If you currently have a valid passport, you will be able to continue to travel to Europe until it expires.

Currently, British passport holders only need a valid passport for the duration of their stay, but on January 1^st this will change and any travellers looking to go to Europe as well as Iceland, Norway, Lichtenstein and Switzerland will need to renew their passport if there is less than 6 months left before expiry.

The Government has advised British citizens to check their passports now to check if they are valid for when you expect to travel. If your passport is not valid by the time you come to travel, you may not be able to enter EU countries.

The Government has set up a page that can help travellers understand whether their passport is valid for the country they intend to visit. You can visit that page here.

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

We’re all used to being able to use our phones, minutes, data and texts whilst we’re on holiday (how else are we going to let our friends know that our Monday afternoon at the beach is better than theirs in the office?). However, after Brexit, we entered a transition period where all EU regulations still applied until 31^st December 2020.

After the transition period ends, we could technically expect roaming charges of before 2017 re-appear on our phone bills. Although providers like EE have stated they have no intention of charging more for phone usage whilst in Europe, we always advise travellers check with their providers before leaving the UK to avoid any unexpected bills.

At the airport, there are two passport queues on arrival. One leads to an ‘EU’ passport holder gate, and another for ‘All Other’ passports. From 1^st January 2021, we will have to join the longer queue and go through the ‘All Other’ gate.

This is as of 1^st January 2021, we will no longer be members of the European Union, and no longer have freedom of movement around Europe as other countries do. This could lead to longer delays at passport or border control, so please bear this in mind when you make your plans.

British travellers will not need a VISA to travel to Europe on short trips (defined as less than 90 days). Without a VISA, you are only allowed to travel within Europe for a maximum of 90 days within any 180-day period.

Different rules apply when visiting Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus and Romania. You can make a 90-day trip to any of these countries and not use up you 90-day allowance for other EU countries.

You can visit the Government’s page for your specific destination country for information on how to get a VISA here.

No, our team will still be available 24/7 to take your emergency assistance calls as and when required.

We would ask you to be mindful of roaming charges when getting in touch, as this could affect your phone bill and cause additional expenditure you may not have accounted for.

The UK government has now reached an agreement on healthcare when travelling to the EU and have confirmed that an individual’s EHIC card will remain valid until it expires for all countries in the EU except Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Switzerland.

The UK government have also advised that once your EHIC expires, you can apply for a UK Global Health Insurance Card or GHIC which you can apply for here. Be aware of unofficial websites, which may charge if you apply through them. A GHIC is free of charge.

Please note the EHIC/GHIC will not be accepted in private clinics. Make sure that your travel insurance policy has adequate cover for medical expenses, including repatriation and air ambulance costs, to ensure that they meet your needs. We would also always advise customers to ensure they had declared any and all medical conditions to their travel insurance provider to protect them from having any claim declined.

You can now get a Provisional Replacement Certificate or PRC in order to prove your entitlement to medically necessary healthcare if you are travelling to Europe and forget your GHIC or EHIC. This will give you the same cover as an EHIC or GHIC until you return home.

You’ll need to apply for a PRC by calling Overseas Healthcare Services at the NHS Business Services Authority on +44 (0)191 218 1999. They are open Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm.

If you are unable to call, someone else can apply on your behalf and if you need it outside the opening hours stated above, you should call as soon as possible the next working day.

When calling for a PRC, you’ll need to provide the following:

• Your National Insurance number
• Your name
• Your address
• Your date of birth
• The name of the treatment facility
• The email address for the specific department of the organisation providing your treatment

*Disclaimer: All information was correct at the time of writing 14/01/2021. This content will be updated as new information is released