EU dithering means the British passport is simply as highly effective – for now

The dangerous information for British passport holders is that the newest rating by Henley – a global marketing consultant which advises on residence, citizenship and visas – is just a brief reprieve. It’s because the EU’s European Journey Info and Authorisation System (ETIAS) will quickly would require all non-EU residents to use and pay for an digital cross earlier than travelling to the Schengen space – the border-free zone which incorporates the vast majority of member states, plus Norway, Iceland, Switzerland and Liechtenstein. 

The cross – which can, within the overwhelming majority of instances, be issued as a formality – can be legitimate for 3 years. It is going to have a huge impact on the UK passport’s Henley score, as a result of some 30 nations will then require British guests to use for ETIAS authorisation. Primarily based on the present figures, the variety of nations we might go to with no visa would subsequently fall to 161. 

The truth that from March 31 there will even not be checks on individuals at EU inner air and maritime borders between Bulgaria and Romania and the opposite nations within the Schengen space, will even have an impact, relying on when full Schengen membership is granted to them.