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Post Brexit- impact on travelling to Europe

Normallife — Sat, 18 Jul 2026 00:26:35 GMT

Is anyone else worried about what might happen if we choose to abandon freedom of movement during Brexit negotiations?

One area of concern is we would require visas to travel to the continent and may be required to declare convictions! This is unbelievable! Our right to travel, move freely and live in Europe is under threat. This is an extremely important issue that affects all of us and I'm surprised it hasn't been raised much on this forum. One would think that as time goes by, a country becomes more civilized- in a civilized country the citizens have rights- such as what we have currently with EU freedom of movement. However, that's not the case with the UK as it seems we're gonna be hit hard by the impact of Brexit.

RE: Post Brexit- impact on travelling to Europe

Jxd50003 — Sat, 18 Jul 2026 00:26:35 GMT

Etias website have taken down the official start date of 2026 Q4 from the banner at the top. Hopefully these delays continue!

RE: Post Brexit- impact on travelling to Europe

AB2014 — Tue, 14 Jul 2026 12:36:21 GMT

[quote]

[b]marcovanba - 14 Jul 26 12:25 PM[/b]

I would guess however that even if you were within the 10/15 years (still to be formalised) you would still be able to apply for a visa

so not all doom and gloom

[/quote]

Going by a post by the spouse of someone who needs a Schengen visa, there is no disclosure question on the application form. The disclosure appears to be for a residence permit/work permit. So, you could try applying for a visa if you don't have to disclose, saying that you are expecting to remain in the Schengen Zone longer than ETIAS allows so you want a visa. Then you can come and go as you please.

RE: Post Brexit- impact on travelling to Europe

marcovanba — Tue, 14 Jul 2026 12:25:40 GMT

I would guess however that even if you were within the 10/15 years (still to be formalised) you would still be able to apply for a visa

so not all doom and gloom

RE: Post Brexit- impact on travelling to Europe

tedstriker — Tue, 14 Jul 2026 10:57:16 GMT

[quote]

[b]AB2014 - 13 Jul 26 8:41 AM[/b]

[quote]

[b]marcovanba - 10 Jul 26 7:39 PM[/b]

[quote]

[b]Jxd50003 - 8 Jul 26 11:59 PM[/b]

Seems like the FT is reporting delays til 2027 at least?

[/quote]

Looks that way

My fraud conviction is 11.5 years ago now so (Im assuming after reading on here) I would have to declare it if applying for an etias (question could ask for 15 years)

however i understand there will also be a 6 month grace period???

im considering booking an event in europe in august 2027, but not sure whether to risk it or not yet and I would have to commit in august of this year

if the etias does not start by feb 27 i should be ok, I think

anyway, I wish they would just hurry up and sort it / or not

hard to make plans with uncertainty

[/quote]

When the regulations were passed, there was an argument between the parliament/commission and the data regulator, who said that they didn't have the authority to change the regulations. Nothing official has been announced about the period changing from ten years to fifteen, so it may well still be ten years. All we can do is wait for the application form to appear and see what the question actually asks. tedstriker would normally be the person to ask about this stuff, but he hasn't posted on here for quite a while.

[/quote]

Still here just not with much to say! I'm past the 15 years so unless it's amended upwards I'm ok.

I can't see any response to the data commissioner's report that the change is illegal so I think it's still just a case of waiting and seeing sadly.

RE: Post Brexit- impact on travelling to Europe

AB2014 — Tue, 14 Jul 2026 08:53:09 GMT

[quote]

[b]Richie - 13 Jul 26 11:30 PM[/b]

[quote]

[b]AB2014 - 13 Jul 26 8:41 AM[/b]

[quote]

[b]marcovanba - 10 Jul 26 7:39 PM[/b]

[quote]

[b]Jxd50003 - 8 Jul 26 11:59 PM[/b]

Seems like the FT is reporting delays til 2027 at least?

[/quote]

The latest published regulation at EUR-Lex - 02018R1240-20260612 - EN - EUR-Lex does state that it is 25 years for terrorism and 15 years for any other offence listed in the Annex. So it does look like it will be 15 years.

The Annex of relevant offences to declare is so long that there will be many people who will have to declare a conviction even when their conviction in the UK is spent. Also if someone does indeed lie on their application how do they know that is the case, do they have access to UK criminal records which they can check against?

It would be useful to know at this stage the questions involved and the decision making process when a criminal conviction is declared.

Also if you do get denied due to a criminal record is this information retained which makes it harder to get an ETIAS waiver in the future?

It does look highly likely that it will be delayed until at least early 2027 though and it may well be delayed longer than that if the new EES system doesn't bed in fast enough.

15 years for me would take me to 2034 so I may not be able to go to the EU until then.

[/quote]

That is the regulation that was passed in 2018, but then whoever is in charge of data at the EU said that it wasn't valid because nobody had the authority to change the regulation that was originally submitted. Since then, nothing has been made public about it, so all we can do is wait to see what is on the application form.

Whether or not a conviction is spent in any part of the UK is not relevant, as they want disclosure of any convictions in one of those categories within the previous 10 or 15 years. So, an unspent drink-driving conviction doesn't have to be disclosed, while a spent conviction for forgery or computer-related crime from 9 years previously should be disclosed. They don't have access to the UK criminal records system, so unless your details have been notified to them by the British police, they won't know and can't check. They say they will check "their databases" to see if they have any information there, but if they find nothing then the ETIAS should be approved.

RE: Post Brexit- impact on travelling to Europe

Richie — Mon, 13 Jul 2026 23:30:55 GMT

[quote]

[b]AB2014 - 13 Jul 26 8:41 AM[/b]

[quote]

[b]marcovanba - 10 Jul 26 7:39 PM[/b]

[quote]

[b]Jxd50003 - 8 Jul 26 11:59 PM[/b]

Seems like the FT is reporting delays til 2027 at least?

[/quote]

RE: Post Brexit- impact on travelling to Europe

AB2014 — Mon, 13 Jul 2026 08:41:07 GMT

[quote]

[b]marcovanba - 10 Jul 26 7:39 PM[/b]

[quote]

[b]Jxd50003 - 8 Jul 26 11:59 PM[/b]

Seems like the FT is reporting delays til 2027 at least?

[/quote]

RE: Post Brexit- impact on travelling to Europe

marcovanba — Fri, 10 Jul 2026 19:39:14 GMT

[quote]

[b]Jxd50003 - 8 Jul 26 11:59 PM[/b]

Seems like the FT is reporting delays til 2027 at least?

[/quote]

RE: Post Brexit- impact on travelling to Europe

Jxd50003 — Wed, 08 Jul 2026 23:59:14 GMT

Seems like the FT is reporting delays til 2027 at least?

RE: Post Brexit- impact on travelling to Europe

punter99 — Sat, 28 Feb 2026 10:55:05 GMT

[quote]

[b]Jxd50003 - 27 Feb 26 11:30 AM[/b]

There are some reports breaking through that there will be more delays?https://www.theportugalnews.com/news/2026-02-25/ees-delay-postpones-etias/981433#https://www.visahq.com/news/2026-02-25/ie/etias-launch-delayed-to-2027-saving-irish-travellers-7-fee-for-now/I have been unable to find the “communique” quoted relating to EES, is anyone able to find it?

[/quote]

Nope. Chatbots suggest this was an off the record informal briefing, in other words a rumour, and that nothing has been published.

RE: Post Brexit- impact on travelling to Europe

Jxd50003 — Fri, 27 Feb 2026 11:30:46 GMT

There are some reports breaking through that there will be more delays? https://www.theportugalnews.com/news/2026-02-25/ees-delay-postpones-etias/981433# https://www.visahq.com/news/2026-02-25/ie/etias-launch-delayed-to-2027-saving-irish-travellers-7-fee-for-now/ I have been unable to find the “communique” quoted relating to EES, is anyone able to find it?

RE: Post Brexit- impact on travelling to Europe

expatofff — Tue, 12 Nov 2024 18:27:00 GMT

[quote]

[b]AB2014 - 22 Oct 24 9:23 AM[/b]

[quote]

[b]expatofff - 17 Oct 24 11:55 PM[/b]

[quote]

[b]AB2014 - 19 Mar 24 9:43 AM[/b]

[quote]

[b]marcovanba - 16 Mar 24 10:08 PM[/b]

With this looking likely for 2025, does anyone have any thoughts on how it may look?

I spent a lot of time in Europe so concerned it could have some sort of impact

My conviction (2 years suspended) was for fraud in 2015 (so 9 years past and 3 years spent) and not sure on the likelihood I will still be able to travel to Europe

[/quote]

The UK does not share criminal record info with any other countries or the EU (which isn't a country, obviously). There is no link between your UK passport and your criminal record, and any information put on the Schengen Information System by the UK police was removed as a part of Brexit (not relevant to you but maybe relevant to others). So, if you choose not to disclose, they won't know, but if you travel without disclosing under ETIAS, if you ever need a Schengen visa, you will need a police certificate, which will show your record, and they would then see that you had travelled without disclosing at a time when you should have disclosed, which would give them a decision to make. For now, though, until ETIAS starts, you do not need to disclose.

[/quote]

I know I'm replying to a super old post but I've only just seen this. My wife has had to get a Schengen visa a few times (she is not an EU or UK citizen) and she's never had to get any police details on herself. Yes she ticks a box to say she doesn't have any convictions but the visa is more concerned about financial status and if you have a valid reason to return to your port or origin.

[/quote]

There are no criminal record questions on the harmonised application form, probably because criminal record questions are asked if someone applies for residence in a particular Schengen country. It does seem strange, though, that we will be asked the question for ETIAS applications but not visa applications, unless individual countries ask anyway.

[/quote]

Yes, I agree. Since when does things like this ever make sense though?

At the start of this year I was barred from a country because they'd kept a green notice (I may have the colour wrong, the one where they are seeking information on you) over 10 years. They didn't even know of my crimes and thought I would willingly tell them after they'd already told me I wouldn't get in.

Life is strange and I think sometimes just easier if we accept it with a bit of a head scratch at times!

RE: Post Brexit- impact on travelling to Europe

AB2014 — Tue, 22 Oct 2024 09:23:42 GMT

[quote]

[b]expatofff - 17 Oct 24 11:55 PM[/b]

[quote]

[b]AB2014 - 19 Mar 24 9:43 AM[/b]

[quote]

[b]marcovanba - 16 Mar 24 10:08 PM[/b]

[/quote]

expatofff — Thu, 17 Oct 2024 23:55:51 GMT

[quote]

[b]AB2014 - 19 Mar 24 9:43 AM[/b]

[quote]

[b]marcovanba - 16 Mar 24 10:08 PM[/b]

[/quote]

RE: Post Brexit- impact on travelling to Europe

tedstriker — Tue, 15 Oct 2024 09:43:40 GMT

For those keeping track the Entry Exit System has been indefinitely delayed with talk of watering it down completely. Rumours suggest a soft launch late next year. As ETIAS has to follow at least 6 months after that we'll see it being bumped too. My current reckoning on dates for ETIAS would be the following:

Operational May 2026
Compulsory November 2026 or May 2027
Single entry maybe November 2027 or May 2028

RE: Post Brexit- impact on travelling to Europe

AB2014 — Tue, 19 Mar 2024 09:43:14 GMT

[quote]

[b]marcovanba - 16 Mar 24 10:08 PM[/b]

[/quote]

RE: Post Brexit- impact on travelling to Europe

marcovanba — Sat, 16 Mar 2024 22:08:53 GMT

Sid — Thu, 28 Dec 2023 17:35:13 GMT

[quote]

[b]iowian - 28 Dec 23 2:57 AM[/b]

[quote]

[b]Sid - 27 Dec 23 1:41 PM[/b]

What's the score with travelling to Spain at the moment with the current delays in ETIAS etc? Are we freely able to travel, albeit in a different queue now?

Just annoyed all my family by saying I don't want to go to Spain next May for a family birthday in case I get stopped at passport control and thrown on the next flight back! My sentence finished in March 2015.

[/quote]

Have you been or are you still subject to notification requirements?

[/quote]

In the past yes, all ended in March 2015.

Cheers

RE: Post Brexit- impact on travelling to Europe

iowian — Thu, 28 Dec 2023 02:57:29 GMT

[quote]

[b]Sid - 27 Dec 23 1:41 PM[/b]

[/quote]

Have you been or are you still subject to notification requirements?

RE: Post Brexit- impact on travelling to Europe

Sid — Wed, 27 Dec 2023 13:41:34 GMT

RE: Post Brexit- impact on travelling to Europe

tedstriker — Fri, 22 Sep 2023 11:24:30 GMT

Looks like further delays to ETIAS which could be good news for some of us:

https://www.schengenvisainfo.com/news/no-etias-wont-become-operational-in-2024-eu-sources-say/

Based on my notes those 'leaks' would create the following dates:

Operational May 2025

Compulsory November 2025 or May 2026

Single entry maybe November 2026 or May 2027

RE: Post Brexit- impact on travelling to Europe

punter99 — Mon, 27 Feb 2023 11:02:35 GMT

They are most likely waiting for the EES computer system to be set up first. This is the biometric fingerprint checker. It was due to come in this summer, but was delayed until November. Once that is operating, then ETIAS will follow.

marcovanba — Sat, 25 Feb 2023 17:53:19 GMT

[quote]

[b]tedstriker - 24 Feb 23 1:48 PM[/b]

Looks like ETIAS is delayed again. Keep it coming!

https://www.schengenvisainfo.com/news/eu-postpones-launch-of-etias-to-2024

[/quote]

Farcical.

Id like to book something for Europe mid 2024 but how can you with no certainty?

At least in 2024 I'll be 9 years since my conviction so if they ever bring it in it will be a long time since

RE: Post Brexit- impact on travelling to Europe

tedstriker — Fri, 24 Feb 2023 13:48:15 GMT

Looks like ETIAS is delayed again. Keep it coming!

https://www.schengenvisainfo.com/news/eu-postpones-launch-of-etias-to-2024