Travel to the EU
This information applies to the following people, resident in the UK, and looking to travel to an EU country:
- EU/EEA/Swiss citizens – for simplicity, referred to as EU citizens on the remainder of this page
- British family members of EU citizens
- Non-EU family members of EU citizens
Note – this information is a simplified summary, it is not legal advice and could be subject to change.
EU citizens
You have freedom of movement throughout the EU.
You can travel using your EU passport or national ID card, and there is no restriction on your length of stay in any EU country if you exercise treaty rights in that country.
The UK will stop accepting nationality identity cards for entry to the UK for EU citizens after 1st October 2021, with some exceptions. These exceptions include having settled or pre-settled status, in which case you can continue to use your national ID card to enter the UK until at least 31 December 2025.
British family members of EU citizens
British citizens will be treated as ‘VISA EXEMPT’, subject to reciprocity by the UK in relation with the EU27. This means you only require your British passport.
If you are travelling without your EU family member, then travelling with your passport will give you the right to stay in the Schengen zone for no more than 90 days in any 180-day period. There are a few tools available to help you calculate the 90-day rule: web-based Schengen Visa Calculator, another web-based Short Stay Visa Calculator, or look for Schengen calculator apps on your mobile phone.
Should you wish to stay in the EU for periods longer than a visit, you will need to look at what options are available depending on the country you are travelling to within the EU and your circumstances.
If you are accompanying or joining an EU family member in order to live in an EU member state, then this gives you an EU residence right which is not limited to 90 days in any 180-day period (subject to your family member exercising treaty rights in that EU member state). See also this FAQ about travelling to the EU for more than 90 days when not intending to reside in an EU member state.
Non-British, non EU family members of EU citizens
First of all, you need to know whether you are from a country whose nationals would ordinarily require a visa to cross the external border of the EU:
For travel to Ireland, check here to see whether you are a ‘visa-required’ or ‘visa-exempt’ national.
For travel to EU member states other than Ireland, see Annex I in this doc for ‘visa-required’ nationals, and Annex II in this doc for ‘visa-exempt’ nationals. The European Commission has more information, including an interactive map showing all visa requirements for all countries.
Travelling without your EU family member
If you are travelling without your EU family member, then travelling with your passport (‘visa-exempt’ national), or with your passport and visa (‘visa-required’ national) will give you the right to stay in the Schengen zone for no more than 90 days in any 180-day period. The European Commission provides a calculator for the 90-day rule.
Should you wish to stay in the EU for periods longer than a visit, you will need to look at what options are available depending on the country you are travelling to within the EU and your circumstances.
See this FAQ for more information on why some non-EU family members will now need a visa to travel to the EU, despite having a biometric residence card from the UK.
Accompanying or joining your EU family member
If you are you are accompanying or joining an EU family member in order to live in an EU member state:
If you a ‘visa-exempt’ national, then accompanying your family member gives you an EU residence right which is not limited to 90 days in any 180-day period (subject to your family member exercising treaty rights in that EU member state). You will again need your passport to travel.
However, if you are a ‘visa-required’ national, the UK’s ‘Residence card of a family member of a Union citizen’ will no longer be valid for travel to the EU after the end of the transition period. This is because it is a UK issued card, which is no longer recognised by the EU.
If you are travelling to an EU member state of which your EU family member is not a national, you will be entitled to apply for and be issued with a family permit visa free of charge, and as soon as possible on the basis of an accelerated procedure. For details of this procedure, check with the embassy / relevant website of the country you wish to travel to.
If you are travelling to the EU member state of which your EU family is a national, check with the embassy / relevant website of that member state for details.
This then gives you an EU residence right (subject to your EU family member exercising treaty rights) which is not limited to 90 days in any 180-day period.
Note the different kinds of cards which all look very similar
Residence card, issued under Immigration (EEA) Regulations 2016
Mentions the words ‘Residence card of a family member of a Union citizen’.
NOTE: This card is no longer valid for travel to the EU.
EU Settlement Scheme Residence card (issued to non-EU citizens only)
This is only relevant in the UK, and is not valid for travel to the EU, not even when it contains the wording ‘Issued under the EU Exit Separation Agreements’
Residence permit
Issued under UK Immigration rules – this is only relevant in the UK, and is not valid for travel to the EU
Visa securing. Immigration. Tourism. Work visas and residence permit in Europe. Shengen visa in Ukraine for foreign nationals
Thanks to the professional competence of our specialists and their longstanding experience, we have managed to minimize general rate of visa refusals.
Individual approach to each customer
Our specialists handle each customer’s case individually considering all the peculiarities of a specific situation.
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Visa support. Immigration. Residence permit in Ukraine and Europe
For the majority of Ukrainians as well as the nationals of other countries getting a visa for the purpose of tourism or for visiting, for family matters or business, for transit, studies or employment abroad is a matter of great importance. Visa securing in Ukraine is no more a dim outlook for the nationals of any country. Ukrainian nationals have a unique opportunity to visit the countries of the European Union along with other countries without any visa permit at all.
A decision about the issue of the visa permit needed is made by the consulate of each country on a separate basis individually for each applicant depending on the documents provided and the purpose of a visit. Ukrainians and non-residents of Ukraine having a residence permit in Ukraine are entitled to obtain any category of visa in the territory of the country either by themselves or with the help of the experts of specialized visa centres and agencies.
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Get your visa with the help of a specialist
Getting an entry permit for a certain country can be sometimes rather problematic when done without assistance. The main problem lies in the awareness of the particularities of different countries’ legislation and its difference from the legislation of Ukraine. For this very reason our visa support centre has made a decision to assist fellow nationals and the nationals of other countries in securing visa permits for any country of the world.
Visa and migration support at all phases of document processing is an overriding priority of our company. Our specialists have been dealing with the arrangement of turn-key travel packages, visa documentation and legal support for immigration to other countries since 2002.
Each applicant always has the choice between securing visa permit unassisted and getting it with the help of a dedicated specialist. The decision is always up to a customer. VISA-SVIT specialists provide professional advice for the resolution of existing difficulties encountered by those wishing to obtain a visa in Ukraine on their own.
The most common problems:
- Lack of a legal invitation for work (for securing a work visa). In the light of the popularity of securing a work permit for getting employed abroad, swindling cases has become more frequent, notably the sale of forged or unregistered work invitations. That is why it is necessary to verify employer company thoroughly on specialized databases.
- Inaccurate or incorrect explanation of the purpose of a visit at border crossing often results in refusal of entry and even in further ban from visiting different countries for a period from six months to 5 years – this is one of the consequences of the absence of visa support service. A dedicated expert of an agency should tell how to make everything correctly and fast, accurately and to a good quality. Moreover, the expert can always help with settling current issues in case of emergency.
- An applicant will not be able to obtain a visa to the country chosen at short notice (even for 1 day) without the assistance of a specialized agency working with the consulate of the country.
- There will be no guarantee of getting a visa permit, especially in case of a «clear» passport without the records of border crossing.
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Obtain a visa in Ukraine
Visa experts and international lawyers of our agency will always help with securing any visa permit or migration document in the territory of the country in the most professional way, to a high standard of quality, at affordable prices and within the shortest time. All the procedures will be simplified to the greatest possible extent, quick and safe. Every client of our centre will reliably receive high-grade services, favourable prices, appropriate support and inevitably positive result desired.
Schengen visa with guarantee and payment upon receipt. Urgent Schengen visa in Ukraine
Qualified visa experts and lawyers of our centre will make it possible for the nationals of any country to obtain a Schengen visa in Kyiv with guarantee and payment upon the receipt of a visa permit subject to the condition of meeting certain criteria. We are proud to be able to secure a Schengen visa in Kyiv for foreign nationals from different countries having a residence permit in Ukraine. With the use of legal and well-tried methods of cooperation with the consulates of European countries, it is only possible to prepare necessary documents urgently and faultlessly subject to certain conditions.
An urgent Schengen visa for some of European countries secured for one day – is absolutely real and working practice elaborated for many years of existence of our visa centre. At the same time, guaranteed receipt of a visa permit will be conducted on an expedited basis thanks to the expertise of our team and official agreement with the organizations participating in the process.
Work visas and invitations for Poland, Czech Republic, Lithuania and Estonia
The most of the employers abroad are particularly glad to welcome Ukrainian nationals as their employees. For this reason, the visas for employment at the organizations of different countries of the world are issued perfectly well, though subject to meeting a number of requirements and conditions of the embassy’s consular division of the country chosen. For the non-residents of Ukraine, we help to obtain an official invitation from a Polish employer to get a visa permit in the country of residence. Securing visa permits for entering the country chosen is our top priority, so we take this activity area with all solemnity. In order to get a successful result (speeding-up of the process of getting work permits or permits to enter a country), Visa-Svit specialists apply only practically efficient and fully legal methods. Owing to this kind of work handling, the whole period of stay abroad will be legal and duly documented.
Considering existing peculiarities of the legislation of different countries, our company features the experts specializing in the countries which they have lived in or have a long-term experience of work with. The aim of our migration centre to establish continuous cooperation with each agency and each of our applicants is confirmed by the results of our longstanding work. Thousands of happy clients and a vast number of positive reviews – these are real achievements of the professional team of our company working since 2002 in the market of travel, migration and visa services. Please, feel free to request assistance from our visa support centre. We will help you to secure any country visa documents, work invitations and permits, a visa or residence permit in Ukraine for foreign nationals as well as residence permit in Europe with a 100% guarantee of receipt within the shortest time possible at high quality standards!
Travel documents for non-EU family members
Travelling in the EU with your non-EU family members
Under EU rules, you have the right to travel together with your core family members (non-EU spouse, children, dependent parents or dependent grandparents) to an EU country other than the one you are a national of. If you have moved to another EU country, they can also join you there. These rules also apply to your non-EU registered partner if the country they are travelling to considers registered partnerships as equivalent to marriage.
Other non-EU extended family members – such as siblings, cousins, aunts, uncles, as well as your non-EU registered partner (in countries where registered partnerships are not considered as equivalent to marriage) – may under certain conditions be entitled to have their entry facilitated when travelling together with you or when joining you in another EU country. EU countries do not automatically have to grant this right but they do at least have to consider the request.
Your non-EU family members must carry a valid passport at all times and, depending on the country they are from, they may also have to show an entry visa at the border.
There are a number of countries (see Annex II) whose nationals do not need a visa to visit the EU for three months or less. The list of countries whose nationals require visas to travel to Ireland differs slightly from other EU countries.
Contact the consulate or embassy of the country you are travelling to well in advance to find out which documents your non-EU family member will be asked to present at the border.
Read more about your non-EU family members’ residence rights if they move with you to another EU country.
Do your non-EU family members need a visa?
Your non-EU family member can check if they need an entry visa from the country they are travelling to using the tool below:
Do you have a residence document from an EU country?
- Yes – I have a residence card as an EU national family member issued by an EU country other than the country my EU spouse / partner is a national of
- Yes – I have a residence document issued by the EU country my EU spouse / partner is a national of
- No
You don’t have a residence card as an EU national family member – issued by an EU country – or a residence document – issued by an EU country
- You must have a visa
In what EU country was your residence card issued?
- Schengen area country (Austria, Belgium, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland.)
- Non-Schengen area country (Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Ireland, Romania)
In what EU country was your residence document issued
- Schengen area country (Austria, Belgium, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland.)
- Non-Schengen area country (Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Ireland, Romania)
What EU country are you travelling to?
- Schengen area country (Austria, Belgium, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland.)
- Non-Schengen area country (Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Ireland, Romania)
What EU country are you travelling to?
- Schengen area country (Austria, Belgium, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland.)
- Non-Schengen area country (Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Ireland, Romania)
What EU country are you travelling to?
- Schengen area country (Austria, Belgium, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland.)
- Non-Schengen area country (Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Ireland, Romania)
What EU country are you travelling to?
- Schengen area country (Austria, Belgium, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland.)
- Non-Schengen area country (Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Ireland, Romania)
Your residence card was issued by a Schengen country and you are travelling to a country in the Schengen area
- You do not need a visa if you have a residence card as an EU national family member issued by an EU country other than the country your EU spouse / partner is a national of
Your residence card issued by a Schengen country and you are travelling to a non-Schengen country
- You do not need a visa if you have a residence card as an EU national family member issued by an EU country other than the country your EU spouse / partner is a national of. You must either be travelling together with your EU spouse / partner or you are joining them in the non-Schengen country
Warning
If you have a residence card as an EU national family member and you are not accompanying or joining your EU spouse / partner in the non-Schengen country, you must apply for a visa to enter that country.
Sample story
Holders of a residence card as an EU national family member don’t need to obtain a visa if travelling with an EU national
Ying, the Chinese spouse of a German national living in Finland, has been issued with a residence card as an EU national family member in Finland. Ying and her husband wish to travel to Romania for an autumn break. As Ying is travelling with her husband, has a valid passport and a residence card as an EU family member, she is not required to obtain an entry visa to travel to Romania .
Your residence card was issued by a non-Schengen country and you are travelling to a Schengen country
- You do not need a visa if you have a residence card as an EU national family member issued under by an EU country other than the country your EU spouse / partner is a national of. You must be either travelling together with your EU spouse / partner or you are joining them in the Schengen country
Warning
If you have a residence card as an EU national family member and you are not accompanying or joining your EU spouse / partner in the Schengen country, you must apply for a visa to enter that country.
Exception for Switerland
You will need a visa if you are travelling to Switzerland with a non-EU family member’s residence card issued by a non-Schengen area country – this applies if you are travelling alone, together with your EU spouse / partner or if you are joining them in Switzerland.
Your residence card was issued by a non-Schengen country and you are travelling to a non-Schengen country
- You do not need a visa if you have a residence card as an EU national family member issued by an EU country other than the country your EU spouse / partner is a national of. You must be either travelling together with your EU spouse / partner or you are joining them in the non-Schengen country
Warning
If you have a residence card as an EU national family member and you are not accompanying or joining your EU spouse / partner in the non-Schengen country, you must apply for a visa to enter that country.
Your residence document was issued by a Schengen country in a standard format in line with EU rules and you are travelling to a Schengen country. Or your residence documents was issued in a non-standard format which has been notified to the EU and is published online in the Public Register of Authentic travel and identity Documents
- You do not need a visa if you have a residence document (national residence permit) issued under national rules by a Schengen country and you are travelling to a Schengen country.
Your residence document was issued by a Schengen country in a standard format in line with EU rules and you are travelling to a non-Schengen country. Or your residence documents was issued in a non-standard format which has been notified to the EU and is published online in the Public Register of Authentic travel and identity Documents
- You will need a visa if you are travelling to Ireland
- You do not need a visa if you are travelling to the non-Schengen countries which unitlaterally recognise certain documents as equivalent to their national visas (Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus and Romania)
Sample story
Even if you have a national residence permit, an entry visa is needed to travel to a non-Schengen country
Joyce, a Nigerian national, lives in the Netherlands with her Dutch husband Luuk. As a family member of a Dutch national, Joyce has been issued with a Dutch residence permit in the Netherlands. Joyce wishes to join Luuk on his next business trip to Dublin. As Ireland is not part of the Schengen area, Joyce is required to obtain an entry visa to travel to Ireland with Luuk.
You have a residence document issued by a non-Schengen country and are travelling to a Schengen country
- You will need a visa
Your residence document was issued by a non-Schengen country and you are travelling to a non-Schengen country
- You will need a visa, if you are travelling from a non-Schengen country which unilaterally recognise certain documents as equivalent to their national visas (Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, and Romania) to Ireland
- You will need a visa, if you are travelling from Ireland to a non-Schengen country which unilaterally recognises certain documents as equivalent to their national visas (Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus and Romania)
- You do not need a visa if you travel between the non-Schengen countries which have unilaterally recognised certain documents as equivalent to their national visas (Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus and Romania)
Applying for an entry visa for short stays up to 90 days
If your non-EU family members need an entry visa, they should apply for one in advance from the consulate or embassy of the country they wish to travel to. If they will be travelling together with you, or joining you in another EU country, their application should be processed quickly and free of charge:
- countries which are members of the border-free Schengen area should issue visas within 15 days, except in rare cases, when the authorities should provide an explanation for their decision
- all other countries (Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Ireland, Romania) should issues visas as quickly as possible
Warning
Your non-EU family member should clearly indicate on their visa application form that they are applying for an entry visa as a family member of a mobile EU citizen. If this is not clear they may be issued with the wrong type of visa for which they will be charged.
Visa application – supporting documents
Your non-EU family member must include the following documents with their visa application:
- a valid passport – to prove their identity and nationality
- a document proving family ties with the EU citizen (e.g. marriage certificate, birth certificate etc.) and dependency (if required)
- proof that the EU citizen is already living in the host country (if they are joining them)
- a declaration that the couple will travel together (if the family member will be accompanying the EU citizen)
This list is exhaustive: your non-EU family members cannot be required to produce any other documents to support their application.
(Visas issued by a country belonging to the border-free Schengen area are valid for all countries in that area.)
Warning
If you live outside the EU and your non-EU family members accompany you or travel to the EU country of your nationality, EU cross-border rules do not necessarily apply and your non-EU family members might be charged visa fees.
Arriving at the border without an entry visa
It is always best for your non-EU family members to be well-informed in advance and to have all the necessary documents before starting their journey.
However, if they arrive at the border with their passport but without an entry visa, the border authorities should give them the opportunity to prove by other means that they are family members of a mobile EU citizen. They can do so by providing proof of their identity and family ties with an EU citizen (for example a marriage or birth certificate) and, proof that they are joining or accompanying the EU citizen (for example, proof that the EU citizen is already living in the country where entry is sought). If they manage to prove it, they should be issued with an entry visa on the spot.
If your family members are having difficulties getting a visa, you can contact our assistance services.
Entry refusal
In very rare cases, an EU country can refuse entry to you or your family members for reasons of “public policy, public security or public health”.
If this happens, the authorities must prove that you or your family members pose a “genuine, present and sufficiently serious threat”.
You are entitled to receive this decision in writing, stating all the grounds, and specifying how you can appeal and by when.
Source https://the3million.org.uk/travel-to-the-eu
Source https://visa-svit.com.ua/en/
Source https://europa.eu/youreurope/citizens/travel/entry-exit/non-eu-family/index_en.htm
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