Our top tips on touring with cats
Whatever your political and personal stance on the matter, there’s no doubt that Brexit has brought some significant changes to travelling in your caravan in much of Europe. The UK left the EU in January 2020, and after a short transition period many new rules came into place. While UK travellers can still tour the continent, there are now more restrictions and admin hurdles to overcome than before.
Below, we’ve put together a guide on what you need to know, to help you smoothly navigate post-Brexit travel to the EU in your caravan.
Time limits on travel
The EU citizenship for British citizens, and their free movement rights, ended when the Brexit transition period expired in December 2020. Those rights had enabled us to visit, live, work or study in an EU Member State without needing a visa.
The rules for short-term visits to most EU countries are set out in the Schengen Borders Code. Post Brexit, UK citizens can visit the Schengen Area (more on this below) for up to 90 days in any 180 day period without a visa. After reaching the 90 day limit, you must leave and cannot re-enter until another 90 days have passed. If you are unsure, there’s a really helpful calculator here into which you can put your intended dates of travel.
This affects long-term travellers who previously spent months touring Europe, especially those wintering abroad in Spain, for example. If you want to stay longer than 90 days, you will need to apply for a long-stay visa.
Previously, some UK citizens were registering their cars and other vehicles abroad. Post-Brexit, this may prove more difficult, because UK residents often cannot register a vehicle in an EU country without a residency permit.
Passport rules and border control
The UK is not part of the Schengen area, which allows people of its member countries to travel freely between other member countries without going through border controls. The UK is now considered a ‘third’ or ‘Non-EU’ country, and therefore stricter rules apply.
In terms of your passport, in general it must:
- Be valid for at least three months after the date you intend to leave the EU country you are visiting.
- Have been issued within the previous 10 years on the day of entry. This can be checked by looking at the passport’s date of issue. Be careful if you applied early for a new passport before 2018, as the UK passport office would at that time add up to nine months from an old passport onto a new one, and any months added on in that process may not count.
If these two rules are not adhered to, you most likely won’t be allowed in. Border officials stamp passports upon entry and exit to track the 90 day limit - some people have been caught out by this, so make sure it is stamped both ways to prove when you were there.
UK passport holders usually can’t use the control lanes for EU citizens. Changes are happening with the newer biometric EU Entry/Exit System (EES), however, which can make the process quicker and reduces the need for manual passport stamping at the border.
Finally, there is something to be aware of for 2025 and beyond. It seems that soon, British and other non-EU national citizens travelling to the EU for short stays will be required to obtain an ETIAS (European Travel Information and Authorisation System) travel authorisation. This will be valid for multiple trips over a period of up to three years. You can find out more about the background on this here, and also look at the EU’s official website to find out when it is likely to come into operation.
Documents needed for travelling in your caravan
You’ll need to check the rules for each country you’re intending to visit, but overall, to drive your car and tow a caravan in the EU, you’ll now need to abide by the following:
1. A UK sticker/identifier must be displayed, not the old-style GB one.
2. You can usually drive with your photo card driving license in many EU countries, but there are certain times when you may need an International Driving Permit (IDP), for example if you have a paper driving licence, or in some cases you have a licence issued in Gibraltar, Guernsey, Jersey or the Isle of Man.
3. Your car’s logbook (V5C).
4. Proof of your insurance. Unlike for some other European countries, you don’t need to carry a green card for countries in the EU, but you should still check your insurance is valid, and take a copy of it with you.
Also, many European cities, particularly in France, now have low emission zones (LEZ), requiring cars to be registered for stickers or certification, which differ according to the vehicle’s emissions. Research local requirements before travelling, as you can be fined for not having the correct sticker displayed.
Healthcare and Travel Insurance
The European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) allows any EU citizen access to state medical care when they are travelling in another EU country - although in many circumstances, there are now limitations to the treatment that UK citizens are able to receive.
The EHIC is valid until the date it runs out on the card, and can then be replaced by the GHIC (Global Health Insurance Card), which again does not cover all medical treatments you might need. The key message here is that comprehensive travel insurance really is essential.
If you need medication, it’s a good idea to always take sufficient supplies, as obtaining prescriptions in the EU can be complex.
Taking pets with you?
Another change - the UK-issued EU pet passport is no longer valid. Your pet must now have an Animal Health Certificate (AHC), which you can get from your vet. It’ll also need a microchip, a rabies vaccination and possibly proof of tapeworm treatment.
Food and import restrictions
You now can’t take any meat, dairy, or certain fresh produce from the UK into the EU. There are some allowances, for example specialist pet food, but you’d be wise to check before departing.
Mobile phones and roaming
Don’t get caught out on this one - unless you’ve got free or paid for roaming you may face quite high charges, depending on the country, when using your phone in the EU, including for making phone calls, sending messages or while using the Internet. Before Brexit, you may have been able to use your monthly allowances abroad - but no longer!
So, that’s a lot of the formalities discussed. What about the impact on travelling after Brexit, in terms of the locals and their perceptions of citizens from the UK?
Has Brexit changed attitudes towards UK travellers?
The way UK visitors are perceived doesn’t seem to have changed a huge amount - the contribution to tourism and local economies is obviously welcome across Europe. There are seemingly some bureaucratic challenges, with some border officials enforcing the new rules strictly, and some British expats have faced difficulties with residency and indeed their paperwork.
Brexit is perhaps reflected on with some confusion. Perhaps EU citizens wonder why on earth did we do it (answers on a postcard) - and perhaps there is a mix of pity for the self-inflicted damage, as well as thinking we should just ‘put up and shut up’ now that the deed is done.
The good thing is that many countries in the EU welcome caravans, and the plethora of campsites and aires still points to a welcoming of this way of travel. With the locals, us caravanners being polite and making an effort with the language certainly helps, which hasn’t changed, both pre- and post-Brexit.
So, how to make travel post-Brexit easier!
Here’s our top pointers as a recap…
1. Keep a firm eye on the 90-day rule
Overstaying can lead to fines, deportation, or future entry bans.Use a Schengen Calculator to monitor your time, and if you’re planning on staying longer, organise your visa in advance. Alternatively, consider spending 90 days in the Schengen Zone, then travel to non-Schengen countries. Where there’s a will, there’s a way!
2. Be prepared at the border(s)
Ensure your passport is valid and stamped correctly. Have proof of accommodation (you are likely in it as you speak (!)) and your intended destination, and financial means if required. Also make sure to take the correct vehicle documentation, for both your car and your caravan.
3. Don’t travel without health and travel insurance
EHIC and GHIC provide basic medical cover, but private insurance is recommended. If you are taking prescription medication, carry a doctor’s note with you.
That’s quite a lot to think about, and while Brexit has made caravan travel in Europe a bit more complex, it is still perfectly possible with some careful planning.
What’s been your biggest Brexit travel challenge? Please do let us know in the comments!
Disclaimer: This is for information only. We’ve taken every care to ensure that the information within this article is correct, but please make sure to keep up to date with the legislation and guidance on this topic as things could change!
