As the transition period comes to an end in 2021, the way you travel in the EU (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland) is about to change.
With changes in border controls and EHIC cards and pet passports being scrapped, it’s time to do some planning before you book next year’s trip.
It might be a good idea to start soon, as long delays are possible and there are all kinds of new bureacractic hoops to jump through.
Will I need a new passport after Brexit?
Possibly. After January 1, that soon-to-be extinct burgundy passport of yours must have at least six months left to expire from the day of travel and also be under ten years old. Use the government website’s checker system to find out if yours needs renewing.
‘Beware leaving renewals to the last minute,’ cautions Bharat Gadhoke, head of commercial at specialist travel association AITO.
‘Lengthy Passport Office delays are possible, while currently it takes four weeks if applying online and longer by post.’
Will my European Health Insurance Card remain valid after Brexit?
Alas, the trusty EHIC will soon retire to the big wallet in the sky. However, according to Gadhoke, some EU members may take steps to help.
‘Portugal, for example, has said it will offer Brits the same rights as local citizens, who pay €5 per day when hospitalised,’ he says.
Elsewhere in Europe, accident-prone EHIC owners should now prioritise travel insurance with stellar health cover.
Will I need a visa to travel to the EU after Brexit?
Nope. After Brexit, British citizens will still be able to travel for short visits to all EU countries, plus Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland, without needing a visa.
By short visits, we mean 90 days within an 180-day period.
As always, travel must not be for the purpose of undertaking paid work, but can be for holidays or short-term study.
Can I still drive around Europe?
Whether you’re driving from Britain or collecting a hire car, an International Driving Permit will be required from 2021, says Gadhoke.
‘These can be obtained from larger post offices for £5.50,’ he says.
To add to the fun, there are actually two IDPs, covering different European countries.
When taking your own vehicle, it’s mandatory to notify your car-insurance provider and obtain a Green Card – this is typically free but it can take a whole month to materialise.
How will border controls work?
Will Brits no longer be able to use EU lanes? ‘Quite possibly,’ reckons Gadhoke. ‘This still depends on the result of ongoing negotiations, although some EU states [such as lovely Portugal again] have said that they will create UK-only lanes.’ Isn’t that nice?
What about roaming charges?
Free mobile-phone roaming will no longer be guaranteed throughout the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein or Norway after December 31.
On the flip side, EE, Vodafone, Three and O2 have all sworn blind that they won’t reintroduce charges. Don’t believe them? You can at least take some succour in a new UK law that precludes unexpected mobile data charges above £45.
How will travelling with pets differ?
This remains a grey area. While the existing pet passport scheme will definitely cease after January 1, a replacement has yet to be finalised.
Neither, therefore, has it been decided whether the UK ends up a ‘listed’ or ‘unlisted’ country in terms of pet travel – and thus whether microchipping, rabies vaccinations and so on are mandatory for your cat, dog, parrot or polar bear.
The current advice is to contact vets at least four months ahead and also the pet travel helpline (0370 241 1710, pettravel@apha.gov.uk).
Will my consumer rights change?
‘In the event of cancellation or delay our understanding is that the regulations will continue to apply until legislators decide otherwise,’ says Gadhoke.
‘The EU261 regulation, which covers denied boarding or compensation for delayed flights, will, however, only apply to UK-inbound flights from the EU – previously it covered all flights with a UK carrier.’
What if my tour operator or airline collapses?
Assuming it is EU-based and targets UK customers, you will still enjoy the Civil Aviation Authority’s ATOL (Air Travel Organiser’s Licence) financial protection on package holidays should your tour operator fail.
Refunds are unlikely in the case of airline collapse, though, so hope your travel insurance covers this or pay by credit card to potentially fall back on the Consumer Credit Act’s Section 75 – safeguarding payments from £100 to £30,000.
Confused? So is everyone else...
- While 36 per cent of us are confident we know what changes will occur come the end of the transition period on January 1, it transpires that a massive 94 per cent of us are unaware of all of the changes to travel to the EU
- Over a quarter of us believe we will need a visa, which isn’t necessary if you’re staying for less than 90 days
- Thirty-one per cent of us believe we can just update our European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) when in fact it will no longer be available to us
- owever, at least a fifth of us plan to head to Europe next year, particularly in the light of the news of a vaccine and reduced quarantine requirements
For the latest guidance on travel to the EU after December 31, visit Discover Ferries.
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source https://metro.co.uk/2020/11/30/preparing-for-eu-travel-after-brexit-13664509/
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