With the events that have unfolded during 2020 we have all been a bit preoccupied with dealing with the global pandemic of COVID-19, which for many has meant that other topics took a back seat, one of those topics is Brexit and how that will affect our lives.
There are many things that are likely to change as a knock on affect from Brexit, including how we can travel to European countries for our holidays. Considering the new lockdown measures and restrictions on travelling abroad due to COVID-19, we may not be travelling all that much anyway.
However, it is good to know what (if anything) will change for us when travelling after January 1st 2021.
Things that will change:
- Your passport validity – Currently we can travel to EU countries up until the very expiry of our passports, this will no longer be the case after Jan 1st 2021. You must now have at least 6 months left before expiry on your passport and your passport must be less than 10 years old. So, if you are planning a quick getaway in the New Year if the COVID-19 restrictions allow, you may want to take this in to consideration!
- Being allowed in – Currently when travelling to an EU country, at border control it is only usually our passports that are checked. From January 1st 2021 this may not be the case. We may be asked to show that we have a return ticket, or have enough money for our stay. We will also no longer be allowed to queue in the EU lane when arriving at border control.
- Mobile roaming – This is something to be wary of to avoid racking up any unwanted bills. Many of us will have free EU data roaming included in our phone deals; which means we can use data, call and text anywhere within the EU. Although this is not a guaranteed change across the board, it is advised that you check with your provider before travelling.
- European health insurance (EHIC) – It has always been important to ensure you have some form of health insurance when travelling abroad. Most people have historically used the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) which covered them for traveling within the EU. The EHIC is unfortunately coming to an end from January 1st 2021. This means we will now need to seek other options for travel insurance before travelling.
- Driving – Many of us like to rent a car, or use our own when travelling within the EU for ease of getting around to sites from our accommodation, but driving abroad may be getting a bit harder. Currently our UK driving licenses are valid in EU countries, but this may change. Depending on where you are going you may be required to obtain specific driving documents, otherwise you could face a fine or a seizure of your car. If you are driving your own car form the UK, you will need to put a GB sticker on the back or you could face a fine.
- Taking your pets on holiday – If you are wanting to take your fury friends on holiday with you, you will now have to get in touch with your vets at least 4 months prior to travelling to make sure your pet has the right vaccinations
and travel documents. If you do not have these then you will not be able to take your pet with you. This also applies for assistance dogs. Bear this in mind as the last thing you want before jetting off on holiday is to get stuck at the airport with nowhere for your pet to go.
Future changes
A lot of us are chomping at the bit to go away on holiday once COVID-19 has settled down, so we will all be snapping up the last minute deals to go away. But please do bear the above points in mind. With the new UK lockdown and Christmas coming up, it is unlikely many of us will be travelling before these changes come in to effect, so consider this before booking a last minute deal and finding your passport will no longer be valid. You can keep up to date if there are any additional changes on the government website. You can
access this information by using the following link – https://www.gov.uk/visit-europe-1-january-2021
More information
If you would like to view the Webinar on ‘Changes for travelling to Europe from 1st January’ this is being delivered live on Wednesday 11th November at 12:00pm, please use the following link to register for this session –
https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/9015877011102095885
If you are unable to join the webinar live, a recording of the session can be accessed using the same link above after the webinar has taken place.
If you feel you may need some support, you can contact Care first. Care first is a leading provider of confidential, professional counselling, information and advice services. All employees are eligible to use Care first, our services include; telephone counselling, information services and online support.
Call Care first on the Freephone number provided by your organisation and you can speak to a professional in confidence.