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Everything you need to know about travel to Europe after Brexit

Do you need a visa to travel to the EU after Brexit? Here’s how the rules are looking in 2024

Way back in 2020, the UK left the EU and Brexit took effect. Since then, a hell of a lot has changed about how we travel. There’s now plenty of extra stuff to think about when planning a trip overseas to Europe (especially if it’s for longer periods). So, we ’ve rounded up all the changes to the rules that we’ll have to follow, now that we’re no longer EU citizens. Here is everything you need to know.

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You should probably check your passport

Up until January 2021, all UK citizens with a valid passport were able to travel freely throughout Europe. Now, though, you may need to renew your passport much earlier than you might think. On the day you travel, your passport must have at least six months left before it expires, or you might not be able to travel to any EU countries, or the EEA states of Iceland , Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland . (The old rules still apply for travel to Ireland.)

You can check if you need to renew your passport before travelling using this tool from the British government, and you can apply for a new one here . Make sure you renew it at least a couple of months before you’re planning to travel, as it may take several weeks to process applications in busy times (including right now).

You can no longer apply for an EHIC

Your European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) will remain valid until its expiry date, but you can no longer apply for a new one. In 2021, the UK government launched a replacement scheme, the Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) , which will entitle you to necessary state healthcare for free or at reduced cost in Europe and other countries with reciprocal arrangements such as Australia and New Zealand . You can apply for one on the official GHIC website .

Free mobile roaming is a thing of the past

The guarantee of free mobile roaming throughout the EU, the Schengen area and the Norway, Iceland and Liechenstein, came to an end on December 31, 2020. It ’s best to c heck with your phone operator to find out about any charges you may incur in the country you’re travelling to.

Border checks may feel a little different

At border control, you will now need to use separate lanes from EU citizens when queuing. Officials may also be more inquisitive than before, asking you to provide a return or onward ticket and prove that you have enough money for the length of your initial stay.

Your driving licence will still be valid – but you’ll need a ‘green card’ proving you have insurance too

Despite reports British drivers would soon have to apply for an ‘international driving permit’ before travelling to the Continent, according to the terms of the Brexit deal, UK licences will still be valid within the EU.

According to this advice by the Foreign Office , you do not need a ‘green card’ (proving you have car insurance cover when driving abroad) when driving in the EU. However, countries where they do apply include Albania, Azerbijan, Moldova, Türkiye and Ukraine. 

Visas are now required for longer stays

If you’re a tourist, you won’t need a visa for short trips to most EU and EEA countries. You will be able to stay for a maximum of 90 days in any 180-day period. To stay for longer than 90 days, or if you ’re working,  you will have to get a visa or travel permit.

The EU has set up this short-term stay visa calculator to help travellers calculate how much longer they can stay in Europe. Visit the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office’s ‘travel advice’ pages  to find out the application process for each country.

The rules for Bulgaria, Croatia , Cyprus and Romania will be different (this is because they aren ’t in the Schengen area ): visits to those four countries will not count towards the 90-day total. 

These arrangements are up to date as of January 2024. They may change, so check back soon for the latest updates on travel to Europe.

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New rules for EU Nationals who wish to visit the UK

With the end of free movement on 31 December 2020, EU/EEA nationals entering the UK as visitors are now governed by the Visit Visa immigration rules   applicable to all non-EEA citizens. In this post we look at the new rules for EU/EEA nationals who wish to visit the UK.

EU/EEA Nationals are ‘Non-Visa’ Nationals

EU/EEA nationals are now regarded as ‘non-visa nationals’ , which means that they do not need to apply for a visit visa before their visit, but will make their applications to visit the UK upon entry at the UK border point.  It is important to understand that even if a visa has not been issued in advance, when entry is ‘granted’ to the UK at the border point a visitor is bound by the conditions set out in the visit visa rules, even if there is no personal contact with an immigration official, such as when entering through the  ‘e-gates’’.

There are four categories of visitors as set out and defined in the preamble to the Visit Visa rules, as follows:-

“There are 4 types of visitor:

• Standard visitor: for those seeking to undertake the activities set out in Appendix Visitor: Permitted Activities, for example tourism and visiting family, usually for up to 6 months.
• Marriage and Civil Partnership visitor: for those seeking to come to the UK to marry or form a civil partnership, or give notice of marriage or civil partnership.
• Permitted Paid Engagement visitor: for experts in their field coming to the UK to undertake specific paid engagements for up to one month.
• Transit visitor: for those who want to transit the UK on route to another country outside the Common Travel Area and who will enter the UK for up to 48 hours by crossing the UK border unless Appendix Visitor: Transit Without Visa Scheme applies.”

Here is a link to articles on our website which discuss the visit visa rules further.

Guidance for EU visitors to the UK

The Home Office published guidance for EU nationals who wish to visit the UK on 31 December 2020, which states the following:-

“If you were not resident in the UK by 31 December 2020 and do not have rights under the withdrawal agreement, you will need to meet specific requirements in order to work or study in the UK from 1 January 2021. You will also need to pass relevant checks, including UK criminality checks. You can continue to visit the UK for up to 6 months without applying for a visa and may participate in a wide range of activities, including tourism, visiting family and friends, short term study and business-related activities, such as events and conferences.

Irish citizens’ status continues to be protected as part of Common Travel Area arrangements . Therefore, Irish citizens do not require permission to come to the UK (except in a very limited number of circumstances), and as a result, are not eligible to apply under the new points-based immigration system.

Specific guidance for those looking to visit, work or study in the UK can be found under documents , along with application guidance.”

Note that Irish citizens have a special status in the UK, which will be discussed in a future updating post.

The ‘documents’ link given in the extract above links to a number of pamphlets published by the Home Office giving information to EU nationals about the UK immigration rules they now need to observe; this is the link to the pamphlet which sets out the rules governing EU visitors to the UK.  Note that all UK immigration routes are now being described as part of the ‘points-based system’ ; this is a bit misleading when considering visitors as no ‘points’ are awarded at any stage of the grant of a visit visa to the UK.

Permitted Activities – Standard Visit Visas

Generally a ‘standard’ visitor will be admitted to the UK for 6 months at a time, and the permitted activities are quite wide, as is set out above in the guidance for EU visitors, broadly being “ tourism, visiting family and friends, short term study and business-related activities, such as events and conferences”.  Here is a link to the Immigration Rules ( Appendix V – Visitor ) which set out the permitted activities for visitors in all the visit categories.

Further guidance for visiting EU businesspersons is given here under the heading ‘ Business travel to the UK ’ .

Permitted Paid Engagements

Short term paid engagements (less than one month) are permitted under the visit visa rules but the conditions for such visits are very strictly defined.  Again, these conditions are set out in the Immigration Rules ( Appendix V – Visitor , see link/s above) under the heading “Additional eligibility requirement for visitors coming to UK for Permitted Paid Engagements” .  The rules also set out what evidence needs to be shown for the engagement/s.

Entering by ‘e-gate’ is not appropriate in these circumstances; ‘ Permitted Paid Engagement ’ visitors should present themselves to Immigration Control with the evidence required for entry.

Marriage/Civil Partnership Visit Visas

According to the guidance issued by the Home Office , after 1 July 2021 EU nationals coming to the UK to marry will now need to enter with permission to marry.  The Immigration rules set the requirements for such visas quite succinctly, as follows:-

V 12.1. The applicant must be aged 18 or over on the date of application.

V 12.2. Unless the applicant is a “relevant national” as defined in section 62 of the Immigration Act 2014, they must, within the period for which they are seeking permission as a visitor:

(a) intend to give notice of marriage or civil partnership in the UK; or

(b) intend to marry or form a civil partnership in the UK;

which is not a sham marriage or civil partnership.

Frequent visits to the UK

EU nationals may have been accustomed to visiting the UK often, however frequent visitors to the UK should pay heed to the following (from the Immigration Rules ):-

Genuine visitor requirement

V 4.2. The applicant must satisfy the decision maker that they are a genuine visitor, which means the applicant:

(a) will leave the UK at the end of their visit; and

(b) will not live in the UK for extended periods through frequent or successive visits, or make the UK their main home;…

If there have been frequent visits to the UK, an EU national visitor should be aware that consideration will be given to their immigration history in deciding whether they are, in fact, a genuine visitor if they are questioned by an Immigration Official at the border.  The issue is whether through these visits the individual has in fact made the UK their ‘main home’. However, from the Guidance :-

There is no specified maximum period, which an individual can spend in the UK in any period such as ‘6 months in 12 months’ (as long as each visit does not exceed the maximum period for that visit, normally 6 months). However, if it is clear from an applicant’s travel history that they are seeking to remain in the UK for extended periods or making the UK their home you should refuse their application. 

Suitability

EU visitors should also note that there are suitability requirements which apply to all entrants to the UK, which are set out in detail in the Immigration Rules at Part 9: grounds for refusal .  These requirements, dealing with matters such as previous criminal and immigration offences, are far more stringent than those previously governing EU nationals before the end of free movement on 31 December 2020.

Contact Our UK Visit Visa Immigration Lawyers

For expert advice and assistance with the new rules governing EU citizens who wish to visit the UK, contact our immigration barristers on 0203 617 9173 or complete our enquiry form below.

SEE HOW OUR IMMIGRATION BARRISTERS CAN HELP YOU

To arrange an initial consultation meeting, call our immigration barristers on 0203 617 9173 or fill out the form below.

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Welcome to the official ETIAS website

• ETIAS is currently not in operation and no applications are collected at this point.

The rules of travel to Europe have changed. Starting in the first half of 2025, some 1.4 billion people from over 60 visa-exempt countries are required to have a travel authorisation to enter most European countries.

Find out which European countries require an ETIAS travel authorisation, who needs to apply and who is exempt.

Learn about when to request an ETIAS travel authorisation with limited validity and what implications it has for your travel.

Find out what travel documents can be used to apply for an ETIAS travel authorisation. Learn about what information needs to be included in the application form and how much it costs to apply.

Learn how to authorise someone to apply for an ETIAS travel authorisation on your behalf and what to be careful about.

Find out how to appeal against a decision related to your ETIAS travel authorisation or data protection rights.

Be aware of possible abusive and fraudulent practices by commercial intermediaries and learn how to report them.

Find answers to the most common questions about ETIAS including how to apply, how much it costs and how long it will be valid for.

Find the latest updates and facts about ETIAS.

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EU and UK citizens: share your views on a resumption of freedom of movement for the young

We’re keen to hear what people make of the proposal to resume freedom of movement between the EU and UK for young people aged between 18 and 30

The European Commission has proposed opening negotiations with the UK to allow mobility enjoyed before Brexit to millions of young people in a major concession.

Under the envisaged agreement, EU and UK citizens aged between 18 and 30 would be able to stay for up to four years in the destination country, the European Commission said in a statement.

If agreed, a youth mobility scheme visa would be issued in those countries that participate, with possible conditions including a requirement for health insurance and proof of sufficient subsistence funds, a feature of other mobility schemes around the world.

We’d like to hear what people in the EU and in the UK think of the proposal, how they believe they or their family, their sector or business may be affected by such a policy, and whether they have any concerns.

This Community callout closed on 26 April 2024.

You can see the article that included respondents to this callout here .

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Ireland Threatens to Return Asylum Seekers to U.K., Sparking Diplomatic Squabble

The Irish government said it was drafting emergency legislation to return asylum seekers to Britain, after seeing a surge of people leaving there for sanctuary in Ireland.

By Mark Landler

Reporting from London

Britain’s newly ratified plan to put asylum seekers on one-way flights to Rwanda has drawn objections from human rights groups, British and European courts, the House of Lords and even some members of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s Conservative Party.

To that list, add another aggrieved party: Ireland.

The Irish government said last week that asylum seekers in Britain who fear being deported to Rwanda are instead traveling to Ireland . It is drafting emergency legislation to send them back to Britain, triggering a clash with its neighbor, which said it would refuse to accept them.

Irish officials estimate that 80 percent of recent applicants for asylum crossed into the country via Northern Ireland, which is part of the United Kingdom, and with which the Republic of Ireland has an open border. That suggests that Britain’s vow to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda is already having something of a deterrent effect, which was Mr. Sunak’s sales pitch for the policy.

But it comes at the expense of Ireland, which is already struggling to absorb an influx of refugees from Ukraine and elsewhere, and has seen violent clashes over immigration erupt in small towns and major cities. On Sunday, Ireland’s prime minister, Simon Harris, said, “This country will not in any way, shape or form provide a loophole for anybody else’s migration challenges.”

“Other countries can decide how they wish to advance migration,” said Mr. Harris, who became prime minister earlier this month. “From an Irish perspective, we intend to have a firm rules-based system where rules are in place, where rules are in force, where rules are seen to be enforced.”

British officials, however, countered on Monday that they would not accept any asylum seekers from Ireland, a European Union member, unless they had a broader agreement with the E.U. to return them to France, another E.U. member, from where many refugees set off for Britain in small boats across the English Channel.

“Of course we’re not going to do that,” Mr. Sunak said to ITV News about accepting returnees from Ireland. “I’m determined to get our Rwanda scheme up and running because I want a deterrent.” He added, “I make absolutely no apology for doing everything I can to tackle illegal migration.”

The Rwanda policy has unexpectedly put the border between Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic back in the spotlight, echoing the tensions between Britain and Ireland after Britain voted to leave the European Union in 2016. The Republic of Ireland fought to keep an open land border with Northern Ireland, which necessitated complex negotiations between London and Brussels over trade arrangements in the North.

After years of friction, Mr. Sunak last year struck a deal with the European Union, known as the Windsor Framework, which finally seemed to defuse the issue. But Britain’s abrupt cancellation on Sunday of a meeting between its home secretary, James Cleverly, and Ireland’s minister for justice, Helen McEntee, added to the sense of a fresh diplomatic crisis. A meeting of lower-level British and Irish officials produced only a vague agreement to “monitor this issue closely.”

“It’s something that needs to be solved, and I don’t see any easy solution,” said Bobby McDonagh, a former Irish ambassador to Britain. “It clearly isn’t workable if a very large number of refugees are going through the U.K. and coming down here through Northern Ireland.”

The problem is, political pressures on both sides militate against resolving the issue. For Mr. Sunak, who lobbied for months against legal challenges to pass the Rwanda plan, the diversion of asylum seekers to Ireland is proof that his policy is working. Far from taking back these people, he has vowed to round up thousands of those still in Britain and put them on planes to Rwanda.

Mr. Harris, analysts in Dublin said, is under pressure to act firmly because the swelling numbers of asylum seekers, combined with Ireland’s acute housing shortage, are causing social unrest. Last week, protesters in County Wicklow clashed with the police over proposed accommodations for refugees. A riot rooted in anti-immigrant hatred convulsed parts of Dublin last fall.

“The protests have become increasingly ugly and violent, orchestrated by groups that see Ireland as fertile ground,” said Diarmaid Ferriter, a professor of modern Irish history at University College Dublin. “The politicians are under pressure to be seen as doing more, and they’re trying to reduce the ground for anti-immigration forces.”

The tensions are even altering Ireland’s political landscape. For example, the poll ratings of the main opposition party, Sinn Fein, have fallen in recent months because of criticism that it is not hard-line enough on immigration.

Sinn Fein’s leader, Mary Lou McDonald, criticized the Irish government for failing to level with residents about how immigration would affect their towns and cities.

“You need rules and regulations,” Ms. McDonald said at a recent briefing for journalists in London. “Particularly in more deprived areas, where services are poor, they feel the struggle all the more when they consider the people coming in.”

Mr. Sunak predicted that Britain’s use of Rwanda to process asylum applications would be copied by other countries. But critics say that would pose a thorny challenge to the global legal system for protecting refugees. If more countries outsource the processing of asylum seekers, they may simply end up displacing the flow of refugees to their nearest neighbors, as Britain has.

Mr. Harris, moreover, faces some of the same legal obstacles that dogged Mr. Sunak in his quest to enact the Rwanda policy. Ireland’s high court has ruled that the government cannot designate Britain as a “safe third country” and return asylum seekers there, because of the risk that Britain would send them to Rwanda.

Britain’s Supreme Court struck down an earlier version of the Rwanda legislation because it determined that Rwanda was not a safe country. Mr. Sunak then signed a treaty with the Rwandan government and revised the legislation, essentially overruling the court. Parliament passed that law last week.

Immigration experts in Ireland have expressed doubts about the government’s claim that 80 percent of recent asylum applicants crossed the border from Northern Ireland. Some, they said, could have arrived at airports or seaports in the Irish Republic and not immediately applied for asylum status.

Still, said Nick Henderson, the chief executive of the Irish Refugee Council, “If people are moving to Ireland from the U.K. in numbers, it should be viewed in the context that the U.K. is not a safe country for people seeking protection.”

Mark Landler is the London bureau chief of The Times, covering the United Kingdom, as well as American foreign policy in Europe, Asia and the Middle East. He has been a journalist for more than three decades. More about Mark Landler

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Students at Trinity College Dublin protesting Israel's war in Gaza have built an encampment that forced the university to restrict campus access on Saturday and close the Book of Kells exhibition, one of Ireland's top tourist attractions.

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Urgent warning for UK tourists not to travel to holiday hotspot

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The Foreign Office has warned Britons to avoid travelling in parts of Turkey due to a ‘heightened risk of terrorism’.

It already advises against all travel within 6km of Turkey ’s border with Syria .

Now the government has also issued an urgent warning against all but essential travel to Şırnak city or nearby Hakkâri province.

Both are in the southeast of Turkey where, in addition to Ankara and Istanbul, ‘most terrorist attacks have occurred’, the Foreign Office (FCDO) website states.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan pledged to ‘protect our country from the ring of fire through a security corridor across our borders’, during a speech in Şırnak this March, Daily Sabah reported.

Said to be home of Noah’s tomb, Şırnak is packed with archaeological and religious sites, including a castle and a partially ruined red madrasah.

It also has mountains, rivers and canyons that makes it of interest to visiting tourists, Hürriyet Daily News said.

But its proximity to the Syrian border can also make it dangerous.

Historically the threat came from the PKK, a militant group fighting for independence of the Kurdish people.

It has carried out bombings and massacres within Turkey since the 1980s, and has found itself fighting Turkish forces in Syria since Turkey’s invasions of Kurdish-controlled regions there in 2016 and 2019.

The FCDO said: ‘Fighting in Syria continues in areas close to the Turkish border and there remains a heightened risk of terrorism in the region.’

Although PKK terrorism in Şırnak and Hakkâri has largely died down, ISIS and Al-Qaeda -linked groups in Syria continue posing a threat.

ISIS has ‘previously targeted border crossings and nearby locations on the Syrian side of the border’ and has ‘the capacity to carry out attacks in neighbouring countries’, the FCDO website says.

Sites visited by foreigners – including airports, places of worship and large public gatherings like religious events and public holidays – are on the list of potential targets.

The FCDO said: ‘If you’re undertaking essential travel to Şırnak city or Hakkâri Province, take extreme care.’

Elsewhere, visitors face road closures in the southern Hatay Province when travelling routes leading to the Syrian border.

And the biblical resting place of Noah’s Ark, Mount Ararat in the eastern Ağrı Province, is a special military zone that requires a fee and permit to enter.

The FCDO said: ‘If visiting with a travel agent or tour group, confirm with them whether you need an individual permit.’

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at [email protected] .

For more stories like this, check our news page .

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UK sanctions corrupt politicians in Uganda who stole from vulnerable communities

The UK has imposed sanctions on Ugandan politicians charged with corruption

• UK imposes sanctions on Ugandan politicians including the Speaker of Parliament following corruption charges for stealing from the poorest communities in Uganda. 
• This is the first time the UK has used the Global Anti-Corruption Sanctions regime on individuals involved in corruption in Uganda.
• New sanctions are part of the UK’s continued effort to crack down on serious corruption around the world.  

Deputy Foreign Secretary, Andrew Mitchell, has announced sanctions on high profile Ugandan politicians charged with corruption, and the Speaker of the Parliament of Uganda, today (30 April). 

It is the first time the UK government has used the Global Anti-Corruption Sanctions regime on individuals involved in corruption in Uganda.  

The three individuals, two of whom were previously ministers responsible for Uganda’s poorest region, Karamoja, and have been charged with corruption at Uganda’s Anti-Corruption Court, will be subject to travel bans and asset freezes. 

The two former ministers sanctioned – Mary Goretti Kitutu and Agnes Nandutu – stole thousands of iron sheets used for roofing and infrastructure from a Ugandan government-funded project aimed at housing some of the most vulnerable communities in the region, providing them to prominent politicians and their families instead.

The Speaker of the Parliament, Anita Annet Among, benefited from the proceeds.

Over 60% of people in Karamoja live in poverty and many suffer from the devastating impacts of drought and insecurity.

 Deputy Foreign Secretary, Andrew Mitchell, said:  

The actions of these individuals, in taking aid from those who need it most, and keeping the proceeds, is corruption at its worst and has no place in society. The Ugandan courts are rightly taking action to crack down on those politicians who seek to line their own pockets at their constituents’ expense.  Today the UK is sending a clear message to those who think benefiting at the expense of others is acceptable. Corruption has consequences and you will be held responsible.

 The three individuals sanctioned:  

• Anita Annet Among, who has been the Speaker of the Parliament of Uganda since 2022.
• Mary Goretti Kitutu, who was the Minister for Karamoja Affairs between 2021 and 2024.
• Agnes Nandutu, who was the State Minister for Karamoja Affairs between 2021 and 2024.  

These measures follow previous UK sanctions under the Global Anti-Corruption sanctions regime , which has targeted individuals involved in serious corruption cases across the world, including Bulgaria, Lebanon, Moldova, Russia, South Africa, South Sudan, and Venezuela. 

Since its introduction in April 2021, the UK has introduced sanctions on 42 individuals and entities under this regime globally to combat corruption across the world. 

An asset freeze prevents any UK citizen, or any business in the UK, from dealing with any funds or economic resources which are owned, held or controlled by the designated person and which are held in the UK. It will also prevent funds or economic resources being provided to or for the benefit of the designated person or entity 

A travel ban means that the designated person is an excluded person under section 8B of the Immigration Act 1971, and must be refused leave to enter or to remain in the United Kingdom (any leave given to a person who is an excluded person is invalid). 

Under the UK’s Global Anti-Corruption sanctions regulations 2021, individuals and entities anywhere in the world can be sanctioned for their involvement in bribery or misappropriation of property involving a foreign public official.  

This could include those who facilitate, profit from or try to cover up serious corruption, as well as making efforts to prevent authorities from carrying out justice for these actions. 

UK Aid was not involved in the Ugandan Government project.

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