British travelers and drivers will be heavily impacted if the U.K. exits the European Union (EU) without a deal.
The government continues to work out issues on the previously rejected Brexit deal that Prime Minister Theresa May proposed. However, Britain is also preparing for what could happen in case the country leaves the EU minus a good set of deals.
According to Wales Online, a no-deal scenario will have a huge impact on British nationals who have a love for traveling, especially around Europe.
One of the biggest problems that British drivers and travelers could face is a third country national title around the Schengen area. The Schengen area covers a lot of European states with hot tourist spots including Spain, Switzerland, Greece, and Italy.
A third country national is someone who lives in a country that does not belong to the union. An example is the United States. A U.K. citizen is considered a third country national if the British exit happens without a deal.
U.K. travelers don't need to acquire a visa for travel while negotiations are underway. However, the European Commission did state that if a no-deal Brexit takes place, U.K. citizens will be required to pay a fee for visa exemption processing by 2021.
Aside from paying around 7 Euros, U.K. citizens will also be required to provide a set of personal details including education, current occupation, residence, and probably more.
It is expected that there will be a surge in Schengen visa applications following the British exit from the EU on March. This has sparked concerns over potential delays in passport issuing as well as other issues during the application process.
Experts recommend that U.K. citizens who plan to travel in the Schengen area after March should renew their passports if their documents are nine years and six months old on the travel date.
Meanwhile, the United Kingdom continues to ready itself for a no-deal Brexit as it has increased communication with a number of trusted pharmaceutical companies. The government has also spent millions on industrial refrigerators so far.
In the event that the U.K. exits the EU without a deal, a troop of 3,500 armed forces will be on standby in case contingency plans push through, CNBC reported.
Furthermore, businesses around the United Kingdom have received emails with details on what the government is expecting of them in case a no-deal Brexit really takes place on March 29, 2019.
