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Visiting the EU after Brexit

Advice for British passport holders travelling to the EU during and after Brexit

For example, you'll need to:

• Check your passport is valid for travel - Rules will change.
• Make sure your travel insurance covers your healthcare.
• Ensure your driving documents are in order.
• Get a health certificate for your pet. UK pet passports will no longer be valid in the EU (contact your vet at least 4 months before you travel).

The following information may help you but call our Brexit hotline if you are unsure 08712448822

Passport News - Brexit

Check if you need to renew

You may need to renew your British passport earlier than planned if you're travelling after Brexit.
On the day you travel, you'll need your passport to:

• Have at least 6 months left before it expires.
• Be less than 10 years old (even if it has 6 months or more left).
• If you do not renew your passport, you may not be able to travel to most EU countries and Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland.
• Healthcare - check you're covered.
• In some countries it's mandatory to have appropriate travel insurance with healthcare cover.
• After Brexit a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) card may no longer be valid.
• It's particularly important to have travel insurance if you have a pre-existing medical condition.

Travel

Changes will depend on how you are travelling. Check before you leave to avoid delays or disruption.
Driving
If you're driving there will be important changes and you may need extra documents.
You may need an international driving permit (IDP) to drive in some countries.
Call our Brexit hotline for specific information 08712448822

Other travel

Flights, ferries, cruises, Eurostar and Eurotunnel, bus and coach services
After Brexit we expect the following will run as before:

• Flights.
• Ferries and cruises.
• The Eurostar and Eurotunnel.
• Bus and coach services between the UK and the EU.

If you're flying

• Airport security procedures may not change for direct flights to and from the UK.
• There should not be delays at airport security or if you change flights in EU airports.
• Bus and coach services to non-EU countries, for example Switzerland or Andorra, may not be able to run. The government is working to make sure these continue with minimal or no disruption. Contact the company you booked with if you've any questions.

Insurance and Cover

However you travel, check with the company you're travelling with for any delays or disruption before you leave.

• Compensation if your travel is disrupted
• Some travel insurance policies only cover certain types of disruption. Check your provider's terms and conditions to make sure you have the cover you need if your travel is cancelled or delayed.
• Your consumer rights will not change after Brexit. This means that if your travel is cancelled or delayed you may be able to claim a refund or compensation. Check your booking's terms and conditions to find out more.
• You're protected if you buy a package holiday and the company goes out of business.
• You get this cover even if it's an EU company and there's no deal, as long as the company targets UK customers.
• Otherwise, you can claim compensation if you used your credit card. You'll continue to be able to claim for payments between £100 and £30,000.

Pet travel

Allow at least 4 months to arrange.

• After Brexit you will not be able to use the existing pet passport scheme.
• Instead you'll need to follow a different process, which takes 4 months.
• Call our Brexit hotline for specific information 08712448822.

Visas and entry

According to European Commission proposals you will not need a visa for short trips if you're a tourist, You could stay for up to 90 days in any 180-day period. You may need a visa or permit to stay for longer, to study or for business travel.

When the rules are confirmed, information about how to get a visa if you need one will be on each country's travel advice page.

Travel to Ireland will not change after Brexit. You'll also be able to work in Ireland in the same way as before.

Border control

You may have to show your return ticket and money.

At border control, you may need to:

• Show a return or onward ticket.
• Show you have enough money for your stay.
• Use separate lanes from EU, EEA and Swiss citizens when queueing.
• If your travel company goes out of business.

Carrying Money or high value goods

You'll need to declare cash of £10,000 or more (or the equivalent in another currency) if you take it between the UK and any other country.
If you're a business:

• You may need to make a customs declaration if you take goods with you to sell abroad or use for business.
• Find out what else you need to do to prepare your business for Brexit.

Information provided contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
We are a qualified provider of Express Passport Services with experience in handling urgent travel documents. We are not Her Majesty's Passport Office.