It

It
feels like an age has passed since the referendum took place,
but almost four years, three Prime Ministers, an unquantifiable
slew of eye rolls and dossier redrafts later, this week the Brexit
withdrawal agreement finally gets inked.

Well, sort of. It was never going to be that easy, of course. As
of Friday, Britain’s enters an 11-month transition period, during
which the itty-bitty terms and conditions of the deal continue to
be negotiated. While we wait to hear more, and as British MEPs pack
their desks into boxes and wave goodbye to the office water cooler,
we’re asking what Brexit really means for those travelling in and
out of Britain – we’ll also debunk some common myths along the
way.

Consider this your official Brexit briefing.

Will I need to pester embassies for visas?

This is a source of great contention and perhaps one of the most
commonly held misbeliefs bandied about in Brexit dinner party
conversation. The current party line is no. Brits travelling to the
EU will be bound by the same rules as before. That means you’re
able to stay in an EU country for 90 days within any 180-day
period.

Early on in Brexit proceedings, mention was made of ETIAS
(European Travel Information and Authorisation Scheme) which is a
visa-waiver set up, a little like the ESTA required to visit the
US. It would require Brits to fill out an online form at a tiny
supplementary expense before visiting the EU, though it seems to
have been swept under the carpet recently. Let’s leave it
there.

Should I just stop flying altogether for now?

In short: no. Flights will operate as normal at least until the
transition period closes in December. Though it’s unclear exactly
how flights will be impacted if the transition period culminates in
a no-deal exit, UK airlines will still be able to fly within the EU
under contingency legislation agreed with the European
Commission.

While we’re loathe to cast financial aspersions, a continued
slump in the pound could signal a hike in fuel costs thereby
impacting flights. How about a sustainable staycation instead?

What about if I’m heading on a road trip?

Sorry to be the bearers of bad news, but spontaneous road trips
are ruled out. From 1 January 2021 Brits will need to stuff some
extra documents in the glovebox. Certain International Driving
Permits (IDPs) will be necessary: there are three, which vary
depending on which country is being visited. UK citizens will also
need to grab a green card from their vehicle insurance companies at
least a month before setting out and cars will need a big ol’ GB
sticker slapped on the bumper.

Again, these are worst-case scenarios. From now until the end of
the year, Brits abroad can hit the road as usual.

Will I catch a good deal in duty-free shops?

British airport shops will remain as they are. British
Chancellor of the Exchequer Sajid Javid has hinted that duty-free
concessions for tobacco and alcohol could make a return if Boris
Johnson fails to sort out a deal which means that those flying out
of Britain – especially those with a penchant for booze and
cigarettes – could snag some killer deals.

What about passports?

UK travellers will still be able to use their passports at EU
checkpoints at least until the end of December 2020. While nervy
travellers might tell you otherwise, you don’t need a clear
six-month expiry window to travel, but it does need to cover the
length of your trip.

From 31 January 2020, there might be more thorough checks for
British passport holders travelling outside of Europe, meaning
it’ll take longer to wheedle your way through passport control, so
perhaps hold off from pre-booking that taxi pick-up.

The biggest initial change in the passport stakes will be
cosmetic. From mid-2020 every passport issued will be a fetching
royal blue, so fans of the burgundy jacket should reissue theirs
now for the decade ahead.

And European Health Insurance cards?

Otherwise known as EHICs, these cards, which guarantee any
European citizen access to state health care in Europe, will still
work for Brits throughout 2020.

Brits should get clued up on travel health insurance options in
the case of a no-deal exit. For a generation of millennial
travellers who’ve grown up with an EHIC safety net, travel health
insurance could become a key part in the holiday-planning rigmarole
– adding yet another expense…

Am I going to rack up monstrous data-roaming bills?

At the moment, the cost of making phone calls, sending texts or
using the internet remains the same for Brits travelling in the EU
and will remain that way until the end of the year.

Afterwards, it’s anyone’s game. Though network operators (O2,
Three and Vodafone, for instance) have said they’d maintain usual
services, a couple of legal safeguards have been put in place to
help protect Brits in the worst instance.

Specifically, the British government has passed precautionary
legislation which means that there’s a £45-a-month limit on data
costs at which point users have to opt-in to continue further use.
The same bill also specifies that operators notify mobile phone
users once they’ve used up 80 per cent of their data.

Finally, but no less importantly, what about travelling with my
dog?

Until 31 December 2020, the end of Britain’s transition period
out of the EU, existing pet passports are still valid. What happens
to your dog’s ability to travel after 1 January 2021 is yet to be
decided.

At present, Britain will be categorised as a “third country” in
relation to the EU. It then has the option to become a “listed” or
“unlisted” country. If it remains “unlisted”, Britain will be
grouped with countries of higher rabies incidence – India, Sri
Lanka, China – meaning that a blood test will be required more than
three months ahead of travel and an Animal Health Certificate (AHC)
must be obtained from a vet within 10 days of departure.

There will also be designated Travellers’ Points of Entry into
the EU. The rules are more relaxed if Britain becomes a listed
country. For more details, and to check on the latest updates to
the status of pet travel between the UK and the EU check the UK
government’s dedicated page.

Okay, so in a nutshell…?

For now, essentially nothing will change, so you can continue to
travel footloose and fancy-free. See you back here in December for
another update once the details of the exit deal have been fully
ironed out (or not, as the case may be).