What you’ll need to enter the UK

If the UK leaves the EU with a deal

If the UK leaves the EU with a deal, what you’ll need to enter the UK will not change until 2021.

Find out if you’ll need to apply for a visa to enter the UK.

If the UK leaves the EU without a deal

If you’re an Irish citizen, you’ll be able to enter the UK without a visa, as you can now. You’ll be able to work or study while you’re here.

You’ll be able to enter the UK without a visa if you’re a citizen of any other EU or EEA country, or Switzerland. You’ll be able to work or study while you’re here.

The government is proposing to end free movement, but this is still subject to approval by Parliament. Once free movement has ended, if you’re a citizen of any other EU or EEA country, or Switzerland, you’ll still be able to enter the UK without a visa but only for up to 3 months. Check back here for updates and find out what you’ll need to do to come to the UK for longer than 3 months.

In other cases, find out if you’ll need to apply for a visa to enter the UK.

What you need to show at the UK border

What you need to show at the UK border will not change, even if the UK leaves the EU without a deal.

You’ll need to show a valid passport or national identity card if you’re a citizen of either:

• an EU country
• Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland

You can use automatic ePassport gates at some airports if your passport has a ‘chip’ on it and you’re 12 or over. Using the ePassport gates is usually faster.

If you’re not a citizen of one of these countries, you’ll need to show a valid passport.

You can still enter the UK using a passport which expires in less than 6 months.

Find out how to get through border checks as quickly as possible.

School travellers entering the UK

School children from third countries who are resident in EU or EFTA countries will continue to be able to travel to the UK under the List of Travellers visa scheme. They do not need to obtain their own travel document or visa until 31 December 2020.

This applies if the UK leaves the EU with a deal and if the UK leaves the EU without a deal.

What you need to show at the border will not change. Pupils without their own travel document must have photographic ID or a recent photograph attached to the List of Travellers form. The form must also be authenticated by the responsible authority in the appropriate member state to confirm the pupil’s residence status and their right to re-entry to be acceptable as a travel document.

Driving in the UK

If you have a non-UK licence

How you can drive in the UK will not change after Brexit.

Find out if you can use your licence to drive in England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland.

If your vehicle is not insured in the UK

You’ll need to carry an insurance ‘green card’ if all of the following apply:

• your vehicle is insured in an EU or EEA country
• the UK leaves the EU without a deal
• the UK leaves the EU with no agreement in place on driving without a green card

Check back here for updates on whether there’s an agreement on driving without a green card.

If your vehicle is insured in a country that’s not in the EU or EEA, what you’ll need to do will depend on if your country is a member of the green card system.

If your country is a member, you’ll need to carry a green card.

If your country is not a member, your vehicle will need UK vehicle insurance.

What you can bring into the UK

If the UK leaves the EU without a deal, there will be changes to:

• how you bring horses to and from the UK
• how you bring endangered plants, animals or their products to and from the UK

There will not be any changes to:

• what you can bring in your hand luggage
• what food you can bring
• what plants you can bring

Bringing your pet to and from the UK

The rules for taking pets from the UK to EU countries will change if the UK leaves the EU with no deal. Your pet may need to have a blood test to prove it has been effectively vaccinated against rabies.

Find out more about getting the blood test and what documents you need to carry when travelling with your pet.

There will not be any changes to how you bring pets:

• to the UK from the EU
• to or from countries that aren’t in the EU

Merchandise in baggage: importing from the EU to the UK in a no deal

If the UK leaves the EU without a deal, there will be a new process at airports, roll on roll off ports, and Eurostar terminals for traders and intermediaries to declare merchandise in baggage.

‘Merchandise in baggage’ means commercial goods intended for trade or business use, carried in a passenger’s accompanied luggage or a small motor vehicle. For example, if you buy jewellery on a trip to the EU and bring it back in your suitcase to sell in the UK.

Controls on cash: from the EU to the UK

If you’re travelling from the EU to the UK with more than £10,000 in cash you will need to make a declaration.

This is what currently happens for those travelling from non-EU countries to the UK.

You can make a declaration, and find more information about cash controls on GOV.UK. If you cannot go online you can call HMRC on 0300 200 3700 to make a verbal declaration.

Please note, cash includes notes and coins, bearer bonds, banker’s drafts and cheques.

The changes take effect from 11pm on the day the UK leaves the EU.

Using your mobile phone in the UK

You’ll pay the same for calls, texts and mobile data in the UK and the EU if both of the following apply:

• the UK leaves the EU with a deal
• you have a SIM card issued by a mobile phone network from an EU or EEA country

If the UK leaves the EU without a deal, or you have a SIM card issued by a mobile phone network outside the EU and EEA, how much you’ll pay will depend on your mobile network.