{"id":2221,"date":"2021-01-14T15:55:28","date_gmt":"2021-01-14T07:55:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pacificprime.co.uk\/blog\/?p=2221"},"modified":"2021-01-14T15:55:28","modified_gmt":"2021-01-14T07:55:28","slug":"brexit-tips-for-travelling-to-the-eu-in-2021","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pacificprime.co.uk\/blog\/brexit-tips-for-travelling-to-the-eu-in-2021\/","title":{"rendered":"Brexit: Tips for travelling to the EU in 2021"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u201cBrexit: UK driver has ham sandwiches confiscated at Dutch border<\/a>\u201d made headlines on a BBC News article, which just reflects the chaos and confusion surrounding the new rules. Whether it\u2019s about how plans for holiday might be affected<\/a> or whether EHIC cards will still be valid<\/a>, British people have an endless number of questions about what leaving the European Union (EU) would actually entail. Now that the Brexit transition period is over, this Pacific Prime UK<\/a> article will shed light on some useful tips for travellers visiting the EU – of course, when COVID-19 is no longer a threat.<\/p>\n

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\"Individual<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n\n

Check your passport expiry date before you make travel plans<\/h2>\n

Fortunately, you will not have to apply for a visa if you are travelling abroad for tourism purposes. This means you can stay in Schengen area countries (most EU\/EEA countries) for up to 90 days in any 180-day period. That being said, you\u2019ll need to ensure that you have at least 6 months validity left on your passport. For example, if your passport is expiring in December 2021 and you plan to travel in August 2021, you\u2019ll need to apply for a new passport.<\/p>\n

Note<\/strong>: The rule about passport validity doesn\u2019t apply for trips to the Republic of Ireland.<\/p>\n

Get an animal health certificate (AHC) for your pet if you want to take them on a trip<\/h2>\n

Want to take your pet to the EU\/EEA or Northern Ireland with you? It\u2019s no longer possible to use EU pet passports issued in the UK. Instead, you\u2019ll need an animal health certificate (AHC) from a qualified vet for your pet cats, dogs (including assistance dogs), and ferrets. Bear in mind that to do so, your pet will have to be microchipped and vaccinated against rabies. What\u2019s more, you\u2019ll need to get it 10 days before travelling.<\/p>\n

Look into whether you can use your UK-issued drivers\u2019 license<\/h2>\n

UK drivers will still be able to use their UK-issued drivers\u2019 license to drive in EU countries if they have a photocard license (as opposed to only paper license) and their licences were issued in places other than<\/strong> Gibraltar, Guernsey, Jersey, or the Isle of Man. For those who don\u2019t meet the criteria, it is possible to get an International Driving Permit (IDP). However, it\u2019s worth checking the government guidance<\/a> for individual countries before you travel as there may be variations in the rules.<\/p>\n

Make sure you won\u2019t be charged exorbitant roaming fees<\/h2>\n

Back when the UK was in the EU, you can rest assured that you won\u2019t be charged exorbitant fees from your phone\/data provider when travelling to another member country, and stick to your UK-based phone or data plan. Now, this may not be the case so you\u2019re advised to check if there are any additional charges and what your options are with your phone\/data provider before travelling.<\/p>\n

Apply for a Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) and secure Travel Insurance<\/h2>\n

British travellers will be familiar with the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC), which gave you the right to access state-provided healthcare and treatment during a temporary stay in another EU\/EEA country. Early on, there were a lot of questions about how Brexit will affect the EHIC<\/a> and some clarity was provided on EHICs as the end of the transition period approached<\/a>. However, the deal announced on 24th December 2020 confirmed<\/a> that:<\/p>\n