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British tourists with valid passports are still being refused entry at airports in the summer of 2018. They’re also still being sent back home. On June 13, 2025, several passengers flying out of Manchester and Birmingham were refused boarding due to Spain’s post Brexit entry requirements. They didn’t have expired passports, but still did not qualify.
Was the cause of this? Unexpectedly, a new rule often catches UK residents off-guard: your passport must be younger than 10 year old when you enter the EU. Your passport must also be valid for at least 3 more months before your return date. You should be aware that this is a strict and technically enforced rule.
What has changed?
British passport holders will no longer be treated as EU citizens when crossing the border after January 1, 2021. For your passport to be accepted into any Schengen or Spanish country, it must now meet 2 separate requirements:
- It must not be older than 10 years at the date of entry.
- You must return your plants within 3 months of the original date.
A passport issued in June of 2015 but expiring in November of 2025 can still be refused entry into an airport even though it technically hasn’t expired.
Most British travellers still do not know that the expiry date and the issue date are equally important.
This is a rule from the Brexit era, and it still catches people off guard, particularly those who renew passwords before 2018. It’s not just at the border that you are stopped. Sometimes, airlines reject passengers in UK airports hours before take-off.
Real cases in June 2020
Reports surfaced on June 13, 2025 that British travelers were denied boarding in Manchester and Birmingham Airports.
- Despite each passport not having expired, the problem was the 10-year rule, The passports’ expiration dates had been exceeded.
- It is possible to invalidate them for the EU even though their expiry dates appear delicate.
Most of the time, it is not even the Spanish border control, but the airline, at the check-in counter. Staff use automated systems to check return buffers and issues dates. Once flagged, there is little room for debate.
It is no longer the same to say that a password was valid. If travellers don’t read the fine print they may not realize they have run out of time. If it is too late, they have already paid for the flight, are boarding the plane and being rejected at check in.
Who is at greatest risk?
Certain travellers are more at risk than others. Risks include:
- Anyone with a valid passport issued prior to mid-2015 can apply: Despite the fact that many of these documents still have a valid expiration date, they are no longer valid because the EU authorities have set a 10-year time limit.
- Experience is the key to successThe new rules will make this approach impossible, as seasoned travellers, who have been visiting Spain for many years, may be refused entry if they forget to include a minor detail, like not including calendar deals.
- Last-minute booking: Schengen calculations can go wrong for those who have planned extended stays or multiple country trips.
The airlines now use automated tools for verification at the check-in. These systems compare the password dates with the destination rules and deny boarding to the traveller if the two do not match.
Once flagged, there is no room for discussion or flexibility. Your holiday is already over.
The rules themselves are not new but the consequences they bring are.
Travellers still don’t know what changed five years after Brexit. With the Schengen limits, passport cuts-offs, and return date buffer. There are no hidden rules anymore. They’re also not always so obvious.
By 2025, the automated systems will make it easier to enforce them, and there will be no room for interpretation. Spain doesn’t target British tourists but the systems at airport check-in and borders aren’t leaving room for excuses.
Check the date of issue if you are flying this summer. Count your days. If you are uncertain, run your itinerary through a travel calculator.
Because by 2025 the difference between missing a trip and boarding a flight might be No one told you that your passport was three months old until it was too late.
