Unfortunate setback on dream voyage to New York: Oversight with passport regulations led to cruise denial, only discovered at check-in. Beware of similar mishaps.

Unfortunate setback on dream voyage to New York: Oversight with passport regulations led to cruise denial, only discovered at check-in. Beware of similar mishaps.

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An elderly couple's dream cruise to New York was dashed due to a post-Brexit passport rule debacle. Jenny Gee, 69, and Trevor Bamford, 77, shelled out £3,600 for the voyage to the Big Apple in the autumn.

However, their excitement quickly turned into disappointment when they were denied boarding at the last minute while queuing to embark on the ship. The heartbroken couple was handed a letter explaining the predicament.

The cruise was a once-in-a-lifetime desire for Trevor, who completed treatment for severe prostate cancer just a fortnight prior. Devastated Jenny recounted that Trevor looked as if he might suffer a stroke upon hearing the gloomy news.

The cruise was the initial part of their trip to reunite with their daughter and grandkids. Unfortunately, they had to return to Bristol and fork out an additional £1,400 for flight tickets to NY, scheduled for next Monday.

British passports issued before 2018 could easily stretch beyond ten years due to the inclusion of remaining validity from the old passport in the new one. However, the EU now stipulates that passports must be under ten years old and valid for three months after the expected UK re-entry date.

Trevor's passport, issued on March 2, 2015, was valid for over ten years and seven months. Cruise officials explained that the extra validity didn't count because the vessel traveled through EU waters, docking in Le Havre, France, on April 28, before crossing the Atlantic.

Jenny, who has a background in communications, expressed her shock and dismay. She stated, "We felt utterly let down. This trip was Trevor's lifelong dream, and he was visibly upset. After all, we had planned this for ages."

Jenny highlighted inconsistencies in the rule, acknowledging that Trevor faced no border issues while traveling across Europe within the past month, despite the upcoming NY trip involving a detour via Dublin.

Many people, according to Jenny, are unaware of the new passport rule. "There should be more awareness regarding this rule," she emphasized. "I've talked to numerous people about it, and none are acquainted with it."

#### Further Insights

The 10-year passport rule for travel to the EU post-Brexit mandates that a UK passport should be issued less than ten years before entry into the EU/Schengen Zone. Additionally, the passport must be valid for at least three months after the planned departure from the EU. These regulations affect all EU countries except Ireland and other EEA countries (Iceland, Norway, and Liechtenstein) and Switzerland[1][3].

Passports' validity should always be taken into account; they should be valid for at least three months beyond the intended EU stay. Failure to comply with these regulations may result in denied entry into the EU. 1 3

1. The unexpected denial of boarding for an elderly couple's dream cruise to New York was not only due to a post-Brexit passport rule debacle, but also because their passports did not meet the new 10-year passport rule for travel to the EU post-Brexit.
2. Despite the couple's passports being valid for more than ten years, they were denied boarding as the cruise ship traveled through EU waters, making them ineligible according to the new passport rule for the EU.
3. As the 10-year passport rule for travel to the EU post-Brexit mandates, a UK passport should be issued less than ten years before entry into the EU/Schengen Zone and be valid for at least three months after the planned departure from the EU.
4. There have been inconsistencies in the application of this rule, as the elderly couple faced no border issues while traveling across Europe within the past month, despite the upcoming New York trip involving a detour via Dublin.
5. To raise awareness about this new rule, it is crucial to educate people about the 10-year passport rule for travel to the EU post-Brexit, as many individuals remain uninformed and could encounter similar issues in the future.

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