Check your passports in case of no-deal Brexit

The UK Government yesterday published its second batch of technical notes.

In a no-deal scenario British passports will from 30 March 2019 be considered a ‘third country passport’.

This means they must have at least six months’ validity on them in order to be allowed entry into a Schengen Area country.

Additionally, according to the Schengen Border Code, third country passports must have been issued within the last 10 years on the date of arrival in a Schengen country.

Therefore, any British passport holder planning to travel to a Schengen country from 30 March 2019 should check their passport is no older than nine years and six months on the day of travel.

‘Following the release of the technical notes detailing the potential implications for British passport holders, we wanted to make sure no one was caught out in the event of a no-deal Brexit,’ said Home Affairs president Mary Lowe.

‘As such, I would urge all residents to check their passport expiry date in the near future, and certainly well in advance of March next year.

‘That way, should anyone need to replace their passport they will have plenty of time to do so before Brexit.’

Anyone with concerns about whether their passport’s validity will allow them to travel into the Schengen Area can contact the Guernsey Passport Office on 741410 or email passports@gba.gov.gg

The following are members of the Schengen Agreement: Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.

These EU countries are not in the Schengen area are Ireland, Romania, Bulgaria, Croatia and Cyprus.

• THE UK Government has offered clear advice that the Common Travel Area will remain intact post-Brexit. It is contained in the second tranche of technical notes it released.

‘This goes hand-in-hand with our firm commitment to respect the rights of EU nationals resident in the island when the UK leaves the EU, even in the event of a ‘no deal scenario’, said Policy & Resources president Gavin St Pier. ‘As a CTA partner this means we will be in line with the UK government’s own commitment to respect the rights of EU nationals on exit day.’

Guernsey will shortly publish its specific guidance to help preparations should there not be a Brexit deal.