THE first thing Brits will be checking when they book a holiday abroad is if their passport is in date.
But how many pages are in the passport could also cause huge problems – and even see you banned from your flight at the airport.
Many holidaymakers may not realise that you have to have at least a few pages left blank in your passport.
A blank page is one without any passport stamps or any ink marks on them.
Most countries in Europe only require one page, although places like Portugal and Iceland require two blank pages.
But there are some destinations where Brits need at least three blank pages, which have to be next to each other.
Brits heading to Namibia will need a full three pages left completely empty.
Even if you don’t travel very often, you may still find yourself running out with airport staff often stamping a new page each time.
And with Brits getting two stamps every time they enter and exit Europe, you could quickly get a full passport.
The Namibia travel advice on the UK Foreign Office website reads: “If you are also going to travel in South Africa, you should be aware that although South African authorities state they require 1 blank passport page for entry, some officials insist on 2 blank pages.
“If you plan to take this route, make sure you have a total of 3 blank pages.”
British Airways flies to Windhoek Airport, the capital of Namibia, via Johannesburg Airport, taking around 15 hours.
Most Brits travel to Namibia for a safari holiday with tourists heading to Etoshi National Park.
Claire Farley of 2By2 Holidays, said: “South Africa and Namibia currently offer the most cost-effective safaris, as they are priced in South African rands, a weak currency.”
The best time to visit is November to January, when it is less crowded, although October is the warmest with averages of 24C in the day.
If you fancy another safari holiday which is more accessible, then you should try Senegal.
And TUI launched all-inclusive holidays to the destination last year from just £800pp.
And launching next month, TUI will be putting all-inclusive Kenya holidays on the market.
Including return flights, one of the cheapest hotels to stay at is Bamburi Beach Hotel from £1,042pp for a week’s stay.
Here’s how to do an African safari holiday on a budget.
However, Brits shouldn’t just be checking their passports for blank pages.
Rules brought in after Brexit no longer allow Brits to have passports longer than 10 months.
Older passports, which are still burgundy, could be up to 10 years and 10 months.
Those additional months no longer count – with a number of holidaymakers caught out.
