PASSPORT ELIGIBILITY
If you are a UK passport holder (or any non-EU national) wishing to visit or travel within the EU, you will need a passport:
- Valid for at least three months after the date you intend to leave the EU country you are visiting
- Which was issued within the previous 10 years
Check both the issue date and the expiry date in your passport. If you renewed your passport early, extra months may have been added to its expiry date. This could affect the requirement for your passport to be less than 10 years old. If your passport does not meet these rules, we advise you to apply for a new passport before any travel.
In general, we recommend to always have at least six months validity on your passport, regardless of the destination you are travelling to.
VISA REQUIREMENTS
You will not need a visa for short trips to most EU countries, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland. You will be able to stay for up to 90 days in any 180-day period. You may need a visa or permit to stay for longer or for business travel and travellers should check each country’s travel advice page for information on how to get a visa or permit.
EUROPEAN HEALTH INSURANCE CARD
When travelling in the European Union and beyond, it is important to take out comprehensive travel insurance with sufficient healthcare cover based on personal circumstances and any additional activities you plan to do. If you have a European Health Insurance Card it will be valid up to its expiry date. If you apply for a card now, you'll get a new UK Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) instead of an EHIC. More details here.
DATA ROAMING
Rules around mobile data roaming are changing meaning you may face charges when using your phone abroad, including for making calls, sending messages or using the internet. Check with your mobile phone provider about their data roaming policy.
The UK Government also has advice for people travelling to the EU after 1 January 2021.
TAKING PETS ABROAD
Your pet passport will no longer be valid, instead you will need an Animal Health Certificate and you pet will need to be microchipped and vaccinated against rabies. If you wish to take your pet abroad you should speak to your vet in advance to make sure you have these in place before you are due to travel. Full details can be found at gov.uk.