... but no deal could mean a visa for France

BRiTONS could need visas to visit France if the UK does crash out of the EU without a deal.

As Theresa May arrived in Brussels for a crunch summit, the French government ramped up its preparations for a no-deal Brexit and said Britons would become ‘nationals of third parties’ and would probably need travel permits to visit.

Angela Merkel also warned last night that Germany was making contingency plans, raising questions about the future of tens of thousands of Britons currently living there.

The German Chancellor warned life would be ‘different’ for the UK once it leaves the EU and said her government was ‘seriously’ preparing for talks to fail.

All EU member states are thought to be stepping up their plans for a no-deal Brexit. But Environment Secretary Michael Gove said yesterday a deal could still be struck, even if it is not until December.

France was the first to ratchet up the tension yesterday, publishing guidance on the Senate website. it said Britons would become ‘nationals of third parties’ after March 29 next year if there is no breakthrough in talks and that visitors would ‘in principle’ need a visa to visit the country.

Those wanting to stay for longer than three months would need a ‘long stay visa’.

Britons currently living in France would become ‘illegals’ and need to apply for residency status and work permits.

There will be ‘consequences’ for certain professionals, including British doctors, pharmacists or tobacconists, who may no longer be able to practise in the country.

it warned there would be border checks on ‘goods and passengers’ and that animal and plant controls would be reimposed, affecting people who want to take pets abroad. These checks would also apply to Eurostar passengers.

And in what German media dubbed her ‘big Brexit speech’,

‘I can’t say it will be fine’

Mrs Merkel said preparations for a no- deal outcome were underway.

‘This brings with it a whole array of questions, such as: how, the day after Brexit, do we manage the estimated 100,000 British citizens who, in some cases, have been living in Germany for years?

‘how do we deal, for example, with teachers of British citizenship, who are classed as German civil servants, and how should that continue?

‘how do we appropriately prepare our authorities for the added burdens to do with customs issues?’

The sabre-rattling came just hours before Mrs May was due to address EU leaders at a summit in Brussels dubbed the ‘moment of truth’ for Brexit negotiations, after talks hit the rocks on Sunday.

EU leaders will also decide on whether to hold a further summit in November, which could become a discussion on nodeal preparations for the bloc if the impasse over the irish border issue continues.

And yesterday a top government official told MPs he ‘can’t tell you it will all be fine’ at Britain’s borders if the country does crash out without a deal.

Jon Thompson, head of hM Customs and Revenue, told parliament’s Brexit committee he could not give any assurances about such a scenario.

he revealed the French authorities would not talk to the UK about whether there will be extra border checks at Calais if no deal is reached.

he said: ‘ They won’t have a conversation at all.’

he called for a ‘ practical approach’ to the border, warning ‘the impact on France, Belgium, ireland and holland will also be dramatic’.

Pet owners should see a vet next month to ensure they will still be able to take their animals abroad if there is a ‘worst case scenario’ Brexit, Michael Gove warned yesterday. The Environment Secretary said the UK risked becoming an ‘unlisted third country’ if there was no deal which would lead to onerous new measures for pet owners.