EU tourists won’t need visa to come here after Brexit
EUROPEAN citizens will be able to come to Britain on holiday without needing a visa after Brexit.
Ministers are drawing up plans to let them arrive for short stays without needing to fill out more paperwork than they do now.
But it is expected they would need permission to work, study or settle here, with a work permit system under consideration.
Border officials could have introduced rules forcing European travellers to apply for a visitor visa, as non-EU citizens have to now.
By allowing Europeans to come for short stays without any more checks or paperwork than they currently face, ministers will be hoping to protect the tourism industry. They will hope Brussels also introduces no extra requirements for British tourists going to Europe.
Theresa May yesterday reiterated that free movement of EU citizens will end after Brexit. She said: ‘We will have immigration rules and those will be for people coming from inside the European Union as today we have rules for people coming from outside the European Union.
‘What’s important is that we’re developing those with a recognition of the importance of ensuring we can still welcome people from European Union countries to work and to visit the United Kingdom in future and ensuring we do that in the best and fairest way possible.’
Government officials yesterday insisted they remained ‘confident’ they will make sufficient progress in Brexit negotiations so that they can move to the second phase that includes trade talks in October. Ministers rejected reports that discussions on trade could be pushed back until after Christmas.
The aim for both sides is to make ‘sufficient progress’ by October’s European Council summit of EU leaders to get approval for talks on a future trade deal.
Mrs May last night admitted there is ‘a lot to be done’ in the negotiations, but said
‘A lot to be done’
there has been a constructive and positive start to the first phase of talks, focusing on the so - called divorce bill, citizens’ rights and the Irish border.
She said: ‘We will develop a deep and special partnership with the European Union for the future that’s good for the UK and it’s good for the EU as well.’ A Department for Exiting the European Union spokesman said: ‘As the Secretary of State has said, it is important that both sides demonstrate a dynamic and flexible approach to each round of the negotiations.
‘Government officials are working at pace and we are confident we will have made sufficient progress by October to advance the talks to the next phase.’