Holiday rules for trips to the EU and Schengen Zone

Posted on : 07/26/2023
Holiday rules for trips to the EU and Schengen Zone
Travel 

Whether it’s a beach break in Spain, a city break in France or an interrailing adventure, Europe is home to the majority of the UK’s top holiday destinations.

Although the majority of holidays to Europe are trouble free, Britons will need to check their passport is valid for the trip.

British tourists will need to have had their passport issued within the last 10 years and have at least three months left on the expiry date on the date they intend to leave their destination to travel to the EU. Simon Calder shared his advice for the two passport tests Britons need to pass for European holidays last week.

Britons must also make sure they have travel insurance for their trip and should double check the coverage before they leave.

Since Brexit, British tourists need to follow a few rules if they want to travel to the EU and Schengen Zone.

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How long can British tourists stay?

Since Brexit, British tourists can stay in the Schengen Zone for 90 out of every 180 days. Most, but not all, countries in the EU are in the Schengen Zone and have no type of border control at their mutual borders.

There are 27 countries in the Schengen Zone, including some non-EU members such as Norway and Switzerland.

Britons must get their passport stamped when they enter and leave the Schengen Zone. If their passport isn’t stamped they may be able to prove how long they have been there using their plane ticket.

Countries that are in the EU but not the Schengen Zone, such as Bulgaria and Romania, have a separate 90 day limit. For example, Britons could stay for 90 days in Bulgaria and then 90 days in the Schengen Zone.

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Do Britons need to pay to enter the EU?

The EU is planning to introduce an electronic visa system which will cost non-EU citizens a small fee every three years.

The ETIAS system would remove the need for Britons to have their passport stamped on travel to the EU.

However, this hasn’t been introduced yet and Britons do not have to pay a fee to travel to the EU this summer.

In rare cases, Britons could be asked to prove they have enough money in their account to stay in the country they’re visiting.

List of Schengen Zone countries

  • Austria
  • Belgium
  • Czechia
  • Croatia
  • Denmark
  • Estonia
  • Finland
  • France
  • Germany
  • Greece
  • Hungary
  • Iceland
  • Italy
  • Latvia
  • Liechtenstein
  • Lithuania
  • Luxembourg
  • Malta
  • Netherlands
  • Norway
  • Poland
  • Portugal
  • Slovakia
  • Slovenia
  • Spain
  • Sweden
  • Switzerland

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