid for six months from the date you arrive at the below destinations but check the entry requirements before you visit:

  • Antigua and Barbuda
  • The Bahamas
  • Brazil
  • Cambodia
  • China
  • Colombia
  • Dominican Republic
  • Egypt
  • Fiji
  • Indonesia
  • Kenya
  • Malaysia
  • Maldives
  • Peru
  • Philippines
  • Qatar
  • Singapore
  • Sri Lanka
  • Tanzania
  • Thailand
  • Turkey
  • United Arab Emirates

It’s important to check the entry requirements for the country you visit to avoid any confusion or disappointment when it’s time to go on holiday.