British holidaymakers escaping abroad this summer have been warned to make copies of important travel documents to avoid extra stress. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has warned UK citizens preparing to set off on trips abroad to keep copies of vital documents at home in case they lose the originals. Over half of Brits are planning an overseas break this year, according to research from Tiger.co.uk, despite high costs of living and growing anti-tourist sentiment in hotspots around the globe.
The FCDO previously warned Brits to take good care of their passports, visas and flight tickets, but new advice has also advised them to “keep copies at home or on your phone”. “Heading abroad? Keep a copy of your passport, visa and flight ticket separately from originals when travelling,” the Government department said on X, formerly Twitter.
“A lost passport abroad can quickly turn into a stressful situation,” a spokesperson for the ministry warned.
The FCDO has also urged travellers to keep their passports in a secure place rather than on their person unless local law requires it and to keep a photocopy on hand to use as an alternative ID, for example, when going to clubs and bars.
More than 83,000 applications were lodged for emergency travel documents to replace lost of stolen UK passports between 2019 and 2023, according to data from Confused.com.
During the same period, one in ten Brits admitted to losing their passport while travelling overseas.
British holidaymakers can apply for emergency travel documents if they need to travel urgently and can demonstrably not use their UK passport.
The documents are usually only valid or one single or return journey through a maximum of five countries, and can only be obtained by British nationals who are outside the UK, need to travel within six weeks and have a valid passport that was issued on or after January 1, 2006.
They will also need to prove that their passport has been lost, stolen, damaged, recently expired or full, or is with HM Passport Office or a foreign embassy.