With summer upon us, many Brits will be getting ready for their much-anticipated holidays to Europe. However, UK passport holders travelling to the Schengen Area will experience changes to border entry procedures in the next few months.

With e-gate and new entry schemes repeatedly being announced and then delayed by EU authorities, the UK Foreign Office has issued some advice on passports to British holidaymakers when visiting Spain, particularly those aged 18 and over. The office recommends using the desks staffed by border officers and avoiding using e-gates where possible.

"If you’re aged 18 or over, and airport staff instruct you to, you may be able to use e-gates when they are working. If you use an e-gate, make sure you get your passport stamped." 

These guards will examine your entry and exit stamps to ensure that you have not overstayed the Schengen visa-free limit. If your passport is missing a stamp, show evidence of when and where you entered or left the Schengen Area, such as boarding passes, and ask the guard to add the date and location in your passport. 

Additionally, the Foreign Office is reminding Brits travelling to and from the EU to follow Schengen Area rules. These rules include ensuring your passport's "date of issue" is less than 10 years before the date you arrive. If you renewed your passport before October 1, 2028, it may have a date of issue above the 10-year limit.

You must also make sure the "expiry date" is at least three months after the day you plan to leave the Schengen Area. The expiry date does not need to be within 10 years of the date of issue. 

It is advised to check with your travel provider that your passport and other travel documents meet the requirements. Be prepared to renew your passport if you need to in plenty of time. 

If you do not have valid travel documents, or try to use a passport that has been reported lost or stolen, or is damaged with torn pages or broken covers, you will be denied entry.

Also, travellers should check whether they need a visa for their travel. You can travel without a visa to the Schengen area for up to 90 days in any 180-day period. This applies if you travel as a tourist, visit family or friends, attend business meetings, or study for short-term periods. If you overstay the 90-day visa-free limit, you may be banned from entering Schengen countries for up to three years.