Covid-19 Coronavirus

Visiting Europe from 1 January 2021

Travel to the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein will change from 1 January 2021

To make sure you are prepared for this, the UK Government have put together a webpage that tells you how to prepare if you’re planning on travelling to Europe from 1 January 2021.

It will be updated if anything changes and you can sign up for email alerts from the UK Government. 

This information is based on our current understanding from the UK Government. You should consider whether you need separate professional advice before making specific preparations.

Passports: check if you need to renew

You may need to renew your British passport earlier if you’re travelling from 1 January 2021.

On the day you travel, you’ll need your passport to both:

  • have at least 6 months left
  • be less than 10 years old (even if it has 6 months or more left)

If you do not renew your passport, you may not be able to travel to most EU countries and Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland.

You can check whether your passport is valid for the country you’re visiting.

Passport rules for travel to Europe from 1 January 2021 can be found here.

EU Passport Cover

Passports carrying the words 'European Union' will continue to be valid after the UK leaves the EU. The exclusion of the words 'European Union' from the cover of a British passport does not affect its validity for travel to Europe or elsewhere.

You can apply for a new passport at Isle of Man Passport Office and download a form from our application forms and fees page.

Entering EU countries, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland

Border control

At border control, you may need to:

  • show a return or onward ticket
  • show you have enough money for your stay
  • use separate lanes from EU, EEA and Swiss citizens when queueing

Visas for short trips

If you’re a tourist, you will not need a visa for short trips to most EU countries, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland. You’ll be able to stay for up to 90 days in any 180-day period.

Different rules will apply to Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus and Romania. If you visit these countries, visits to other EU countries will not count towards the 90-day total.

You may need a visa or permit to stay for longer, to work or study, or for business travel to the EU.

Travel to Ireland will not change from 1 January 2021. You’ll also be able to work in Ireland in the same way as before.

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