The Post Office has issued a warning to anyone booking a holiday abroad this year to make a vital check.

The company says thousands risk having their holidays ruined by failing to check their passport validity before booking a trip.

Research carried out by the Post Office found that a quarter of Brits (25%) admit to never checking their passport is still in date before booking, and with four in 10 (40%) typically booking their holiday two months or less in advance, it leaves little room to correct the mistake in time.

The company has also warned holidaymakers to be aware of the 10-year passport rule for travelling to European Union (EU) destinations.

When visiting countries in the EU, such as Spain, France or Greece, your passport needs to be valid for three months and the issue date must be less than 10 years before your departure date.

Additionally, six months of passport validity is either recommended or required when travelling to some destinations including the US, Canada, Australia, Dubai and Thailand.

The Post Office said: “Research has shown that a quarter (25%) 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.

“In fact, nearly a quarter (24%) 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 because it has not expired.”

The UK government says it takes around three weeks for a new passport to be processed, but this can take longer in some cases, such as if you need to be interviewed.

It costs £88.50 to renew or replace your passport if you apply online, or £100 if you fill in a paper form.

If you need a passport urgently, it is possible to fast track your application but this comes at an extra cost. You can pay £207.50 for a one day premium service, or if you opt for the one week fast track service this costs £166.50 for adults and £135.50 for children.

If your passport is burgundy or has ‘European Union’ on the cover, you can still use it providing it is valid for travel.

The Post Office adds: “Post Office data indicates that January is a peak time for passport renewals. In 2024, the January-March period saw a 69% increase in passport renewals at Post Office branches compared to the rest of the year.

“With the government recommending a three-week renewal process, acting promptly is essential to avoid extra costs or disruptions ahead of February Half Term.”