When travelling abroad, your passport is the most important document you carry. But the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) now reminds holidaymakers that a smart UK passport backup plan means packing more than just your passport.
FCDO’s UK passport backup plan advice
The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) is telling British travellers that relying only on a passport isn’t always enough when going abroad, you should also:
Carry an extra photo ID, such as a driving licence or national ID card.
Make paper copies of your passport and keep them separate from the original.
Store digital copies securely online or in your email for easy access abroad.
Bring all necessary travel visas and supporting paperwork.
If travelling with children, carry proof such as birth certificates or consent letters.
Check in advance if you need an International Driving Permit for driving abroad.
The FCDO began emphasising the need for a UK passport backup plan because too many travellers were running into problems at borders and airports. People were being turned away due to passports that were expired, damaged, or not valid long enough for entry rules. At the same time, many countries have been tightening their requirements, and more UK holidaymakers report losing or having passports stolen while abroad.
Imagine you’re heading to a non-EU country for a two-week trip. Your passport is valid for only four months after your return date, and there’s no national ID card. Border control refuses entry because they require passports to be valid for six months beyond your stay. If you also had a driver’s licence and a digital copy of your passport stored, you might still be able to sort things out — but you’ll lose time and possibly money.
To reduce disruption, the FCDO now highlights carrying extra ID, making copies of your passport, and preparing for emergencies. Recent public reminders have brought this advice into the spotlight, encouraging travellers to treat a backup plan as a standard part of safe travel.
Where in FCDO guidance this exists & how long it’s been around
The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) has long published a Foreign Travel Checklist for UK travellers. This checklist, first released in 2013 and updated regularly (most recently in 2025), includes a section called “Check your documents for travel.”
Originally, the advice was about making sure your passport was valid and that you had the right visas. Over time, the guidance has expanded to highlight the need for a UK passport backup plan: carrying extra ID, making copies of your passport, and preparing for emergencies like loss or theft.
Recent reminders in government updates and the media have made this advice more explicit, urging holidaymakers not just to check passport validity, but to bring additional proof of identity as part of safe travel planning.
Make your own UK passport backup plan
It’s simple: passport first, but not alone. Bringing an extra photo-ID or another way to verify your identity is not only a sensible backup—it’s often essential. When you combine that with verifying country-specific rules well in advance, you reduce the odds of being turned away or dealing with avoidable troubles.
