The UK government clarified that European citizens will continue to be allowed to enter the UK without a visa, but only in certain circumstances.
With a recent communication, the UK government clarified the rules valid from 2021 for EU citizens wishing to enter the country. Citizens of the EU, EEA and Switzerland will still be allowed to enter the United Kingdom without a visa for short term stays – for touristic reasons – or to perform activities permitted as “Business Visitors”.
Among the activities permitted under the “Business Visitor” scope, there are some technical activities such as installation, repair and maintenance of machinery sold to UK-based clients in the frame of a pre-existing post-sales assistance contract. In order to perform work activities that fall outside those permitted, EU citizens will be required to apply for the right work visa, to avoid the risk to be rejected at the border or for the employer to incur in fines.
Furthermore, starting from October 1, 2021, entry into the UK will be subject to the possession of a passport valid for the whole duration of the stay in the UK. Therefore, starting from said date, citizens of the EU, EEA and Switzerland will not be allowed to enter the country with their sole national ID document. An exception applies to citizens who have applied for the “EU Settlement Scheme”, or those who are holding an “EU Settlement Scheme family permit”, or a “Frontier worker permit”, or an “S2 Healthcare Visitor” or a “Swiss Service Provider Visa”. These citizens will be allowed to enter the UK with their sole national ID card until December 31, 2025.
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