Can I use UK issued EEA BRC to visit Europe?

[1878]

I am EEA national, children EEA nationals, wife non-EEA national. All have settled status. Wife has UK issued EEA BRC valid until 2027. Can she visit Europe/Schengen area without requiring a visitor visa? Any links or guidance to this? Many thanks.

[seekingadvice87]

If wife is non-EEA and nationality requires visa then she must apply for visa to visit the country in Europe she wants to visit.

[secret.simon]

I think the answer to that question is almost certainly in the negative.

If you go to the EU website for travel requirements of non-EEA family members and state that you have an EEA Residence Card issued by an EU member-state, it asks whether it is issued by a Schengen state or a non-Schengen state. In that latter category, it lists only five states (Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Ireland and Romania). The UK is not even an option in that list.

I would conclude from that that UK issued EEA Residence Cards do not have validity to enter the rest of the EU.

As advised above, if your spouse is a non-visa national, they would need to apply for a Schengen/relevant visa to enter an EEA member-state.

On a separate point, keep in mind that Settled Status is *domestic* UK status and is irrelevant outside the UK.

[1878]

I understand - thanks. I was confused as on some other threads here it was suggested you could keep your EEA BRC for entry purposes to the UK until it’s expiry, not just until 30/06/2021.

[1878]

To follow up. Then is this not correct

eea-route-applications/eea-brc-will-be- ... l#p1887051

?

If you cannot use it to travel to EU then there’s no difference in keeping it versus exchanging to EUSS BRC? What’s then the point of keeping EEA PR BRC until it’s expiry as that quoted thread suggest? Thanks

[secret.simon]

The question of using the BRC to enter the UK is completely different and separate from using it to enter the EU.

You can use a UK-issued EEA BRC to enter the UK. You cannot use it to enter any EEA member-state.

[kamoe]

To follow up. Then is this not correct

eea-route-applications/eea-brc-will-be- ... l#p1887051

?

If you cannot use it to travel to EU then there’s no difference in keeping it versus exchanging to EUSS BRC? What’s then the point of keeping EEA PR BRC until it’s expiry as that quoted thread suggest? Thanks

Please keep in mind the thread you are referring to is more than a year old.

The original post above was written before it was announced that EEA residence cards would expire on 30th June 2021. So at that time it made sense to keep the card until its expiration day. If I were to write that post today, I would instead highlight the fact that people need to apply for a EUSS card anyways, if they want smooth travel in and out of the UK after June 30th 2021.

Moral of the story: Please refrain from taking guidance from old posts when referring to Brexit-related rules and regulations. Chances are whatever was known then is different from what is known now.

Also, what @secret.simon says: one thing is coming in and out of the UK, a very different thing is visiting the EU. I would guess that because the UK is no longer in the EU, UK-issued EEA RCs are probably no longer valid to visit the EU already, regardless of their validity to enter the UK until June 30th 2021. (this is only my guess though).

[1878]

Ok I understand. Thanks a lot for clarifying.