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. 

The Isle of Man Passport Office cannot provide travel advice. The below is for information only. Please visit the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) Travel Advice website and check with the airline/company you are travelling with to ensure you have sufficient validity on your passport.

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 a 'Date of Issue' less than 10 years before the date you arrive – if you renewed your passport before 1 October 2018, it may have a Date of Issue that is more than 10 years ago

  • Have a 'Date of Expiry' at least 3 months after the day you plan to leave the Schengen area

You may not be able to travel to most EU countries and Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland if your passport does not meet these requirements.

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

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

The EU's new digital Entry and Exit System (EES) is due to come into effect in October of 2025. It means, in 2026, non-EU passport holders will need to apply for an electronic visa (European Travel Information Authorisation System - ETIAS) which will last 2 years or until the expiry of your passport (whichever is sooner) and costs a fee. For more information on ETIAS, please visit the EU website.

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.