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Post Brexit- impact on travelling to Europe

Normallife — Sat, 28 Feb 2026 10:55:05 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

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

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[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?

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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

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

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

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

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[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

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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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

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

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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

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

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[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.

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

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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

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

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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

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[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

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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

RE: Post Brexit- impact on travelling to Europe

AB2014 — Mon, 19 Dec 2022 10:18:02 GMT

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[b]iowian - 17 Dec 22 8:26 PM[/b]

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[b]Yankee - 21 Feb 18 8:48 PM[/b]

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[b]BenS - 20 Feb 18 2:54 PM[/b]

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[b]AB2014 - 20 Feb 18 12:31 PM[/b]

When you notify your passport number to the police, they then put that number onto the Schengen system, with a note that you are on the SOR. That is part of their standard procedures. The relevant question is do they remove that information once you come off the SOR? In fact, are they able to remove the information?

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This is interesting seeing as the vast majority of EU countries do not have an SOR.

If, when I come off the SOR, I am still subjected to detailed checks due to my passport obviously raising a flag when arriving at foreign passport control, I will probably get a new passport, even if there are several years before the current one expires. Maybe I'll also travel with a basic DBS check on myself to show no criminal record.

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There are other threads on the forum where people have confirmed that once they are off the SOR, their passport no longer flags up.

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Where were these threads Yankee?

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BenS and Yankee have not logged in in 2022.

RE: Post Brexit- impact on travelling to Europe

tedstriker — Fri, 25 Nov 2022 13:52:40 GMT

Spotted a slight glimmer of hope for those of us stuck in the 10-15 years category for ETIAS. The European Data Protection Supervisor has been consulted (as legally required) on the amendments to ETIAS law. Essentially he does not believe the amendment has a legal basis for changing the time frames from the original framework and points out they should be changed back.

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2.1. Time periods in relation to previous criminal convictions

8. Pursuant to Article 17(4)(a) of the ETIAS Regulation, as part of the application form for travel authorisation, the applicant must provide information about possible previous criminal convictions. To this end, the applicant must reply “whether he or she has been convicted of any criminal offence listed in the Annex over the previous 10 years and in the case of terrorist offences, over the previous 20 years, and if so when and in which country” (emphasis added).

9. The EDPS notes, however, that in Article 2(2) of the draft Delegated Decision, the time periods in relation to a possible previous criminal convictions are significantly extended - 15 years for criminal offence listed in the Annex and 25 years for a terrorist offence.

10. The EDPS recalls that pursuant to Article 290(1) of the TFEU, a legislative act may delegate to the Commission the power to adopt non-legislative acts of general application to supplement or amend certain non-essential elements of the legislative act (emphasis added). In this context, Article 17(5) and (6) of the ETIAS Regulation limits the delegation only to “specifying the content and format of the questions” and not to redefining their substantial elements, such as the maximum period, during which a previous criminal conviction is deemed relevant.

11. In light of the above, the EDPS considers that the provision of Article 2(2) of theProposal is in contradiction with the legislative delegation in Article 17(5) and (6) of the ETIAS Regulation, as well as with Article 290(1) of the TFEU. Consequently, the time periods related to a possible previous criminal convictions in Article 2(2)of the Proposal should be aligned with the time periods provided for in the basic act, i.e. Article 17(4)(a) of the ETIAS Regulation.
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The whole document is available here: https://edps.europa.eu/system/files/2022-08/22-08-03_additional-set-of-predetermined-questions_en.pdf

I know the EDPS is the highest data protection within the EU but I don't know how much they actually take notice of his opinions despite the fact they need to ask for them. There is also a change of course they manage to change the periods by some other method thereby swerving the problem.

Obviously nothing is set in stone but just a glimmer of hope for those of us who fancy a holiday in the interim period between old disclosure periods and new.

RE: Post Brexit- impact on travelling to Europe

AB2014 — Fri, 18 Nov 2022 09:42:46 GMT

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[b]JASB - 16 Nov 22 1:50 PM[/b]

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[b]punter99 - 14 Nov 22 3:45 PM[/b]

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[b]AB2014 - 14 Nov 22 11:59 AM[/b]

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[b]punter99 - 14 Nov 22 11:13 AM[/b]

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[b]AB2014 - 14 Nov 22 9:05 AM[/b]

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[b]punter99 - 12 Nov 22 11:26 AM[/b]

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[b]Was - 10 Nov 22 6:55 PM[/b]

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[b]AB2014 - 10 Nov 22 12:26 PM[/b]

I have to say I don't know what the criteria are, but then EU bureaucracy is secret even by the standards of most bureaucracies. Anyway, if someone has never notified travel to the Schengen Zone (or even the EU) while on the SOR (or maybe even just notifying their passport number), there is every chance that the EU don't know about them and failure to disclose wouldn't cause a problem. If they have notified while on the SOR, then if the conviction in question was in the fifteen years before the date of the application, it would probably be better to disclose, just to be on the safe side in terms of being seen to comply with the rules. Either way, once the fifteen years are up, the ETIAS rules say that disclosure is not required, so not disclosing would be complying with the ETIAS rules.

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I do like that people still think it's the EU "bureaucracy" to blame. Even the published standards suggest that each country retains the right to have their own rules. That they have tried to implement a standard set is a bonus. There has always been a right to reject individuals. David Icke is currently banned from traveling to The Netherlands, transition arrangements, EISTA notwithstanding. The UK has never been part of Schengen. We can't really complain if UK visitors' ability to travel to most of the EU is a mess. It's what we voted for.

I'm of the opinion that a barefaced lie to the EISTA questionnaire is very unlikely to result in a refusal at the border, but only a year ago we'd all be pretty confident that a PPU notified trip whilst on the SOR there would have been no issues and once off the SOR it would not even have been a consideration. This is just the EU enforcing their sovereignty, not bureaucracy.

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"only a year ago we'd all be pretty confident that a PPU notified trip whilst on the SOR there would have been no issues"

There was an issue pre Brexit, because every SO would be stopped and questioned, with the possibility of being refused entry, if the border guards felt like it. Once you have ETIAs approval, it should last for 3 years and should mean no more being stopped and questioned.

As for the idea that each country will have it's own rules, I don't see how that would work, because once you are in Schengen, there are no border checks, and nothing to prevent you moving around. Equally, a ban from one Schengen country, could mean a ban from all Schengen nations, which is why David Icke being banned from Holland stops him from going to any other Schengen state. However, the guidance says that an ETIAs could be issued, giving access to one Schengen country but not others and how that might work isn't yet clear.

https://etias.com/articles/how-national-units-process-etias-applications

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I'm not saying that EU bureaucracy is to blame for ETIAS; I'm saying it's to blame for any secrecy around standards, guidelines and discretion. Every country has its bureaucracy, though, including the UK. For example, the statutory guidance on disclosing police information on enhanced DBS checks still gives local forces a fair amount of discretion in what they decide to disclose. In the EU, the central bureaucracy's secrecy is far more wide-ranging, across so many countries, but there is still plenty of room for local bureaucrats to apply their own levels of secrecy.

In the case of individuals being banned from individual countries, it just means they can't normally be stopped at the border, but if they're found within that country then they could be in more serious trouble with the local law enforcement. It would probably affect their ability to get even a limited ETIAS after that. In the case of high-profile individuals, would they need to run that risk when they can do what they need to do by video-link?

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I'm not sure that 'secrecy' is the problem in this instance. The Schengen nations are in the process of setting up their ETIAs national units at the moment. They probably haven't drafted their precise rules yet. What the published guidance says, is that first they automatically check the databases, such as Schengen and Interpol, for an alert. If no alert is found, then they move to the question about convictions. If the answer is 'yes', then they do a manual check on the application.

But what does that manual check involve? Well, according to the guidance it only includes manually checking the exact same databases (Interpol, Schengen etc) for an alert! That's the only criteria. No alert, means no reason to refuse the application. It may be that simple, but over time, somebody in one of the national units might start to ask questions about what the point of the manual check really is. Is it just to repeat the automatic check, or should it involve making a more in depth investigation into the person's risk. I expect that this will only happen once someone slips through the net and commits an offence. Only at that point will the authorities wake up and say to themselves; maybe we need to do some extra checks on these people.

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I realise that the page on the link is not an official source, but it seems to be a reliable source. As you say, there is uncertainty at the moment, but it looks like they're expecting to approve 95-96% of applications on the first pass. Any rejections go to the central unit, which they expect to approve half of the rejections. Those who are still not granted will be referred back to the original national unit where the application was received and they should be requesting further information from the applicant. Yes, most of this is down to uncertainty at the moment, but I still suspect that there won't be much transparency when the uncertainty comes to an end. I'm thinking that anyone whose application is eventually rejected will get an idea of why, and they will have an automatic right to appeal, but to the same national unit who just rejected their application despite the applicant having provided extra information. I doubt that any guidelines issued either centrally or nationally will be published.

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They could publish the guidelines, but the interpretation would still be left to each national unit. For example. They say they will not let in anyone who is a security risk. But how do they define that? Without more detail, it's practically meaningless.

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Fully agree with you because if they did it would be easier for a "legal advisor" to manipulate them to meet their own client's scenario.

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That doesn't seem to have deterred many Western European countries so far.... Even so, media commentators seem clear that you can be refused entry for a threat to national security or a risk to society. In addition to the David Icke situation, I'm also thinking of those men who were refused entry to the UK to do their speaking tours about "dating advice", although there have been many others where the decision was less controversial and more clearly related to national security.

Regarding publishing guidelines, that would still allow some room for argument, but should also make it clearer what the focus is.

RE: Post Brexit- impact on travelling to Europe

JASB — Wed, 16 Nov 2022 13:50:23 GMT

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[b]punter99 - 14 Nov 22 3:45 PM[/b]

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[b]AB2014 - 14 Nov 22 11:59 AM[/b]

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[b]punter99 - 14 Nov 22 11:13 AM[/b]

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[b]AB2014 - 14 Nov 22 9:05 AM[/b]

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[b]punter99 - 12 Nov 22 11:26 AM[/b]

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[b]Was - 10 Nov 22 6:55 PM[/b]

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[b]AB2014 - 10 Nov 22 12:26 PM[/b]

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Fully agree with you because if they did it would be easier for a "legal advisor" to manipulate them to meet their own client's scenario.

RE: Post Brexit- impact on travelling to Europe

punter99 — Mon, 14 Nov 2022 15:45:14 GMT

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[b]AB2014 - 14 Nov 22 11:59 AM[/b]

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[b]punter99 - 14 Nov 22 11:13 AM[/b]

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[b]AB2014 - 14 Nov 22 9:05 AM[/b]

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[b]punter99 - 12 Nov 22 11:26 AM[/b]

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[b]Was - 10 Nov 22 6:55 PM[/b]

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[b]AB2014 - 10 Nov 22 12:26 PM[/b]

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RE: Post Brexit- impact on travelling to Europe

AB2014 — Mon, 14 Nov 2022 11:59:27 GMT

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[b]punter99 - 14 Nov 22 11:13 AM[/b]

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[b]AB2014 - 14 Nov 22 9:05 AM[/b]

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[b]punter99 - 12 Nov 22 11:26 AM[/b]

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[b]Was - 10 Nov 22 6:55 PM[/b]

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[b]AB2014 - 10 Nov 22 12:26 PM[/b]

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RE: Post Brexit- impact on travelling to Europe

punter99 — Mon, 14 Nov 2022 11:13:32 GMT

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[b]AB2014 - 14 Nov 22 9:05 AM[/b]

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[b]punter99 - 12 Nov 22 11:26 AM[/b]

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[b]Was - 10 Nov 22 6:55 PM[/b]

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[b]AB2014 - 10 Nov 22 12:26 PM[/b]

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RE: Post Brexit- impact on travelling to Europe

AB2014 — Mon, 14 Nov 2022 09:05:20 GMT

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[b]punter99 - 12 Nov 22 11:26 AM[/b]

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[b]Was - 10 Nov 22 6:55 PM[/b]

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[b]AB2014 - 10 Nov 22 12:26 PM[/b]

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RE: Post Brexit- impact on travelling to Europe

punter99 — Sat, 12 Nov 2022 11:26:53 GMT

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[b]Was - 10 Nov 22 6:55 PM[/b]

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[b]AB2014 - 10 Nov 22 12:26 PM[/b]

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