Brexit will affect all Britons if a no-deal exit from the European Union (EU) takes place next year.
One way in which it will impact Britons is what will happen to British passports from March.
Last month the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) updated their travel advice for British passport holders in the unlikely event of the UK leaving the EU without a deal.
Anyone with fewer than 12 months left on their passport should renew the document now.
If not renewed, Britons could find themselves barred from travelling to countries in the EU.
“If the UK leaves the EU without a deal, after 29 March 2019, you’ll need at least six months left on your passport when you travel to most EU countries,” the FCO website stated.
“Most EU countries (though not the UK) are members of the Schengen Agreement,” explained the Home Office.
“This agreement removes passport checks and border controls at the borders between countries within the Schengen area. People can travel around the area as if it is one country.”
Before 29 March 2019, if you’re a British citizen, as an EU national, you’re currently able to enter the Schengen area if you have a valid passport.
“There’s no requirement for British passports to have a minimum or maximum validity period remaining when you enter or leave the Schengen area,” stated the Home Office.
However, after this March date, those without a passport with over six months left could be unable to travel to such favourite destinations as Spain, France, Greece, Germany, Italy and Portugal.
This is because, without a deal, British citizens could be treated the same as those from countries outside the EU in the borderless Schengen zone.
Other countries in the Schengen zone include; Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Hungary, Iceland, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden and Switzerland.
However, even if your passport does have six months or more left on it, it will still need to be less than 10 years old.
The Home Office stated: “If you plan to travel to the Schengen area after 29 March 2019, to avoid any possibility of your adult British passport not complying with the Schengen Border Code we suggest that you check the issue date and make sure your passport is no older than nine years and six months on the day of travel.
“For example, if you’re planning to travel to the Schengen area on 30 March 2019, your passport should have an issue date on or after 1 October 2009.
“If your passport does not meet these criteria, you may be denied entry to any of the Schengen area countries, and you should renew your passport before you travel.”
After Britain leaves the EU the design of the British passport will change.
According to the Home Office: “Passports printed between 30 March 2019 up until the introduction of the new passport design will be burgundy but will not include the words ‘European Union’ on the front cover. This includes passports issued by the Crown Dependencies and Gibraltar.”
Blue passports will start being issued from late 2019. If you renew your passport between late 2019 and early 2020, you’ll be automatically issued with either a blue or burgundy British passport.
