Norwegian officials wrongly deport British citizen over passport validity

In February 2025, a British traveller arrived at Oslo Airport for a planned one-week holiday with friends. Although her UK passport was valid for entry into Norway, border officials incorrectly claimed her passport was only valid until its ten-year anniversary, resulting in her being detained and deported back to the UK. Such misinterpretations of passport validity have also been observed in Denmark, where law enforcement held similar views about passport expiration. The inconsistencies in interpreting Schengen passport validity rules have prompted both Norwegian and Danish officials to erroneously restrict properly documented British tourists' travel rights, creating confusion and distress for travelers. The issue was highlighted in a separate incident where a family traveling with DFDS Ferries was also turned away due to a misunderstanding based on similar erroneous interpretations of passport regulations, further illustrating the ongoing problem of misapplication of post-Brexit travel rules. These incidents have led to formal complaints and discussions about the necessity of consistent enforcement of travel regulations across border control agencies, as well as how such misunderstandings can disrupt travel plans and infringe on rights of tourists.