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POST-BREXIT HOLIDAYS

How much will EU travel cost after Brexit and will UK citizens need a visa?

Here's what we know so far about how Brexit will affect your travel to EU countries

WITH Brexit talks still ongoing and Britain's departure date from the European Union looming, it is still unclear at this stage how Brexit will affect the cost of travel.

Although May's Plan B deal was voted through parliament, if Brussels reject further talks about the Irish backstop, the UK will crash out of the EU on March 29 2019 without a deal.

This could have huge implications for travel.

There are fears of food and medicine shortages, travel chaos, and trouble on the Irish border if the UK crashes out.

But how will it affect you?

 British tourists will need to pay £6 to visit the EU after Brexit
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 British tourists will need to pay £6 to visit the EU after BrexitCredit: Alamy

How much will EU travel cost after Brexit?

It was announced last month there would be a fee of €7 (£6.29) when Britons travel to the EU after Brexit.

The move was announced by the European Commission when its president Jean Claude-Juncker was questioned.

The charge for a visa waiver will apply whether or not the UK leaves Brussels with a deal.

However it won't come into force until 2021.

Top Tories had previously insisted the UK would be exempted from any new travel scheme.

Will UK citizens need a visa?

UK citizens will need to pre-register for a three-year electronic visa waiver.

The EU says: "Since citizens of countries who do not need a visa for travel purposes of up to 90 days in the EU do not need to go through a long process of applying for the visa, the ETIAS will make sure that these people are not a security threat.

"The ETIAS, besides being used for business and tourist purposes, will also allow people to visit the Schengen countries for medical and transit reasons."

 Theresa May is trying to cut a Brexit deal with the EU
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Theresa May is trying to cut a Brexit deal with the EUCredit: Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved

What will the exchange rate be for pounds to euros?

Since Britain voted to leave the European Union the pound has struggled against the dollar and other currencies.

The immediate aftermath of the Brexit referendum saw sterling decline sharply in value.

And as Britain's departure date from the bloc draws ever closer, further volatility is expected.

Since June 2016, holidays and imported goods have become more expensive, but UK exports have been cheaper.

The pound jumped after May's Brexit deal was rejected on January 15 - down to a growing market belief the Brexit process would be delayed.

Fiona Cincotta, senior market analyst at City Index, said if that deal fails "to make it through the House of Commons, traders will hope that an extension to Article 50 will quickly follow".

It has fallen from levels just above 1.50 in June 2016 when the UK voted to leave the EU, and has dropped to as low as $1.15.

Am I OK to book a holiday in the EU?

The Association of British Travel Agents (Abta) says that while some things may change after Brexit, whether there is a deal or not, there's no reason to be concerned when booking a holiday.

The government said "flights should continue" as they do today, if there is no deal, adding: "Both the UK and EU want flights to continue without any disruption."

A spokesman for Airlines UK, a trade body for UK-registered carriers, said: "We have had clarity from both the UK Government and EU that even in the event of a no-deal Brexit, air travel will continue."

A Department for Transport spokeswoman said: "We are committed to ensuring that flights between the UK and EU continue, and the European Commission has published a proposal to make sure this happens.

"This clearly shows that in the event of no deal, both sides are committed to maintaining connectivity. These combined reassurances should allow businesses and passengers to continue to book and travel with confidence."

How will it affect air travel?

Proposed no-deal guidance from the EU Commission published last month stated flights between the UK and EU should continue for 12 months in the event of a no-deal Brexit, but UK airlines would not be allowed to add new routes or increase frequencies.

The International Air Transport Association said this cap on flights could lead to as many as five million plane tickets being cancelled.

Airports Council International predicted that - if the policy was also applied by the UK to EU airlines - it would "ultimately result in the loss of 93,000 new flights and nearly 20 million airport passengers on the UK-EU27 market".

How will it affect my passport?

Travellers will need to have at least six months left on their passport from the date of arrival in EU countries in the event of a no-deal Brexit.

If the UK leaves without a deal, then new rules will apply.

Basically, British passport holders will be considered third country nationals as part of the Schengen agreement.


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