- On May 1, 2021, the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement went into force
- ETIAS will be required for UK nationals to enter the Schengen Area
- After Brexit, there will be new restrictions for living, working, and studying in the EU
18-11-2022
The United Kingdom departed the European Union on January 31, 2020, with an 11-month transition period until the end of 2020. On January 1, 2021, the EU and the United Kingdom began a new partnership.
This page describes essential provisions of the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement, as well as how the agreement impacts UK people travelling to Europe. The EU-UK trade deal was signed on December 24, 2020, and it went into effect on May 1, 2021.
The agreement establishes the nature of UK-EU ties after Brexit, including short-term travel using ETIAS, Europe’s new visa waiver. The rights of British citizens living and working in EU member states are also addressed.
In addition to a trade agreement with the EU, the UK has reached financial deals with a number of non-European countries.
SHORT-TERM TRIPS FROM THE UK TO EUROPE
Citizens of the United Kingdom have had free movement in Europe since the nation joined the EU in 1973. (known then as the European Economic Area). This is no longer the case now that the Brexit transition period has finished.
Travellers from the UK can still visit Europe for short excursions without a visa if the UK likewise offers visa-free entry to EU people. This is stated in the agreement’s Article VSTV.1:
“…in conformity with domestic law, both parties arrange for visa-free travel for short-term visits for their people.”
This implies that visitors from the EU and the UK can continue to participate in tourism, study, research, training, and youth exchange programmes.
As a result, unlike many other nations, UK citizens will not be required to apply for a Schengen visa. Healthcare, driving, and cell roaming regulations have all altered. More information is provided below.
ETIAS FOR UK CITIZENS TRAVELLING TO EUROPE AFTER BREXIT
Although British nationals do not require a visa to visit Europe, beginning in November 2023, they will require an ETIAS visa waiver.
The European Travel Information and Authorisation System is being implemented to record travellers from non-EU countries that do not require a visa. The EU Commission has stated that British tourists entering Europe from the UK would need to apply for ETIAS.
Fortunately, ETIAS is less difficult to get than a visa because the application procedure is entirely online, with no need to visit an embassy or consulate.
ETIAS is being implemented to increase security throughout the EU; visitors will be screened before they arrive, preventing potentially dangerous individuals from legally crossing the border.
British passport holders, like all other ETIAS applicants, will be charged a nominal fee to fund the system’s operating costs. With ETIAS excess money being transferred to the EU general budget, it might be argued that UK visitors will continue to contribute to the EU budget after Brexit.
HOW LONG CAN I STAY IN EUROPE AFTER BREXIT?
UK passport holders, like other visa-exempt third-nationals, can stay in the Schengen zone for up to 90 days each 180-day period.
An accepted ETIAS authorization will be valid for three years, or until the British passport expires; British visitors will not need to apply each time they visit Europe.
Brexit and ETIAS are unrelated; ETIAS is not a result of Brexit. British passport holders, on the other hand, would not have needed the travel authorization if the UK had not left the European Union.
WHICH COUNTRIES WILL REQUIRE ETIAS AFTER BREXIT
ETIAS will be required for UK nationals to access Schengen Area countries. All Schengen countries accept the same ETIAS authorization. It may be used to travel to Europe by rail, road, ferry, or air, as well as to pass land and water borders.
After crossing an external Schengen border using ETIAS, a British person can roam freely across the borderless travel zone.
After Brexit, Gibraltar was accepted to become part of Schengen territory. As a result, ETIAS will very certainly be required to travel from the UK to Gibraltar following Brexit. This has not yet been confirmed.
TRAVELLING TO THE UK FROM THE EU AFTER BREXIT
The UK will shortly launch its own visa waiver programme, the UK ETA. EU residents will not require a visa to enter the UK for short holidays or business trips, but will require an electronic travel authorization.
The British government has said that the UK visa waiver will be implemented by 2025. The ETA will become a necessary admission criterion once the new system is implemented.
The UK ETA, like ETIAS, will be a digital system. Before travelling to the United Kingdom, visitors will apply online.
The number of persons turned away at the UK border increased during the first quarter of 2021. The UK visa waiver will assist lower these statistics by pre-screening visa-free travellers.
WHEN WILL TRAVEL TO EUROPE RESUME?
There was a short travel ban across Europe because of the COVID-19 outbreak. Non-EU citizens, including British citizens, were only permitted to enter EU nations for necessary purposes.
The European travel restriction is progressively being lifted as a result of successful vaccine campaigns in Europe and throughout the world. The EU Digital COVID certificate has made movement between EU states easy.
British citizens who have been completely vaccinated, tested negative for COVID-19, or have recovered from the virus are now permitted to travel specific tourist locations such as Spain and Portugal.
During COVID-19, Europe’s travel prohibitions and entrance restrictions are constantly evaluated. Before making travel plans, British citizens should verify that they have all of the most up-to-date information.
OBTAINING ETIAS TO TRAVEL TO EUROPE WILL NOT BE OPTIONAL
ETIAS will be strictly governed. Before boarding, airlines, ferry companies, train companies, and bus companies will check that passengers have a valid ETIAS visa waiver. All operators will be obliged to check “that travellers have a valid travel authorization.”
If a British citizen goes to a Schengen country without an ETIAS visa waiver, they will be denied entry. The EU stated:
“The carriers must be required to return third-country citizens to the third country from where they were carried or to the third country that issued the travel document at the request of the authorities competent to carry out border checks.”
UK COMMITTEE REQUESTS CLARIFICATION OF ETIAS
The newly formed UK Justice and Home Affairs Committee has focused on the changes that ETIAS and the EES would bring about.
The committee raised a range of issues regarding these two new procedures in a letter to UK Home Secretary Priti Patel dated July 1, 2021, requesting clarity.
The following topics were addressed in the letter:
- The level of disruption expected following the launch of EES and ETIAS
- How prepared British people are for the upcoming changes
- How confidential information of applicants will be protected
- The control British citizens will have over the data collected about them by the EU, how it is stored and how it will be used
- How the UK government will ensure applications are assessed in a lawful and non-discriminatory way
Given that ETIAS would result in a Europe travel restriction for UK nationals who constitute a high-epidemic or security risk, the House of Lords has emphasised the necessity of these explanations.
The committee is now awaiting more information on the effects of ETIAS on European air travel and movement between the United Kingdom and the European Union.
VISA-FREE DEAL CONDITIONAL ON UK RECIPROCITY
British residents will not require visas to enter the European Union for short-term visits, according to the European Commission. This policy suggestion, however, is contingent on the UK continuing to provide reciprocal visa-free travel to European Union nationals.
The European Council announced on February 1, 2019: “Visa exemption is provided on the basis of reciprocity, according to EU laws. The UK government has declared that it does not intend to require EU individuals travelling to the UK for short visits to get a visa “.
“In the event that the United Kingdom establishes a visa requirement for citizens of at least one member state in the future,” they added, “the current reciprocity system would apply, and the three institutions and member states would pledge to acting without delay in applying the mechanism.”
With the confirmation of a UK visa waiver, it seems probable that visa-free travel between the UK and the EU will continue.
FURTHER REQUIREMENTS FOR UK CITIZENS TRAVELLING TO EUROPE
Aside from ETIAS, there are several other ways that travel to EU countries has changed since 2021.
UK passport holders planning a trip to Europe should be aware of the following new rules:
- Passport validity
- Driving in Europe
- Healthcare overseas
- Taking pets abroad
UK PASSPORT VALIDITY AND EXPIRY DATE REQUIREMENTS
The UK passport must be the following on the day of travel:
- Valid for at least 6 more months
- Under 10 years old
Both of these conditions must be completed in order to gain admission to the majority of EU nations, as well as Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Sweden.
CAN I KEEP MY EU PASSPORT AFTER BREXIT?
Passports in burgundy with the words “European Union” written on the cover will be valid until their expiration date.
Following Brexit, new British passports have a blue cover and no longer include the words ‘European Union.’
Both forms of UK passports are valid for travel as long as they fulfil the standards outlined above.
BRITISH ACCESS TO THE SCHENGEN INFORMATION SYSTEM (SIS II)
As a result of the United Kingdom’s exit from the European Union, it is no longer a member of Europol, Eurojust, or the European Arrest Warrant. Likewise, UK authorities lack access to the Schengen Information System (SIS II).
Nonetheless, the European Commission has stated that a “new framework for law enforcement and judicial cooperation” will be established.
Given that both the United Kingdom and the European Union prioritise safety and security, the EU-UK trade deal suggests that information will continue to be exchanged, which will assist to:
- Prevent or investigate, and detect crimes
- Prosecute criminals for offences
- Safeguard the public from security threats
- Combat money laundering and terrorism financing
THE UK AND EUROPOL AFTER BREXIT
The trade agreement also specifies the extent of cooperation between the UK and Europol following the UK’s withdrawal from the EU.
The proposed agreement’s article LAW.Europol.49: Scope of Cooperation stipulates that personal data and expert knowledge may be transferred. Cooperation can also take place through the exchange of information on criminal investigation procedures and crime prevention strategies.
In this approach, Europe and the EU may continue to reap the security benefits of shared knowledge and information to some extent.
UK REGISTRATION OF EU/EEA CITIZENS UNDER THE EU SETTLEMENT SCHEME
On March 30, 2019, the EU Settlement Scheme was fully opened, allowing EU people residing in the UK to settle permanently. By the end of 2020, about 5 million EU/EEA people had applied.
The scheme was expanded by the British parliament to ensure that vulnerable residents were adequately protected. It is hoped that this will make it easier for victims of domestic and familial violence to obtain residency.
Furthermore, the recent changes make it easier for the family members of UK citizens to apply for settled status under the scheme.
To apply for the settlement arrangement, eligible persons have until June 30th, 2021. Any EU citizen may also enrol for the programme if they arrive in the UK before the transition period finishes.
CHANGES FOR UK NATIONALS LIVING IN EU COUNTRIES
Brexit has also affected UK citizens’ ability to dwell in EU nations, in addition to short-term stays in Europe. Because of the termination of free movement, it is more difficult for British nationals to live and work in European nations.
EU member states are developing their own rules governing the conditions under which British citizens can stay in the country indefinitely.
UK nationals who wish to stay in a European country for an extended period of time must now meet the same requirements as other third-country nationals.
CAN UK CITIZENS WORK IN EUROPE AFTER BREXIT?
UK nationals who intend to work in an EU country must first research the country’s immigration policies. Permits and documents were necessary by each EU member state.
Some British nationals may be eligible for the EU Blue Card, which is given to highly skilled professionals. To obtain an EU Blue Card, British people must have a one-year employment contract and satisfy various additional requirements.
RULES FOR STUDYING IN THE EU AFTER BREXIT
With the exception of Northern Irish students, the United Kingdom no longer participates in the Erasmus scheme.
The UK government has said that a new initiative would begin in September 2021. The Turing Scheme will enable 35,000 UK students to study in nations all around the world.
VOTE FOR LIFE FOR UK CITIZENS LIVING IN EUROPE
The UK government has vowed that British citizens would be able to vote in the future regardless of how long they have lived overseas.
British nationals now lose their voting rights after 15 years of residing abroad. This implies that British residents living in European nations can continue to participate in political processes that impact them.
COUNTRY-SPECIFIC INFORMATION FOR UK CITIZENS IN EUROPE
Each EU country has its own set of policies concerning third-country citizens. Many rights have been retained as a result of the EU-UK Withdrawal Agreement.
The following section summarises important facts about some of the most popular EU countries for British expats.
UK CITIZENS LIVING IN SPAIN AFTER BREXIT
Spain is the EU country having the most British residents. Over 300,000 UK migrants were residing in Spanish territory in 2015, a year before the Brexit referendum.
The EU-UK Withdrawal Agreement protects those who were lawfully living in Spain before to the conclusion of the transition period.
All UK citizens who have registered as residents since July 6, 2020, will have received a biometric residency card, known as the Tarjeta de Identidad de Extranjero (TIE).
UK nationals who applied for residence before July 6, 2020 will receive a paper NIE card or an A4 certificate. Even after the transition time, the NIE remains valid. Residents who have the old-style card or certificate may swap it for the TIE, although this is not required.
THE IMPACT OF BREXIT ON RESIDENCY IN GERMANY
Thousands of British citizens live in Germany. British nationals who lived in Germany prior to the end of the transition period were required to report to the immigration office (Ausländerbehörde) by June 30th 2021 in order to obtain a new residence document.
The new authorization demonstrated British citizens’ rights to remain in the EU under the Withdrawal Agreement.
UK CITIZENS LIVING IN PORTUGAL AFTER BREXIT
Portugal is another popular destination for British residents looking to relocate overseas. UK nationals have been reassured that nothing would change after Brexit as long as the proper measures to register as a resident are taken.
Before January 1, 2021, British people residing in Portugal should exchange their EU resident certificate for a new biometric card. This may be sought through Portugal’s dedicated Brexit site.
EU residency credentials will be recognised until they expire or the applicant receives a new card.
Residents from the United Kingdom have the same access to the Portuguese health service (SNS) as Portuguese citizens.
CAN UK CITIZENS LIVE IN IRELAND AFTER BREXIT?
The Common Travel Area (CTA) allows people of the United Kingdom and Ireland to live and work in both countries. There is no need for a visa or a resident permit.
Brexit has had no effect on travel between the United Kingdom and Ireland.
UK CITIZENS IN EUROPE AFTER BREXIT: REQUIRED DOCUMENTS
RECEIVING HEALTHCARE IN EUROPE AFTER BREXIT
There have been fears that British citizens could lose access to healthcare in Europe following Brexit.
However, any NHS European Health Insurance Cards (EHIC) issued before the end of 2020 will be valid until their expiration date.
Following the expiration of the EHIC, a new card called the UK Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) will be issued.
The GHIC is a free health insurance programme that covers required healthcare for chronic or pre-existing conditions, maternity care, and emergencies.
Nonetheless, UK people travelling to Europe are urged to get travel health insurance before departing.
DRIVING IN EUROPEAN COUNTRIES AFTER BREXIT
Some motorists may need additional documents to drive in Europe after Brexit. Drivers with a paper licence or a licence issued from Gibraltar, Guernsey, Jersey, or the Isle of Man may require an International Driving Permit (IDP).
UK nationals who wish to continue driving in Europe after Brexit should check with the embassy of the country they intend to visit for relevant laws.
TRAVELLING FROM THE UK TO EUROPE WITH PETS
The former pet passport programme is no longer in effect. A new procedure is now in place, and it will take at least one month to complete. Pet owners must get an Animal Health Certificate (AHC) for their pet as well as the necessary vaccines.
MOBILE ROAMING CHARGES FOR UK CITIZENS AFTER BREXIT
Free mobile roaming for British citizens expired on January 1, 2021. Travelers should check with their mobile provider to see how much they will be charged to use their phone while overseas.
Users are alerted after spending £45 (€49), at which time they must opt in to continue accessing the internet.