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The Brexit transition period will end on January 1, with or without a future trade agreement with the EU, but there will be some changes regardless of the outcome of the trade negotiations.
Visiting the EU
The government is warning the British that travel to the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein will change from January 1.
Those planning travel in 2021 are urged to check their passports; Starting January 1, British travelers will need at least six months on their passports.
Your passports must also be less than 10 years old, even if you have six months or more left.
Without renewing their passport, they may not be able to travel to most EU countries.
Currently, British travelers to the EU only need their passports to be valid for the proposed duration of their stay.
Starting on New Year’s Day, UK citizens arriving at EU border controls may also need to show a return or return ticket, show they have enough money for their stay, and use separate lanes from the EU citizens when they queue.
Those who plan to stay in an EU country for more than 90 days may need to apply for a visa or permit.
At present, it is still unclear whether British travelers will not be able to visit EU countries from January 1 due to the block’s COVID-19 restrictions.
Currently, non-essential travel is only allowed in the EU from a very limited number of non-EU countries that have low rates of coronavirus infection.
Once the Brexit transition period ends, the rules allowing free travel within the bloc no longer apply to the British.
And UK citizens will not be able to bring meat, milk or products containing them, with a few exceptions, such as powdered infant milk, to EU countries from 1 January.
Get medical care while you are there
Britons planning travel in 2021 are also urged to obtain adequate travel insurance, with health care coverage, before traveling abroad.
This is because after December 31st, the European Health Insurance Card (TSE) will no longer be valid for most people.
Currently, a TSE card gives UK citizens the right to access state-provided medical care during a temporary stay in an EU country, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein or Switzerland.
The government cautioned that it is particularly important to obtain travel insurance with adequate health care coverage for those with a pre-existing medical condition.
This is because the TSE scheme covers pre-existing conditions, but many travel insurance policies do not.
Only those who live in EU countries will be able to have new EHIC cards issued in the UK from 1 January.
However, those who make visits to the EU starting in 2020 and ending in 2021 will continue their TSE rights until they return to the UK or visit another EU country.
Currently, a prescription issued by a UK doctor is valid in all EU countries. This may no longer be the case after December 31.
Driving in the EU
Those who want to drive in the EU may need an International Driving Permit (IDP) from January 1.
This can be purchased from the post office for £ 5.50, while the type of IDP required will depend on the countries you pass through.
However, you will not need an IDP to drive when visiting Ireland as long as you have a UK driving license.
Until December 31, British people do not need an internally displaced person to drive in any EU, as well as in Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland, for stays of up to 12 months.
Britons are also advised to carry a “green card”, which is proof of car insurance, when driving in the EU, including Ireland, starting January 1.
These can be obtained from insurance providers six weeks before the trip.
Drivers must have several green cards in these cases:
- For fleet insurance: one for each vehicle
- To tow a trailer or caravan: one for the towing vehicle and one for the trailer or caravan
- If they have more than one policy that covers the duration of their trip
Take your pets abroad
Until December 31, the British can take their cats, dogs and ferrets to EU countries with them and return to the UK again if a number of conditions are met.
These include having a pet passport, having your pet microchipped, having a pet passport, and vaccinating your pet against rabies.
However, as of January 1, it is unclear what rules will apply to Britons taking their pets abroad to the EU, meaning pet passports could no longer be valid.
The UK has requested the EU to be a listed country which, depending on whether it is granted Part 1 or Part 2 list status, could have requirements very similar to what is currently needed.
However, if the UK becomes a non-listed country, there will be additional requirements, such as the need to send a pet’s blood sample to an EU approved testing laboratory and wait three months from the date. in which a successful blood sample was taken prior to travel.
Using your mobile phone while in the EU
Currently, there are no additional charges for data roaming on mobile phones when British travel to an EU country.
However, this could change from January 1 depending on the terms of the UK’s future relationship with the EU.
This would include employees of UK companies traveling to the EU on business.
Some mobile operators – Three, EE, O2 and Vodafone – have said they have no current plans to change their mobile roaming policies next year.
Meanwhile, the government has legislated to protect Britons from unexpected charges from 1 January, with a cap of £ 45 per month on charges for mobile data usage abroad.
This means that the British cannot continue to use mobile data services while roaming unless they actively choose to continue spending.
The legislation also ensures that consumers will continue to receive alerts when they have 80% and 100% data usage.
Mobile operators must also ensure that they continue to make information on how to avoid accidental roaming in border regions available to their customers in Northern Ireland from 1 January.
Operators must take reasonable steps to protect their customers from paying roaming fees for inadvertently accessing roaming services.
Immigration
From 1 January, the UK’s new points-based immigration system will take effect.
Unlike today, EU citizens will be treated the same as non-EU citizens and will have to apply for visas to live, work or study in the UK.
Irish citizens will continue to be able to enter and live in the UK as they do now.
EU citizens will not need a visa to enter the UK when visiting the UK for up to six months.
EU citizens already living in the UK, as well as those from Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland, must apply to continue living in the UK after December 31 under the settled status scheme.
