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Post Brexit- impact on travelling to Europe


Post Brexit- impact on travelling to Europe

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tedstriker
tedstriker
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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




expatofff
expatofff
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AB2014 - 19 Mar 24 9:43 AM
marcovanba - 16 Mar 24 10:08 PM
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

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.

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.
AB2014
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expatofff - 17 Oct 24 11:55 PM
AB2014 - 19 Mar 24 9:43 AM
marcovanba - 16 Mar 24 10:08 PM
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

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.

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.

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.

=========================================================================================================

If you are to punish a man retributively you must injure him. If you are to reform him you must improve him. And men are not improved by injuries. (George Bernard Shaw)

expatofff
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AB2014 - 22 Oct 24 9:23 AM
expatofff - 17 Oct 24 11:55 PM
AB2014 - 19 Mar 24 9:43 AM
marcovanba - 16 Mar 24 10:08 PM
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

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.

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.

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.

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!
Jxd50003
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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?
punter99
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Jxd50003 - 27 Feb 26 11:30 AM
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?

Nope. Chatbots suggest this was an off the record informal briefing, in other words a rumour, and that nothing has been published.
Jxd50003
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Seems like the FT is reporting delays til 2027 at least?
marcovanba
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Jxd50003 - 8 Jul 26 11:59 PM
Seems like the FT is reporting delays til 2027 at least?

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
AB2014
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marcovanba - 10 Jul 26 7:39 PM
Jxd50003 - 8 Jul 26 11:59 PM
Seems like the FT is reporting delays til 2027 at least?

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

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.

=========================================================================================================

If you are to punish a man retributively you must injure him. If you are to reform him you must improve him. And men are not improved by injuries. (George Bernard Shaw)

Richard
Richard
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AB2014 - 13 Jul 26 8:41 AM
marcovanba - 10 Jul 26 7:39 PM
Jxd50003 - 8 Jul 26 11:59 PM
Seems like the FT is reporting delays til 2027 at least?

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

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.

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.




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