Last call for national identity cards
From 1 October 2021 onwards, EU, EEA, and Swiss nationals who currently use national identity cards to travel to the UK, will no longer be permitted to do so. Here, Alex Christen, from our business immigration team, explains what you need to know.
If EU, EEA, and Swiss nationals are travelling to the UK for holidays or short trips without needing a visa, they must provide a valid passport at the border. This passport must be valid for the whole trip, and they can continue to use the automatic ePassport gates upon their arrival in the UK.
Current estimates suggest around 30% of EEA Citizens travel using national identity cards rather than passports. These citizens may continue to do this up to and including 30 September 2021. Beyond this date, a valid passport must be shown unless they:
- Have settled or pre-settled under EU Settlement Scheme
- Have applied to the EU Settlement Scheme but not received a decision
- Have an EU Settlement Scheme family permit
- Have a frontier worker permit
- Are an S2 Healthcare Visitor
- Are a Swiss national and have a Service Provider from Switzerland Area
In the cases above, citizens can continue to use their national ID card to enter the UK until at least 31 December 2025.
Similarly, British citizens with a Gibraltar identity card can continue to use these to travel to the UK beyond 1 October 2021. Irish citizens with passport cards can continue to use these to enter the UK from 1 October 2021.
However, all non-EEA family members of an EU, EEA, or Swiss Citizen will be required to show a valid national passport.
If you have any questions relating to national identity cards and UK travel policies, please get in touch directly at a.christen@capitallaw.co.uk
