EU Blue Card Network Live and work in Europe

Table of Contents

EU Blue Card Network Live and work in Europe

Flags of countries participating in the blue card program

An EU passport is a passport issued by one of the 27 member states of the European Union and allows you to travel visa-free between all EU countries, and to a large number of third-countries the EU has bilateral agreements with.

EU passport holder is a citizen of one of the 27 EU countries and has the right to live, work, study and retire in any of the EU member states.

How to get one

There are three common ways to acquire EU citizenship as a non-EU citizen.

Jus soli (English: right of ground) – through your place of birth
Jus sanguinis (English: right of blood) – known as citizenship by descent
Naturalization – through prolonged residence (e.g. working in the EU on the EU Blue Card)

Read Post Using Your Smartphone while Traveling in Europe

Jus soli

In some countries being born within its boundaries is sufficient to acquire citizenship, most notably the United States of America. EU countries do not automatically and unconditionally grant citizenship to children born in their territories to foreign citizens. The most common condition for citizenship through birth is that the parents must have resided in the country for a certain period of time before the child was born.

Jus sanguinis

You may be eligible for EU citizenship if you have parents, grandparents or great-grandparents that were from an EU country. EU countries that offer the most favourable route for citizenship by descent are Germany, Ireland, Italy Poland, Portugal, Latvia and Lithuania. Other EU countries allow it as well, but under more stringent conditions; individual circumstances are judged.

There is no common EU-wide law or procedure for citizenship by descent, each EU country has its own specific rules, application processes and required documentation.

Naturalization

If you legally reside in an EU country for an extended amount of time, you acquire rights. Most common reason for an extended stay in a foreign country is employment or retirement.

Your stay is initially backed by a temporary residence permit, combined with a work permit when applicable. After a certain amount of time you are able to convert the temporary residence to a permanent residence status. Subsequently citizenship becomes available.

Conditions for citizenship through naturalization vary across EU countries. Some countries allow you to apply for citizenship directly after acquiring permanent residence, others you have to go through a rigid process of integration test years after acquiring permanent residence. Naturalization usually requires being able to prove a certain level of local language proficiency.

Dual citizenship

Dual citizenship, or having a second passport, is gaining in popularity. The most important reason for this is security. A second passport is considered an insurance policy; in a tumultuous world, a second passport means safety. There is no doubt an EU Passport as a second passport gives you the highest level of safety as gives you freedom of movement with the 27 countries of the European Union.

Appendix I

EU countries that allow dual citizenship: Germany, Greece, France, Ireland, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Portugal, Spain, Poland, Sweden.

Key Non-EU countries that allow dual citizenship: USA, Canada, United Kingdom, Turkey.

Appendix II

All EU Member States have incentives to attract foreign investment from non-EU nationals. Most have Citizenship by Investment (CbI) or Residency by Investment (RbI) programs (also known as “golden visas” and “golden passports”), providing access to residency or citizenship in exchange for investment.

Is my passport valid for travel to Europe?

If your passport is more than ten years old or there is less than three months before it expires, you may not be able to use it to travel to countries within the EU. The rules came into effect after Brexit, with Ireland being the only exception. Here’s what you need to know.

Main photo: Alamy

What documents do I need to travel from the UK?

A valid passport is essential for travelling outside of the UK. For travel to the EU and EFTA countries (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland), it needs to be less than ten years old when you enter the country and have at least three months left on it the day after you leave. The only exception is if you are travelling to Ireland — which is part of the Common Travel Area with the UK — where you can travel up to the day your passport expires.

Depending on where you are travelling to, for what purpose and for how long, you may also need to get a visa. After Brexit, UK nationals are only permitted to stay in EU countries for a maximum of 90 days out of 180, after which a visa or other entry permit may be needed. You will need to check the entry requirements for each individual country you are visiting.

If you are planning to drive or hire a car, you will need to take your driving licence. And if you only have a paper version of the licence, or your licence was issued in Gibraltar, Guernsey, Jersey or the Isle of Man, you may need to apply for an International Driving Licence, which costs £5.50 from the Post Office. Those taking their own cars across the border will also need relevant insurance and vehicle registration details as well as a UK sticker on the vehicle.

When travelling to EU countries, you may also want to apply for and take your UK Global Health Insurance Card (UK GHIC). This free benefit replaced the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) for most UK nationals after Brexit. It entitles you to the same access to public medical care as residents. In some cases, having the card with you is a requisite of ensuring your travel insurance is valid.

Can you travel to Europe without a passport from the UK?

In most cases, you will need your passport to travel to Europe. Ireland is the only exception, although the government still advises taking your passport with you, and airlines will typically insist on it.

What if I lose my passport?

If you have lost your passport, or you do not have time to get a new one before you travel, you may be able to apply for an emergency travel document. These cost £100 and you will need to attend a British embassy in person after you have applied online. The document contains your exact itinerary and if you decide to change your plans at the last minute you will need a new document.

Can you travel with an expired passport within Europe?

In theory, yes, because land borders within the Schengen area are open and ID checks are only carried out in exceptional circumstances. For example, the Spanish government has said that its citizens may enter the country on an expired passport or ID after its authenticity has been checked; however, a valid travel document is still required to leave the country. In the case of the UK, your passport will be checked at all border controls and you will need to make sure it’s valid for travel.

Passport control at Heathrow Airport

Passport control at Heathrow Airport (Getty Images)

How long do you need on your passport to travel to Spain?

Like most countries in the EU, Spain requires those travelling on a British passport to have at least three months remaining after the day you plan to leave. You also need to check that it is less than ten years old when you enter Spain.

How long do you need on your passport to travel to Greece?

For Greece, the usual EU passport validity rules apply. This means it needs to be less than ten years old when you enter the country and have at least three months left on it the day after you leave.

How long do you need on your passport to travel to Portugal?

EU passport validity rules also apply in Portugal. So your passport needs to be less than ten years old when you enter the country and have at least three months left on it the day after you leave.

How long do you need on your passport to travel to the USA?

For entry into the USA, your passport needs to be valid for the duration of your stay although it doesn’t need to have any additional validity on it. However, you may need an Esta or visa for entry.

How long do you need on your passport to travel to Turkey?

Turkey requires UK passport holders to have at least six months remaining on their passports from the day they arrive. It also needs to have a full blank page for the entry and exit stamps.

Take me there

Wanting to visit Europe but yet to book your trip? Here are the best packages from TUI Holidays* and Expedia*. And if you’re still unsure of where you want to go or what type of holiday to book, get in touch here and one of the Designer Travel experts will be in contact to help you arrange your perfect tailor-made break.

Here’s a selection of some of the best European tour itineraries from our Times Travel partners.

The days of easy-breezy travel to the EU have changed. Here are the new travel rules you need to know

Exclusive deals, straight to your inbox

Subscribe for weekly inspiration and deals from The Times and The Sunday Times.

EU Blue Card Network Live and work in Europe

Flags of countries participating in the blue card program

EU passport holder is a citizen of one of the 27 EU countries and has the right to live, work, study and retire in any of the EU member states.