Travel in Europe After Brexit: What Brits Need to Know
Think back to the last time you hopped on a plane for holiday with your friends or family. It feels like an era ago, doesn't it? But now, with vaccine rollouts rapidly nearing completion in the UK, and governments steadily gaining control over COVID-19's spread, the prospects of us being able to travel seems very real again.
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There is something quite distinctly different about the next time you travel to a European country, however. After the Brexit transition phase officially finished at the end of last year, there are some important things you'll need to bear in mind before you step out the door to make your holidays stress-free. Here, we've summarised 7 main changes you should be aware of to ensure you'll be off on a happy holiday.
1. Check your passport
Your passport must have at least six months left before it expires on the day you travel, or you might not be able to travel to any EU countries, or the EEA states of Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland. (The old rules still apply for travel to Ireland.)You can check if your passport will be valid for your trip on GOV.UK.
It may take several weeks to process applications in busy times. You can book an appointment for the 1 week fast track service on GOV.UK. Make sure you renew it at least a couple of months before your trip.
2. Double check if your mobile phone charge will be increased during your travelling to Europe
You probably have to pay more to use your mobile phone in the EU, Norway, Switzerland, Iceland or Liechtenstein. Ask your mobile phone service provider what the charges will be for using your mobile phone in Europe before your departure.
Travel in Europe After Brexit: What Brits Need to Know (2)
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3. Ensure you have your travel insurance
If you're a UK resident and have a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC), your EHIC will be valid until it expires, but you can't apply for a new one. You can apply for a UK Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) on the NHS website. You can use a GHIC to get healthcare in EU countries at a reduced cost or sometimes for free (official GHIC website).
At the moment, the GHIC won’t cover healthcare in the EEA states, then you should make sure to get your private travel insurance with adequate healthcare cover before your trip even if you have an EHIC or GHIC.
EHIC Card
You can use your card to access medically necessary state-provided healthcare when you're visiting an EU country or Switzerland.
According to the NHS website, medically necessary healthcare means healthcare that cannot reasonably wait until you come back to the UK. Whether treatment is necessary is decided by the healthcare provider in the country you're visiting.
Who can apply?
The NHS states that,
You may be eligible for a UK GHIC if you meet 1 of the following criteria:
You're legally living in the UK and you do not have healthcare cover provided by an EU country or Switzerland
You're living in the EU or Switzerland with a registered S1, E121, E106 or E109 form issued by the UK
You're living in the EU or Switzerland with an A1 document which is issued by the UK
You're a family member or dependant of an entitled individual already listed
We strongly recommend that you check with the NHS and Government websites for the latest and most up to date information.
4. If you are driving abroad
Based on the terms of the Brexit deal, UK licenses will still be valid within the EU. However.
If you are bringing your own vehicle, you’ll also need:
Green card: it proves you have the right insurance to drive abroad.
GB sticker: you’ll need to display a GB sticker on the back of your vehicle.
Ask for it at least 4 weeks before you go. You might have to pay a fee.
5. Visas are now required if you stay longer
Brits are eligible to stay for a maximum of 90 days in any 180-day period. It means if you’re a tourist, you won’t need a visa for short trips to most EU and EEA countries. If you would like to stay more than 90 days, you will have to get a visa or travel permit.
However, the UK is now considered a 'third-country' and can travel to the EU without travel authorization until the ETIAS is launched in 2022. This means from 2022, Brits will have to apply in advance to visit the EU. You will need to pay €7(proposed cost) for a three-year pass. Check ETIAS.com to find more details.
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6. Travelling with your pet
If you have a UK pet passport it won’t be valid anymore.
You might need to get blood tests and health certificates for your pet before your trip. Talk to your vet before you plan to travel for advice on what you need to do. You can also find out more about pet travel to Europe after Brexit on GOV.UK.
7. British tourists can now claim back 20% VAT on their purchase in EU*
From 1st January 2021, residents of England, Scotland and Wales who are shopping in the EU are eligible to shop Tax Free, which means they can enjoy savings by claiming back the VAT on their purchases. A range of goods including fashion items, cosmetics, technology, jewellery, food and wine are eligible for a VAT refund. Wevat app, a fintech company based in London, believes getting tax back on shopping should be simple. Wevat has helped travellers from 88 countries get VAT refunds on purchases amounting to more than €18 million. Currently they are launching their French service. Their technology and service will make the experience simple for British shoppers in France.
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*service charge applies and varies across different VAT-refund provider.
Some of these new rules may be a bit of a nuisance, which is why it's all the more important to be prepared in advance. I'll be sad to leave my dog Champers behind next time I go on holiday, so I guess I'll have to make it up to him by buying him some extra toys as a treat (and claim my 20% VAT back while I'm at it!).
Happy holidays everyone!
About Wevat App:
Wevat - a new digital tax refund app that makes it easy for travellers to save money on their shopping in France! We are a community of people who love travelling, shopping and saving money. Since our launch in 2019, we've helped refund travellers from 88 countries more than €18 million on their shopping!
Compared with in-store VAT refund providers, Wevat gives you up to 23% more VAT back and with no minimum spending requirements on each purchase. With Wevat, you can simply snap a picture of your purchase invoices then generate and scan your barcode when you leave France. There are no paper forms, repeated scanning or dropping off forms required with us. Our super-friendly, multilingual customer support team will be always on hand to support you throughout your trip via our app.
We are fully regulated by both French and UK customs.
Download Wevat now to start saving money on your shopping!
Please download before purchase to validate shopping.