Business travel after Brexit – are you and your travellers prepared?

Ensure that you and your organisation are prepared for the new rules surrounding travel between the UK and EU.

The rules on travelling between the UK and the European Union changed on the 1st January 2021, as the UK came to the end of its Brexit “transition period” on the 31st December 2020.

While the coronavirus pandemic has overshadowed Brexit for the majority of the last year and continues to place a pause on most travel, it’s important to ensure that you and your business travellers are ready for when they start travelling again.

Here are the most common topics we have received questions on and a few additional ones to ensure that your organisation are prepared.

Does Brexit mean I need to renew my passport?

Your travellers who are UK citizens may need to renew their passports earlier than expected if they’re travelling to an EU country, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland. On the day of travel, the traveller’s passport needs to have at least six months left before expiry, as well being less than 10 years old (even if it has six months or more left). These new rules do not apply to travel to Ireland.

Further information can be found here. To check a passport’s validity for travel click here.

Need further support? Our dedicated passports and visa team, ATPI Passports & Visas can support you and your organisation.

Is there a new procedure for UK citizens entering the EU because of Brexit?

Business travellers may now have to show a return or onward ticket, demonstrate they have enough money for their stay and use separate lanes from EU, EEA and Swiss citizens when queueing at border control. More information on this can be found here.

Will business travellers now need a visa for travel to the EU?

Tourists travelling to the EU on a UK passport do not need a visa for short trips to most EU countries, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland as they can stay for up to 90 days in any 180-day period. For Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus and Romania differing rules apply and visits to these countries do not count towards the 90-day total.

However, the rules are slightly different for corporate travellers and they may need a visa to work in the EU or for business travel. Whilst they will not require a visa for attending a business meeting, they may require one or a work permit if they fall into one of the below categories:

• transferring from the UK branch of a company to work for a sister company in a different country
• carrying out contracts to provide a service to a client in another country in which your employer has no presence
• or providing services in another country as a self-employed person

Check the entry requirements for the each country here.

Need further clarification? Ask for support from your ATPI servicing team, account manager or the ATPI Passports & Visas department.

What are the entry requirements for travelling to the UK post-Brexit?

EU, EEA and Swiss citizens will be able to enter the UK for holidays or short trips without needing a visa by using a valid passport or their EEA or Swiss national ID card until the 1st October 2021. After this date they must be in possession of a valid passport for the entire duration of their stay. Irish citizens can continue to enter and live in the UK.

In some cases, including certain business trips, a visa, such as a Short Term Visitor visa, will be necessary. Find out more and if you need to apply for a visa here.

Should you need a visa or require support with your trip requirements our dedicated passports and visa team, ATPI Passports & Visas, will be able to assist you.

Does Brexit mean I now need to take out new healthcare and insurance policies?

Both European Health Insurance Cards (EHIC) and Global Health Insurance Cards (GHIC) will be valid when travelling to an EU country, and a UK passport can be used to get medically necessary healthcare in Norway (for example emergency treatment).

If your travellers are travelling to Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein, you should get appropriate travel insurance with healthcare cover before they travel. Make sure it covers any pre-existing conditions that were previously covered by European Health Insurance Cards (EHIC).

Check with your organisation’s insurance provider for peace of mind too. Additional information can be found here, as well as advice on buying insurance with the right cover.

What is now required for driving in Europe?

Your corporate travellers will need extra documentation from 2021, including an international driving permit (IDP) to drive in certain EU countries and Norway if they have a paper driving licence or a licence issued in Gibraltar, Guernsey, Jersey or the Isle of Man. When taking their own vehicle to Europe, they will need a ‘green card’ and a GB sticker.

Find out the requirements here and check with the embassy of the country your travellers will be driving in here.

Has Brexit put an end to free mobile roaming?

The guarantee of free mobile phone roaming throughout the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway, has ended.

Check with your organisation’s mobile phone provider to confirm whether they have implemented any new fees or roaming charges from January 2021.

A new law does mean that there is protection from occurring charges above £45 without first being informed. Once the £45 limit is reached, an opt in is required to spend more and it is only by agreeing to this that you will be able to continue using the internet while abroad. Your phone operator will tell you how you can do this and be able to provide additional information.

Find out more here and check with your phone provider to ascertain the specific rules.

 Information correct as of 8th January 2021.