​Existing passports do not need to be replaced with new Blue British passports, until they expire, the Govt has told GBC

Existing passports do not need to be replaced with the new Blue British passports, until they expire, the Government has told GBC. Earlier this week, the UK's Home Office said it was to begin the rollout of the post-Brexit, blue passport as from March.

In response to GBC questions, the Government says that all styles of the British passport will be equally valid for travel.

The Home Office says the new passports will be introduced in March and that all British passports issued by the summer will be blue. However, it is unclear when the new design will be used for the Gibraltar British passport. The Government says this will take place 'sometime within the time-scale indicated', that is: in the coming months, by the summer.

Though the colour might now be confirmed, the powers and limitations of our passports post-Brexit are yet to be determined. This will rely on whether a deal is struck between the UK and the EU, and whether it applies to Gibraltar.

In the event a deal is not agreed upon, OR if Spain exercises its veto to exclude Gibraltar from a UK-EU deal, and no other arrangement is made, you would need to ensure the following to enter Spain, or any other country in the Shenghenzone:

- that there are six months or more remaining till your passport expires.

- and that those six months fall within ten years since your passport was issued.

If the period between issuing and expiry is longer than ten years, those extra months would not count towards the six months validity. Effectively, if your passport is older than nine years and six months, you would need to renew it for travel.