Since the UK left the EU, the length of time Britons can stay in European countries without a visa has been limited and they face hefty fines if they overstay.
Before the 2016 Brexit referendum, Britons had freedom of movement within the Schengen area, but are now only allowed to stay in an EU country for 90 days in any 180-day period, with the rule coming into force at the end of the transition period. January 31, 2020.
Those who overstay in Italy and Spain face fines of up to €10,000, according to Euronews.
However, some EU countries have begun lobbying the 27-nation bloc to lift travel restrictions for UK residents who want to stay in the country long-term.
Which countries want to remove the 90 day rule?
Earlier this month, Spain joined France in calling for the 90-day rule to be scrapped, saying it was having a negative impact on the economy as Brits with a second home in Spain no longer stayed there as long as before Brexit.
More UK residents visited Spain than any other country in 2022, according to the Office for National Statistics. They made 15.6 million visits to Spain last year, down 14 percent on 2019.
According to statistics, France and Italy were the second most visited countries by the British. According to the National Institute of Economic Research and Statistics, 86,000 properties in France are owned by UK residents.
Britons with a second home in France could automatically become eligible for a long-term visa in the country after the French Senate this month backed a change in legislation being debated by the Assembly National des Deputies (similar to MPs in the British Parliament). .. must be December.
Following the end of the Brexit transition period, British citizens require a long-stay visa if they stay in France or a French overseas territory for more than 90 days.
British homeowners with residence permit in France and staying in the country for three to six months a year must apply for a temporary long-term visitor visa.
Anyone staying in France for more than six months a year must apply for a visitor visa for a longer stay.
A long-stay visa can last from three months to a year, and Britons must reapply from the beginning after the visa expires.
Will the rule be changed?
Details about how the new law will work have not yet been disclosed. For example, you may see Britons at the French border showing a document proving they own a second home in France.
If the “automatic visa scheme” is approved, Britons who own a second home in France will have the right to come and live in France for as long as they wish, without the current formalities.
However, this does not only apply to individual countries.
Hector Gomez, Spain’s tourism minister, said: “Unfortunately, this regulation is not something that Spain has introduced itself or can avoid.”
The EU must approve any changes with the consent of all 28 countries in the bloc.
“It is in our interests to lobby and convince the EU that we can try to make an exception for them,” Gomez said.
Mr Gomez met with Jennifer Anderson, director of British consular services at the Foreign Office, where he said they discussed “important issues related to the stay of British tourists in Spain and cooperation projects for future seasons.” Time reported.
Source: I News
I am Michael Melvin, an experienced news writer with a passion for uncovering stories and bringing them to the public. I have been working in the news industry for over five years now, and my work has been published on multiple websites. As an author at 24 News Reporters, I cover world section of current events stories that are both informative and captivating to read.