Blog

6 June 2019John

The effect of Brexit on immigration for business travel

One of the major questions that travellers are asking at the moment has to do with the effects of Brexit on travel in the EU. And while no one can say for certain what is going to happen, there are a number of outcomes that are highly likely to occur. With the use of Voyage Manager’s flexible platform, you can be prepared for any eventuality and take the stress out of post-Brexit travel.

Right now, a British passport entitles its owner to live, work, or play in the EU at their leisure. There are millions of people who have chosen to take advantage of this by living in an EU country, and many millions more travel throughout the EU for either work or pleasure.

When entering an EU country, Brits are currently treated in the same manner as the native citizens of that country. They can pass quickly through customs and are not subject to visas or other necessary travel permits. After Brexit, this will change.

Once Britain leaves the EU, British citizens will no longer have the right to the freedom of movement currently accorded to them, but the exact ramifications of this are yet to be seen. It is highly likely, however, that Brits will become part of the category that currently contains Canadians and Americans.

At the moment, both Canadians and Americans can travel through the EU without a visa for up to 90 days in a 180-day period. If they stay longer than that allotted time, they need to apply for a visa relevant to both the country and reason for their stay. After Brexit, it would make sense that these same conditions would apply to British travellers. Voyage Manager’s Immigration tool can assist you in these situations by warning you when you are approaching critical residency or visa deadlines.

There is also talk of the EU equivalent of the ESTA required by European travellers visiting the US. This electronically granted travel authorisation, ETIAS, is coming into force as of 2021 and is a highly likely necessity for British travellers post-Brexit.

Having all of your documentation, visas, and personal information available at the tip of your fingers is going to be even more important for the business traveller post-Brexit. There will be more paperwork to have and more deadlines and expiry dates to remember. Voyage Manager’s document facility - Vault - allows you to carry all your important documents with you in one safe, digital location. It reminds you of expiry dates and warns you when you are reaching the thresholds.

Though there is uncertainty about the exact nature of the changes approaching, there is absolute clarity in the fact that the status quo will not be maintained. Therefore, plan for additional pre-screening before your trips and extra customs requirements at your destination.

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