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.
DRIVING IN EUROPE
Green cards for insurance – if you are driving your own car in Europe, you will need to obtain and carry a physical Green Card for your UK car insurance to be valid in the EU. These cards will be available from your car insurance provider. You may be charged a small fee to cover administration costs. The ABI advises you apply for a Green Card at least a month before you are due to travel. You may also need a Green Card for your trailer or caravan, so check with your insurer.
GB car stickers – you will need a GB sticker for your own car when driving in the EU after the transition period ends.
Driving permits – if you have a paper licence or your driving licence was issued in Gibraltar, Guernsey, Jersey or the Isle of Man you may need an international driving permit (IDP) to drive in some EU countries and Norway from 1 January 2021. These are available from the Post Office. Full details can be found at gov.uk.