The UK is set to leave the European Union on March 29, in an end to an unbearably long process that has divided the nation. The exit will have profound implications for travelers, and there will be several changes. In a brief guideline to visas and passports, below are answers to some frequently asked questions. Those with an EU passport, there is no need to change unless it's near its validity. All British passports issued up to and including 29 March 2019 are full European Union travel documents. After Brexit your passport will continue to be valid as a British travel document, but it will lose its EU power. Also, Ireland will continue to be a special case and passports will not be required for travel between the UK and the Republic.
In case the UK leaves the EU with a withdrawal agreement in place, the government said, “If the UK leaves with a deal, travel to the EU will remain the same as now until at least 31 December 2020.” However, while British travelers will no longer be able to use the “fast track EU/EEA” lanes after March 29. Your passport should continue to be valid for travel anywhere in the European Union up to and including the date of expiry.
From 2021 onwards, British travelers will certainly need to apply for online permission to visit the Schengen Area, which includes almost all EU countries and few others. The “eurovisa” is intended to address the “lack of information related to visa-exempt third-country nationals arriving at the Schengen external borders.” A €7 permit is valid for three years (no charge for under-18s or over-70s). On arrival at an EU border, there is still no guarantee of admission. “Travelers would have their data verified, their picture or fingerprint taken and a set of questions asked.”
In case of a no deal, British citizens will not need a visa immediately after Brexit, as it has been implied that the EU will classify British visitors as having “third country, visa-free” status. From March 29 this year, they will become subject to the standard rules of admission for citizens of nations such as the US, Japan, and Australia. That means your passport must have “at least six months validity remaining on the date of arrival”.
In a no-deal situation, people will no longer be automatically entitled to stay as long as they like. The government said, “You would be able to stay for up to 90 days in any 180-day period.”
