Overview
- For trips to EU and Schengen countries, UK passports must be issued within the last 10 years and be valid for at least three months after your planned departure from the country you visit.
- The EU’s new Entry/Exit System now records biometrics at the border, so UK travellers should expect to provide fingerprints and a photo on arrival.
- Border officers may ask for proof of a return or onward ticket, accommodation details, travel insurance, and enough funds for the stay, with Portugal generally not requiring proof of insurance.
- If staying with friends or family, Spain can ask for a carta de invitación and France can require an attestation d’accueil from the host’s town hall, with the original document sent before travel.
- UK visitors must keep to the 90 days in any 180‑day limit for the Schengen area, with overstays risking refusal of entry on future trips.