The news coming out of Downing Street suggests that The UK is going to leave Europe without a deal. This will have a number of ramifications for us, a major one being the rules and regulations with regards to entering and travelling around Europe. Below is a summary of matters that you will need to consider, however I strongly advise that you visit the below link to the Governments website to make sure you are fully conversant with the changes.
Passport & Visas
Health
On the day you travel to Europe your passport must be valid remain so for a least 6 months. Your passport must not have been issued 10 years or more ago.
Assuming that you are travelling as a tourist then you will be allowed to stay in EU (including Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland) for a maximum of 90 days in any 180 day period without any additional visa.
Some European Countries, such as Bulgaria, Croatia, Cypress and Romania might have different requirements. You should check the entry requirements for each country you intend to visit.
With the leaving of the EU the one item that will fall by the wayside on the 1st January 2021 is the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC). This means that from 1st January all your health cover in Europe will be via your conventional travel insurance. The EHIC meant that you were entitled to be treated like any citizen of the country you were in, and medical treatment would be as such.
As of the 1st January all medical treatment will be subject to payment and you will require adequate health insurance to cover the costs (or a very healthy bank balance).
Driving
Pets
The biggest change to driving in Europe from the 1st January 2021 is that you will need a ‘Green Card’ issued by your insurance company not only for your vehicle but also for any trailer or caravan that you are towing. It is recommended that you allow at least one month before departure to obtain the documents from your insurance company.
You will also need to consider when your insurance expires and requires renewing as this can also cause a problem. Again this is something that you will need to discuss with your insurance company.
If you are driving within the EU and your stay is less than 90 days then you are likely to be able to do so on your normal driving licence. However this might change and therefor you should check to make sure that an international driving permit has not become a requirement.
Travelling to Europe with pets will change as of the 1st of January 2021. Current pet passports will no longer be valid. It is recommended that you seek the advice of your vet to make sure that your pets are adequately provisioned for European travel.
It is strongly recommended that such consultations and advice are sought at least 4 months before the date of travel.
We keep reporting on the rules and regulations as we find out more and as agreements are reached or otherwise.
