As of January 31st 2020 UK is no longer a member of European Union.
What does that mean for travelers?
In the beginning – not much. Though United Kingdom official left EU a couple of days ago, there is still a lot to talk about.
What we can expect in the near future are months of negotiations during a so called “implementation period”. During this period, Britain will continue to follow all of EU’s rules and regulations.
How long will this implementation period last?
Period starts on the 1st of February and will last until December 31st 2020.
So, during this period, all the traveling, visas and documentation stays the same?
Yes, travelers coming from EU countries plus Iceland, Norway, Liechtenstein and Switzerland don’t need to make any changes regarding their travel documents.
What will happen after the 31st of December 2020?
First of all, the transition period could, in theory, be extended to the late 2023. However, if that doesn’t happen, we can expect that EU and EEA country residents can still enter the UK without a visa.*
*The british government is proposing to end free movement, but this still needs to be approved by Parliament. If this happens, residents of those countries will require a visa if they plan to stay in the UK for more than 3 months.
To be on the safe side, you can enter your country of residence here and check if you need to apply for a visa to enter the UK.
Bonus tip:
Roaming – Starting from January 1st 2021, roaming fee will be re-installed, so be sure to check with your telecom provider before your trip.