How to Get Reminded Before Your Passport Expires (UK)

An expired passport is easy to miss until you book a trip. And because some countries require your passport to be valid for several months after you arrive, “still in date” may not be enough. The fix is a reminder set well ahead.

How early should the reminder be?

Aim for at least 9 months before the expiry date. That covers countries that ask for 3–6 months’ validity on entry, plus time to renew. Before any trip, check the entry rules for your destination on GOV.UK’s foreign travel advice pages and the current renewal times from HM Passport Office.

Option 1: a calendar event

1. Open the Calendar app and add an event on the date 9 months before expiry, called “Renew passport”.
2. Set an alert for the day.
3. Add a second event 3 months later as a backup.

Option 2: the Reminders app

Create a list called “Documents” in Reminders and add one reminder per document with a date. It’s a tidy way to track a passport, driving licence photocard (renewed every 10 years), car insurance, MOT and travel insurance in one place.

Option 3: free GOV.UK reminders

For your car, GOV.UK’s free “Get MOT reminders” service will text or email you before your MOT is due. It’s worth setting up alongside your own reminders.

Keep the document and the reminder together

Tuckaway lets you keep an encrypted copy of your passport or licence and set its expiry reminder in the same place, so the date never leaves your phone. (Not sure a passport copy belongs on your phone at all? Read this first.) Join the waitlist to hear when it launches.