Visiting Europe from January 2022: A guide for British travellers
Visiting Europe from January 2022: A guide for British travellers
Britain reached the end of its EU exit transition period on December 31st, 2020. As freedom of movement no longer applies, British travellers must meet new entry requirements when visiting Europe for short stays; as will EU citizens visiting the UK.
This article looks at the rules UK travellers need to follow to visit European countries. It covers the following information:
- Whether British citizens will need visas before travelling to a European destination
- What British travellers should do to ensure their passport is valid
- What will change when arriving in Europe
- How UK visitors’ travel insurance requirements will change
- What mobile phone roaming charges could apply
- How pets will be able to travel with their owners to Europ
Will British tourists need a visa to visit Europe?
British tourists can still visit Europe without a visa. UK citizens are permitted a visa waiver for short trips of under 90 days for tourism or business to countries within the Schengen zone.
British visitors can continue travelling to Europe without a visa, and with a valid passport.
However, from May 2023 UK passport holders will need to apply for an ETIAS visa waiver online and pay a small fee before travelling to the Schengen area.
The UK Government is aiming to introduce a similar scheme for European visitors to Britain. The UK ETA visa waiver is expected to be available to all EU nationals. This will follow broadly the same process but will apply to EU passport holders at the UK border.
For longer stays or to work full-time in Europe however, British citizens must acquire a work permit or Schengen visa from the country they wish to live in. They need to apply at the embassy of the country in question.
Will British passports still be valid on a trip to Europe in 2022?
Before travelling to the European Union or Schengen area, British travellers may find new passport restrictions apply. These are minor in nature but could affect a person’s ability to enter an EU country.
Foremost, UK visitors to Europe must make sure their passport has over 6 months of validity remaining from their date of entry into the EU. Yet in practice, this means that no more than 9 years and 6 months must have passed since the passport’s date of issue.
Under European regulations, a passport must not be over 10 years old. Any travel documents older than this will automatically be considered invalid even if it is still within its expiry date.
This situation could occur because the British passport office usually adds extra time to the validity of a passport if it is renewed early. These extra days of validity, however, would not be accepted in the EU where the cut-off is 10 years from the date of issue.
In the case of UK travellers, this will mean their passport may need to be renewed earlier than expected before a European holiday. This must be done before 9 years and 6 months have passed since the document’s date of issue to travel to an EU country.
For example, if a passport was issued on the 1st December 2012, it will no longer be accepted at an EU or Schengen port of entry from 1st June 2022. This rule is applied even if the document hasn’t expired or has over 6 months left to run.
What new procedures will British tourists face when arriving in Europe?
One change that British tourists will face when arriving in a European destination is that they will no longer be able to use the dedicated queue for EU and Swiss passengers. Instead, they will need to join the international queue.
Additionally, UK passengers may be required to provide evidence that they are only travelling to the EU for tourism or business. This may include return tickets to the UK and proof of sufficient funds for the duration of their trip.
Will British tourists need travel insurance in the EU?
A European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) can be used until it expires. The EHIC entitles the holder to state medical treatment in the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, and Liechtenstein.
After the card expires the new Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) will replace it. UK travellers are still advised to take out health insurance.
Will British tourists have to pay mobile phone roaming charges?
Mobile phone roaming charges could make a return for some British tourists. The requirement that operators must waive roaming costs will no longer apply to UK mobile networks as of December 31st 2020.
However, the reintroduction of extra mobile charges when travelling abroad in Europe will be at the discretion of mobile network operators. Therefore, UK nationals are advised to check before arriving in the EU whether these additional costs may apply to them or not.
Are UK Driving licences still valid in Europe?
It will still be possible to use a UK driving licence in Europe, although tourists may also need an international driving permit (IDP). This is expected to apply to British travellers in several EU countries.
Additionally, UK citizens driving their car from Britain to Europe may also need to follow additional steps. When travelling to the EU by car, UK passport holders should ensure to have a car “green card”, proof of insurance and to display a “GB” nationality sticker on their vehicle.
Can British tourists still bring their pets to Europe?
Yes, British tourists can still travel with pets such as cats, dogs or ferrets. However, travellers will face additional safety measures to do so.
Pet passports issued in Great Britain are no longer valid to travel to an EU country or Northern Island.
Pets need to be microchipped, receive a rabies vaccination a few weeks before travel and may need to hold an animal health certificate (AHC). AHCs will need to be renewed for each trip the animal makes to Europe.
With so many changes, it’s especially important to be prepared when travelling to a European country from the UK.