If you have a UK passport and are looking to embark on any travels around Europe then you need to be aware of the new Schengen Area restrictions, which came into place after Brexit (when the UK left the EU).

You're probably thinking 'what is the Schengen Area?'

Well it is essentially the world’s largest visa free zone, and most importantly it is different to the EU!

What is the difference between the EU and the Schengen Area

• EU: Is a political and economic union of 27 countries within the continent of Europe

• Schengen Area: A collection of countries who have a joint visa policy. This means that tourists who obtain a visa for one Schengen country may visit all countries in the Schengen Area as well. They also have freedom of movement between people of the countries that are a part of this agreement.
• Europe: Is one of seven continents of the world, and is a geographical area of land

What countries are part of the Schengen Area

The following 27 countries are part of the Schengen Area, all of which reside within the continent of Europe:

Documents Required when crossing border controls when entering and exiting the Schengen Area

• UK photocard driving licence (we’d also recommend reading about International Driving Permits below too)
• Vehicle Documents;
  • Vehicle V5 Log Book
  • Vehicle Insurance Certificate
  • Green Card (if required) - check with your insurance provider if this is required, depending on the countries you are visiting
• Passport;
  • Ensure that it is stamped as you both enter and exit the Schengen zone. These stamps are your proof of your time spent in and out of the Schengen Area too, so it's important to make sure you get them.
  • Also note that British passports must have at least 6 months left before they expire when travelling in the EU. Plus your passport must have been issued within the last 10 years! Many British passports have been issued with additional months on them, but the EU doesn't acknowledge this. For example if your passport was issued on 1 May 2016, then in the EU it will expire on 1 May 2026 regardless of the actual expiry date listed - plus you need the minimum of 6 months before the date of 1 May 2026.

You can watch how we got on going through the border and passport control between Croatia and Serbia here and from Serbia into Romania here.

Driving in Europe after Brexit

UK Sticker

You must have a UK sticker or registration plate on your vehicle, if you’re planning on driving your own UK registered vehicle in Europe. Please note that since Brexit, the GB sticker and EU logo is no longer allowed.

International Driving Permit (IDP)

You do not need an IDP to drive in the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Lichtenstein if you have a photo-card driving licence that was issued in the UK. However, you may need one if you have a paper driving licence and/or have a licence that was issued in Gibraltar, Guernsey, the Isle of Man or Jersey.

Furthermore, you may need an IDP to drive in some countries in Europe that are not part of the EU. The international driving permit that you may need will also depend on which country you’re visiting and how long you’re staying there, as there are three (3) different types of IDP.

More information can be found on the Gov.uk website here, where you can also check if you need an IDP for the country you’re planning on visiting.

If you do need an IDP, then you can get them over the counter at a Post Office in the UK. They cost £5.50 and you must live in Great Britain or Northern Ireland, have a full UK driving licence, and be aged 18 or over. More info is available online here.

Vehicle Insurance

When purchasing vehicle insurance for your motorhome or campervan here are a couple of things to remember if you are looking to travel around Europe:

• We found that a lot of UK insurers put some kind of limit on the duration of European travel cover, such as 90 or 180 days. Which doesn't quite make sense as you can travel pretty much endlessly around Europe, through splitting your time between countries in and out of the Schengen Area. However, the 180 days European cover that we were previously quoted included a lot of countries outside of the Schengen Area, so it would further limit your time that you could spend travelling around Europe in your campervan. Therefore, if you want to travel full-time around Europe then look for an insurance provider who can offer 365 days of European cover.
• Don't forget to check the countries in Europe that the insurer will cover! These can vary depending on the insurance provider, although most will automatically cover EU and Schengen Area countries. We were unable to find a provider who would cover us for travel in certain non-Schengen countries like Montenegro and Albania, and advised that we would need to purchase separate insurance on the border of these countries.

Mobile Phone Roaming Charges

Data roaming charges in Europe now apply, with many UK network providers enforcing a data cap on roaming in Europe, as well as a fair usage policy.

As providers differ, we recommend you to check the details with your network provider.

We hope you found this blog post useful. And if you have any questions, please get in touch either via the comment box below, online here or via email and we'll get back to you as soon as possible!

Helen + Tristan