HM Passport Office has sent an urgent text to British passport holders. In the alert, they urge people to follow a link, writing: “Remember to check that your passport is valid for the country you are travelling to.” They add that you also need to “check the entry requirements” of the country you are visiting.

The link takes receivers of the message to the Foreign travel advice page. It lists a series of destinations to help people get “advice and warnings about travel abroad, including entry requirements, safety and security, health risks and legal differences.”

Two popular destinations are Spain and France. In their travel advice, they note that both popular countries follows Schengen area rules. This means that your passport must:

• Have a date of issue less than 10 years before the date you arrive – if you renewed your passport before 1 October 2018, it may have a date of issue that is more than 10 years ago
• Have an expiry date at least 3 months after the date you plan to leave the Schengen area (the expiry date does not need to be within 10 years of the date of issue)

Places like Canada however have different requirements. The Foreign Office warns: “To enter Canada, your passport must be valid for the length of your planned stay.

“If you’re travelling through another country on your way to or from Canada, check the entry requirements for that country. Many countries will only allow entry if you have at least 6 months validity remaining on your passport.”

Once you’ve chosen your holiday destination, check that your passport is still valid. The UK Government has recently reminded travellers not to make a common error: “Do not book travel until you have a valid passport – your new passport will not have the same number as your old one.”

If your passport needs renewing, you can do it through the official GOV.UK website. The site allows you to apply for a new passport, renew an existing one, update personal details, request a replacement, and pay securely online.