Traveling, living and studying in the UK: what’s changing as of January 1

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LONDON – The first reaction to the last minute trade deal reached by Britain and the European Union on Christmas Eve was one of relief. The dreaded “no deal” had been avoided, with all its devastating consequences for the economy. Once the good news was metabolized, attention inevitably turned to future reality. The worst has been averted, but Brexit still brings important news for everyone. Let’s see how things will change in daily life from January 1, 2021.

Travel

The end of free movement means that traveling to and from Great Britain will be different for European citizens. You will not need a visa to spend the holidays, but you cannot stay more than three continuous months up to a total of 180 days. Until October 2021, you will be able to travel with both your identity card and a passport valid for six months, but after that date you will need a biometric passport. Travelers can take a maximum of £ 10,000 in cash without having to declare it. Travel insurance with private health coverage will be necessary, as the European health card will no longer be valid. European citizens will be able to use their driving license in Great Britain, but they will need to show that they are insured. The EU will no longer guarantee free roaming. For now, no provider has announced an increase in mobile phone rates in the UK, but they may do so in the future, so check it out. The European pet passport will no longer be recognized and you will need a certificate of good health issued by the veterinarian ten days before traveling. They will return free of taxes and limits on how many cigarettes or alcohol can be imported without taxes. The British government, however, has eliminated duty-free duties on clothing, accessories and electronics and no longer provides VAT refunds for purchases made in Britain.

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Live and work

Italian citizens already living in Great Britain on December 31, 2020 have until June 30, 2021 to apply for temporary or permanent residence (pre-established or settled status). Those arriving after January 1, 2021 can stay a maximum of 60 days. Beyond this limit, you will need to obtain a residence or work permit. The new British immigration rules establish a point system that will not grant “privileges” to European citizens, who will be treated exactly like citizens of any other country in the world. The system aims to deny entry to unskilled immigrants. Therefore, visas will be issued to persons “who can make a contribution to the British economy”, with the required educational or professional qualifications (eg medical, scientific, IT). Those who are not essential workers must have a job offer with a minimum salary of 25,600 euros and have a good knowledge of English (B1). The visa will cost 348 pounds for a student and between 610 and 1,409 pounds for a worker depending on the type of work, plus a mandatory contribution of 624 pounds each to access the British National Health System (NHS).

For study

EU students will become international students and from September 2021 they will have to pay higher tuition fees if they want to study in Britain, at least double and in many cases triple the current enrollment of 9,250 pounds sterling per year. There are currently 14,000 Italian students attending British universities, one-tenth of the total number of students in the EU. Britain has decided to abandon the Erasmus exchange program, so European students will no longer be able to opt for a study or internship period in the UK. The obstacles will not end with studies. The bilateral agreement does not provide for the recognition of professional qualifications, so the transition to work will be more difficult. The possibility of working in Great Britain will depend on the country of origin, based on bilateral agreements, and the type of work. New sector-by-sector negotiations are planned to find the desired agreement.