Planning a 2026 trip? 6 passport and entry rules you must know first

Travelling isn't just about sipping mimosas and clicking gram-worthy pictures, it requires keeping your passport up-to-date and knowing the numerous rules of travelling to your destination. Falling back on any of these, could make or break your trip and leave you hanging with the lost hopes of exploring the world. 2026 is just a day away and knowing these 6 passport and entry rules can help make your travel easier.Portugal has become a hot and trending travel destination in 2025. If you have family in the country and are planning to send your children there on a half-term holiday, then one rule could have them facing trouble in their journey. You must pack a notarised letter giving your kids permission to travel and other details to hand over when they arrive at the Portuguese border control. Numerous countries demand additional documents for minors travelling alone or with adults who are not their legal guardians. A few notaries will sign the consent letter remotely. This involves a video call with the parent to see them sign the letter, having seen a scan of their ID and relevant documents in advance. They later scan the signed consent letter and attach it to an original notarial certificate with a signature and seal and post it to them. Post-Brexit rules for entry to the Schengen zone (EU states and Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Switzerland) require passports to have been issued within the past ten years on the date you arrive. Additionally, they need to be valid for at least three months after the date you plan to leave. However, in 2025, Denmark has been rejecting passports issued more than nine years and nine months ago. While this is not a problem for UK passport holders with validity for ten years, those issued by the Passport Office up to 2018 are valid up to nine months longer. However, the same has not been made official by the Danish authorities on the tourist board or embassy websites, as per The Times. Thus, the only way you will know of this is when you are turned away by your airline when you are about to board the plane. In January 2021, the US designated Cuba as "a state sponsor of terrorism." Thus, anyone who visited the country on or after January 12, 2021 is ineligible to enter America using an ESTA visa waiver. You need to apply for a full B1/B2 visitor visa which includes an in-person interview at an American embassy. The same is the case for those who visited Iran, Iraq, Libya, North Korea, Somalia, Sudan, Syria or Yemen since March 2011. Typically, one applies for electronic visa waivers for countries such as the US and Canada, and soon, in late 2026 British travellers will have to pay for ETIAS to visit the EU. However, in May 2025 the Caribbean islands of St Kitts and Nevis introduced the requirement for all foreign travellers to pay £13 for an electronic travel authorisation before they can visit the beach destinations, as per the outlet. It might take anywhere from a few minutes to days for approval and thus getting it out of the way first is better. In popular tourist spots like Venice and Amsterdam, visitors pay some money to help tackle overtourism. However, if you are planning a trip to Bhutan, then be ready to pay a hefty charge which has been levied since the country opened up to tourism in 1974. International visitors need to pay a £75 a day sustainable development fee on arrival to help fund free healthcare, education and environmental protection. Children under 12 are charged half the rate while those under six are exempted. It is vital that your passport is in pristine condition before you travel because some destinations are incredibly serious about damaged documents. From water damage to tiny tears, anything can be enough to disrupt your vacation. Other destinations like Vietnam, UAE, Türkiye, Canada and Australia are also extremely strict with passport conditions whereas the US refuses entry if passports show signs of water damage, missing pages, tears or a loose cover. Those like Thailand and South Africa need passports with two blank pages. When planning your 2026 trips, make sure to tick off these preparations and rules in your to-do list. While ensuring their appropriation may take time, it will help make your holiday stress-free and memorable.