Anyone planning a trip to Europe this year should be aware of new passport rules which have so far ruined countless holidays.

Since the UK left the EU everyone who holds a British passport must follow the Schengen area requirements for trips to any EU country except Ireland.

Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Andorra, Monaco, San Marino and Vatican City are also covered by the regulations.

While travel is still free – until bloc wide visa arrangements come in later this year – there is now more potential for snags.

While most people know their passports should be valid for at least three months after the day they plan to leave, there are extra requirements in place since Brexit.

Many travellers have been caught out because they think their passports are valid because they are not due to expire for some time.

If you turn up at an airport with an invalid passport you may be denied entry to EU countries.

You can check your issue date in your passport, which will be written under the ‘date of issue’ headline.

If your passport was issued before October 1, 2018, extra months may have been added to its expiry date, but these months will not be valid for people entering the EU.

It’s also worth checking on the Foreign Office’s website to making sure you meet the entry requirements of the destination country before booking your trip.

The rule change may be small, but it is enough to completely scupper a trip if not followed properly.