My holiday checklist TRAVEL WRITER JOANNA BOOTH OFFERS SMART TIPS ON PASSPORTS, INSURANCE AND MORE FOR POST-BREXIT BREAKS IN EUROPE
eing a travel writer, I’m probably more aware than almost anyone that going on holiday is illegal at the moment. And although there is currently no specific date set for international travel to resume when Covid-19 restrictions lift, I will do more than simply dream about future trips.
Although I don’t know where I’ll be able to go, there are a few essentials I can get sorted so that when holidays in Europe are permitted again, I’ll be ready – as well as raring – to go.
The Brexit transition period ended on December 31 and brought with it changes in the requirements for travel to Europe. Sorting my paperwork out now will mean I’m all set as soon as travel is possible. The best place to find out more is gov.uk/visit-europe-2021.
I’ll be checking that the whole family’s passports meet the new validity rules, which will apply if I’m travelling to anywhere in the EU (except Ireland), and to Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein. UK citizens now need passports that are less than 10 years old and have at least six months left before the expiry date on the day of travel.
Don’t rely on just checking the expiry date. If you renewed your last passport before it expired, the extra months you still had to run on the earlier passport may have been added to your current document, and these may not count towards the six months before expiry. Getting caught out could be inconvenient and costly – you might not be allowed to board your flight – so enter your passport details to find out if you need to renew at
I’ll be making sure my passport will be up to date for travel after May 17, which is the very earliest date the Government has said that holidays abroad may be allowed. I won’t wait for an announcement permitting travel before sorting my paperwork: renewing a passport can take time so I want to get in early and make sure
I’m ready to go.
I’ll also check my travel insurance, so I’m covered for all eventualities, Covidrelated or otherwise. Find advice on buying travel insurance with the right cover for you at gov.uk/ travel-insurance.
It’s now more vital than ever to check Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office advice for the destination you’re travelling to. A combination of the pandemic and leaving the EU means that even as a professional traveller, I have to ensure that I’m aware of all the latest rules.
The UK’s new start also altered other European travel regulations, so check you have the right driving documents and what your mobile roaming charges are. Business travellers may need to take extra steps, and could require a visa or work permit. good time. I know if I do my passport now, there will be enough time to receive it back before we take a trip in the summer or autumn. I’m in no rush to go away – I would rather wait until I have everything prepared.
“You can actually renew your passport online now. If it’s anything like your driving licence, it will be so much easier. Either way, I know I need to do it well in advance. “When we go on holiday, I always have a full itinerary, so I know where we’re going to be and what we’re going to do – I’m not a risk taker, so I always had travel insurance, even when we were in the EU. It was one of those things. I don’t just go with the EHIC health card, I make sure I have both so that I won’t have to pay for healthcare while I’m away.”