Brexit Travel To France Update February 2020

So…the ‘Brexit’ bill passed and we officially left the European Union on Friday 31st January, 2020.  What does this mean people planning family holidays or trips to France in 2020?

Britain is going to enter a kind of ‘twilight’ period for the rest of 2020, where we will still be bound by EU laws for 11 months.  For all potential holiday makers this means that life will carry on as normal until this transition period ends on 31 December this year. Free moment for both British and EU Citizens will continue –  and the good news – travel arrangements and holidays won’t be affected.

British subjects will still be able to use the EU channel at airport passport control gates and use UK driving licences in Europe. Britain as already started introducing blue passports in place of the EU burgundy version but there is no need to change them until they expire.

And what happens after 31 December? Well that all depends on the outcome of the negotiations that will be taking place – somewhat frantically we presume! – over the course of the next 11 months.

So the highlights are:

> no new passports needed in 2020 (current ones must be valid for 6 months)

> no new pet travel arrangements needed in 2020 (same rules apply)

> no changes to air travel (still go through EU gates)

> no changes in ferry travel

> a UK driving licence is still valid

> there is no requirement for a GB sticker or Green Card for insurance

> the current data roaming agreement remains in place for 2020

> the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) is still valid for 2020

So a holiday to France in 2020 is a safe option, no changes for this year.  Watch this space for updates for 2021!