Passport rules for travelling to Europe after Brexit – updated 19 December 2018

New rules for travel to most countries in Europe change if the UK leaves the European Union (EU) with no deal.

Here is the current advice for British passport holders if the UK leaves the EU without a deal.
Check a passport for travel to Europe

The entry requirements for all British passport holders, including those with passports issued by the Crown Dependencies (Guernsey, Isle of Man, and Jersey) and Gibraltar, travelling to Schengen area countries (that typically have abolished passport and border control at their mutual borders) will change after the UK leaves the EU.

After 29 March 2019, you’ll need to check the details of your passport and, if necessary, apply for a new one before you travel to a Schengen area country.

Rules for passports

After 29 March 2019:

• You should have at least 6 months left on your passport from your date of arrival. This applies to adult and child passports. For most people no action will be required, but if your passport will be older than 9 years and 6 months on the date you plan to travel, you will need to renew it in advance.

• If you renewed a passport before it expired, extra months may have been added to your new passport’s expiry date. Any extra months on your passport over 10 years may not count towards the 6 months that should be remaining for travel to most countries in Europe.

• The new rules will apply to passports issued by the UK, Gibraltar, Guernsey, the Isle of Man and Jersey.
List of countries affected

The new rules will apply for travel to and between countries in the Schengen area. These are:
• Austria
• Belgium
• Czech Republic
• Denmark
• Estonia
• Finland
• France
• Germany
• Greece
• Hungary
• Iceland
• Italy
• Latvia
• Liechtenstein
• Lithuania
• Luxembourg
• Malta
• Netherlands
• Norway
• Poland
• Portugal
• Slovakia
• Slovenia
• Spain
• Sweden
• Switzerland

Travel to other EU countries

The new rules do not apply when travelling to Ireland.

Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus and Romania are not in the Schengen area and you should use the Government’s website to check the entry requirements for these countries.

Applying for a new passport
If your passport doesn’t meet the new rules, you should apply for a new passport before travelling to the countries affected.

Do not book travel unless your passport meets the entry requirements of the country you’re travelling to.
Make sure you apply in plenty of time. If you need to, you can use the fast track service to apply to get a passport urgently.

Jane Hewin