Travelling to Europe with your British passport after Brexit
- How Brexit will affect travel for business and tourism
- Brexit and COVID – ‘The travel corridor’
- Being prepared
The UK’s departure from the EU brings with it many changes. We are now at the end of the transition period and It’s important to be fully prepared for any trips you plan to make to Europe, if you are a UK citizen using your UK passport, from 1st January 2021.
Who is effected?
Whether you are travelling for business or pleasure and you will be using your UK passport then everybody will be effected in some way.
Sadly the free movement that was once enjoyed by UK citizens will not continue. That’s not to say that entering an EU country will be fraught with obstacles but there will be preparations to be made.
If you stay longer
If you are entering an EU country for business, a scheduled conference or maybe you are to be lecturing/advising then you must make sure that you are qualified to be doing that.
Are your qualifications recognized in the EU country you are visiting?
‘If you have had a professional qualification recognized under the EU legislation listed in the Withdrawal Agreement by the regulator in the member state in which you live or work, you will keep the right to practice your profession in that member state’.
If your intention is to remain in the EU country you are visiting then make sure you have the correct work permit to do that. It is advisable to do this before you leave if you can. If you find yourself making the decision to remain once you are already in the country then contact the UK Embassy immediately and seek advice on how to apply for the correct permit/visa and what you will need for you application.
You will no longer be free to remain and work in an EU country without the correct permit.
You must ensure you register with the appropriate health authority in the country you are staying in or that you have appropriate travel insurance or health coverage. If you still hold an EHIC card it will no longer be valid after 31st December 2020.
If you are visiting for pleasure/tourism and your intention is to stay for up to 90 days then you most likely will not need a visa. You will be authorized to stay for 90 days in any 180 day period.
Should your plans mean that you intend to stay longer then you will need to apply for a visa. You must make sure you check the visa specific requirements for the country you plan to stay in.
The rules for Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus and Romania are different. You could make a 90-day trip to any of them and still not use up your 90-day allowance for other EU countries.
COVID
Currently, travelers from non EU countries are not permitted to travel to Europe. Now that the UK is no longer in the European Union they fall under this category.
This means that as it currently stands, UK passport holders, whether coming from Canada, USA or UK will not be permitted to visit any country in the EU.
Be prepared
UK Passports should have at least 6 months validity left on the day of travel so you may need to renew them before you travel.
They must also be less than 10 years old even if they have 6 months validity left.
Will I need an ETIAS?
The implementation of this law is conditional. As long as the UK reciprocates then, as UK citizens, you will only be required to apply for an ETIAS (European Travel Information and Authorization System) for short term stays of up to 90 days.
The date you will have to apply online for your ETIAS will become effective in 2022.
From 2022 onwards it is meant to be obligatory.
