As of January 1, 2021, it is no longer as easy as before to move to England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland. From now on, only visits –family, tourist or, in specific and limited cases, for study or professional reasons– of a maximum duration of six months, will not be subject to the visa requirement.

Already almost 25,000 signatures

Non-European nationals staying in the UK for a longer period will need to have a Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) to live and work on UK soil. However, since Brexit, this BRP no longer allows free movement in European countries. Also a petition was launched on March 27, 2023 to request that BRP holders can once again travel without a visa or passport in Europe. So far, it has been signed by almost 25,000 people. If it exceeds 100,000, it will automatically be sent to Parliament for debate.

On the part of the British Government, the door does not seem to be open in any case. “There are no plans to push the EU to remove the need for all non-EU or non-EEA citizens, including UK citizens, to have a valid passport when visiting the EU Schengen area,” he explains. a press release dated June 14, 2023. It is up to the EU and Member States to decide whether they are willing to accept documents other than valid passports in lieu of normal entry requirements. »