I Am British And Want To Travel To The EU, Do I Need A Schengen Visa?

UK nationals wanting to take a vacation in the EU this summer will not need to apply for a visa before they travel.

They will need to ensure that if they travel to or within the Schengen area (Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland), they do not spend more than 90 days in any rolling 180-day period in any one, or a combination of, Schengen area countries.

If UK nationals wish to enter an EU country which is not part of the Schengen area, they will need to find out if their destination country requires them to apply for a visa.

It is also important to be aware of UK passport requirements when entering the Schengen area, as many passports may not comply with Schengen laws.

While not an immediate requirement, it is also useful for UK nationals to familiarise themselves with the so-called European Travel Information and Authorisation System (‘ETIAS’), which will come into force around the end of 2022/beginning of 2023.

UK nationals will need to apply for ETIAS before they leave the UK. The system is designed to strengthen border security across the EU. It requires an online application, which in most instances will be approved within a few minutes.

However, if an applicant flags as a security risk, the application can take 4 days to 2 weeks to be approved. The issued permit will be valid for multiple stays of up to 3 months in any of the Schengen countries, and will cost a small fee.

At Gherson, we have seasoned expertise in helping our clients apply for Schengen Short-Stay (Tourist) visas. If you would like to discuss this subject further, or have questions regarding any other UK visa category, please do not hesitate to contact us for advice, send us an e-mail, or, alternatively, follow us on Twitter, Facebook, or LinkedIn to stay-up-to-date.

The information in this blog is for general information purposes only and does not purport to be comprehensive or to provide legal advice. Whilst every effort is made to ensure the information and law is current as of the date of publication, it should be stressed that, due to the passage of time, this does not necessarily reflect the present legal position. Gherson accepts no responsibility for loss which may arise from accessing or reliance on information contained in this blog. For formal advice on the current law please do not hesitate to contact Gherson. Legal advice is only provided pursuant to a written agreement, identified as such, and signed by the client and by or on behalf of Gherson.

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