The UK has left the European Union and the transition period comes to an end on 31st December this year. Therefore, from January 2021 your travel privilege across Europe will change and it is your responsibility to ensure your passport is valid for the journey you have panned.
The government has an on-line passport checker you can use, which uses your passport issue and expiry dates to check the validity of your passport. Travel to the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein will change from 1 January 2021. You will need to check your passport, get travel insurance that covers your healthcare, check you have the right driving documents and if relevant organise pet travel – contact your vet at least 4 months before you go.
You may need to renew your British passport earlier if you’re travelling from 1 January 2021. You need to check the specific details for the country you are travelling to, which you can do at: www.gov.uk which is also where you will find the passport checker. As a general rule on the day you travel, you’ll need your passport to both:
• have at least 6 months left
• be less than 10 years old (even if it has 6 months or more left)
If you do not renew your passport, you may not be able to travel. These rules do not apply to travel to Ireland. You can continue to use your passport as long as it’s valid for the length of your stay.
When you enter the country you are visiting you may have to show your return ticket that you have enough money for your stay. You may also have to use separate lanes from EU, EEA and Swiss citizens when queuing.
If you’re a tourist, you will not need a visa for short trips to most EU countries, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland. You’ll be able to stay for up to 90 days in any 180-day period. Different rules will apply to Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus and Romania. If you visit these countries, visits to other EU countries will not count towards the 90-day total. You may need a visa or permit to stay for longer, to work or study, or for business travel.
Please also remember, that you should always get appropriate travel insurance with healthcare cover before you go abroad. Your European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) will be valid up to 31 December 2020.
It’s particularly important you get travel insurance with the right cover if you have a pre-existing medical condition. This is because the EHIC scheme covers pre-existing conditions, while many travel insurance policies do not.
If you do need to renew your UK or Irish passport, The Costa Blanca People offers a paid for service and will complete the whole transaction for you, from filling in the digital form on-line, to taking official passport pictures, registering the renewal, posting any additional documentation and the return of you new passport. For further details call: 607 03 11 13.