Holidaymakers heading to Spain have been issued new advice on action they can take to travel back home if their passport is lost or stolen while abroad.
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has updated the safety and security section of its official travel advice for the country, issuing advice to tourists over lost or stolen passports. In the event that you are left without your passport while on holiday, you cannot use a police report as a replacement for the travel document in order to leave Spain, the update advised.
Instead, you must either renew your passport or apply for an emergency travel document to get home. A new passport costs £88.50, while an emergency document costs £100; although many travel insurance policies cover lost and stolen passports, so you may be able to claim back this money depending on your policy details.
You can apply for an emergency travel document on the GOV.UK website if your passport is lost or stolen, but you will need a valid digital photo that meets passport guidelines and has not been used in a previous passport. Your old passport will usually be automatically cancelled once you have paid, and the document will usually be ready to collect two working days after you apply.
If you want to apply for a new passport, you must cancel your old one before filling out an application for a replacement. You can apply for a new passport online on the GOV.UK website – you will need a digital photo, and someone to confirm your identity if your previous passport has been lost or stolen. The current wait time for new passports is three weeks from submitting an application, but bear in mind this could take longer if more information or an interview is required.
If you’re planning to jet off to Spain this summer, it’s also worth brushing up on the passport requirements to get into the country well before heading to the airport. Spain follows Schengen Area rules, which means your passport must meet the following criteria:
- 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)
- An ‘expiry date’ at least three months after the day you plan to leave the Schengen Area
You can travel without a visa to the Schengen Area, which includes Spain, for up to 90 days in any 180-day period. If you are travelling to other Schengen countries as well, make sure your whole visit is within the 90-day visa-free limit – visits to Schengen countries in the 180 days before you travel count towards your 90 days.
Make sure you get your passport stamped when you enter and leave the country. Border guards will look at your entry and exit stamps to check you have not overstayed the 90-day limit – if your passport is missing a stamp, show evidence of when and where you entered or left the Schengen Area (for example, boarding passes or tickets) and ask the border guards to add the date and location in your passport, the FCDO advises.