As Brexit changes begin to come into force this October, drivers and haulage company owners should be aware of new legal requirements in order to avoid any major disruptions.
While it seems that legislation surrounding our borders is always changing, this article hopes to provide you with a clear outline of the upcoming revisions to the UK passport policy - to help you navigate cross-border travel easily and efficiently.
The Current System
Currently, EU, EEA, and Swiss citizens can travel to the UK without a valid passport if they carry an identity card. However, according to GOV.UK, these identity cards are the ‘least secure documents’ seen at borders, and the government states that ‘ending their use will strengthen’ UK border control.
As a result, identity cards are being scrapped as a valid means of identification when accessing the UK.
You can find out more about the current system, which is in place until October 2021, in the government’s official guidance.
What Changes are Taking Place?
From October 1st 2021, visitors and drivers must make sure that they present a passport, and not just an identity card, when travelling to and from the UK.
Individuals will not be permitted entrance to the UK using an EU, EEA, or Swiss national identity card, unless they have an exemption.
Exemptions
You will be granted access to the UK carrying an identity card if you:
- Have settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme.
- Have applied to the EU Settlement Scheme by 30 June 2021 but have not heard back yet.
- Are a citizen of Ireland (in which case, you can continue to use a passport card for entry into the UK).
UK Government states that if EU, EEA and Swiss citizens do not have a passport from 1st October, they are liable to be refused entry to the UK.
To avoid delay and disruption at the border, companies should encourage employees to make sure that they are properly documented for any trip. While haulage company owners will not be fined where their employee travels to the UK without the correct documentation, those drivers may be refused entry to the UK.
For more information on the exemptions and upcoming changes on the GOV.UK website.
How Can You Prepare?
The Chief Executive of The Road Haulage Association, Richard Burnett, said: ‘It’s vital that hauliers and traders do everything they can now to prepare for our new trading relationship with the EU.’
In terms of preparation, drivers should check they are carrying the relevant documentation that will allow them to cross, and assess whether they qualify for any exemptions. To put it simply, as Richard Burnett does: ‘The message is clear — if the paperwork’s not right, the goods won’t cross’.
If you have any questions about travelling to and from Europe from the UK, you can get in touch with us here. As always, we wish you safe and happy travels.
If EU, EEA and Swiss citizens do not have a passport from 1 October, they are liable to be refused entry to the UK. • To avoid delay and disruption at the border, companies should encourage employees to make sure that they are properly documented for any trip. • While haulage company owners will not be fined where their employee travels to the UK without the correct documentation, those drivers may be refused entry to the UK. • EU, EEA and Swiss citizens who hold pre-settled or settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme, or who have made a valid application under the scheme which is still pending, and those whose rights are protected under the Citizens’ Rights Agreements (such Frontier workers) will be able to use their national identity cards to enter the UK until 2025 at least. • British nationals using Gibraltar ID cards, and Irish nationals using Irish passport cards, can continue to use these to travel to the UK as they do now.
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