Cycling UK Forum

So how about the coach loads of holiday makers on 'package' trips into Europe? They've paid up front for their trip/accomodation, will they also have to prove they have €500 per week of their trip?

Out of curiosity, is there a reciprocal 'arrangement' for visitors to Brexit land? What if we travelled via the Irish Republic?

foxyrider wrote: 22 Apr 2022, 4:45pm So how about the coach loads of holiday makers on 'package' trips into Europe? They've paid up front for their trip/accomodation, will they also have to prove they have €500 per week of their trip?

Generally, there are several recognized ways to prove your financial sufficiency:
A personal bank statement indicating your financial movements (for at least 3 last months)
Credit card
Cash
Traveller’s cheques
Payslips
Proof of employment
Supporting document to attest sponsor’s readiness to cover your expenses during your stay
Proof of prepaid accommodation
Document about accommodation in private
Proof of prepaid transport
Other

https://www.schengenvisainfo.com/scheng ... bsistence/

My emboldening.

Jonathan

I read about the Gibraltar thing a few days ago. It was something particular to that border and such things happen fairly regularly.

Interestingly, they were only hassling pedestrians, cars passed unhindered. Much like I did on my bike a few weeks ago.

foxyrider wrote: 22 Apr 2022, 4:45pmOut of curiosity, is there a reciprocal 'arrangement' for visitors to Brexit land?

The requirements depend on what type of visitor you are. For Standard Visitors:

Check you meet the eligibility requirements
You must have a passport or travel document to enter the UK. It should be valid for the whole of your stay.
You must be able to show that:
• you’ll leave the UK at the end of your visit
• you’re able to support yourself and your dependants during your trip (or have funding from someone else to support you)
• you’re able to pay for your return or onward journey (or have funding from someone else to pay for the journey)
• you’ll not live in the UK for extended periods through frequent or successive visits, or make the UK your main home

https://www.gov.uk/standard-visitor

My emboldening.

Jonathan

Jdsk wrote: 22 Apr 2022, 4:53pm

foxyrider wrote: 22 Apr 2022, 4:45pmOut of curiosity, is there a reciprocal 'arrangement' for visitors to Brexit land?

The requirements depend on what type of visitor you are. For Standard Visitors:

Check you meet the eligibility requirements
You must have a passport or travel document to enter the UK. It should be valid for the whole of your stay.

You must be able to show that:
you’ll leave the UK at the end of your visit
you’re able to support yourself and your dependants during your trip (or have funding from someone else to support you)
you’re able to pay for your return or onward journey (or have funding from someone else to pay for the journey)
you’ll not live in the UK for extended periods through frequent or successive visits, or make the UK your main home

https://www.gov.uk/standard-visitor

My emboldening.

Jonathan

Thats rather more lenient than 'you must have €60 per day of your visit'.

foxyrider wrote: 22 Apr 2022, 4:57pm

Jdsk wrote: 22 Apr 2022, 4:53pm

foxyrider wrote: 22 Apr 2022, 4:45pmOut of curiosity, is there a reciprocal 'arrangement' for visitors to Brexit land?

The requirements depend on what type of visitor you are. For Standard Visitors:

Check you meet the eligibility requirements
You must have a passport or travel document to enter the UK. It should be valid for the whole of your stay.

You must be able to show that:
you’ll leave the UK at the end of your visit
you’re able to support yourself and your dependants during your trip (or have funding from someone else to support you)
you’re able to pay for your return or onward journey (or have funding from someone else to pay for the journey)
you’ll not live in the UK for extended periods through frequent or successive visits, or make the UK your main home

https://www.gov.uk/standard-visitor

My emboldening.

Jonathan

Thats rather more lenient than 'you must have €60 per day of your visit'.

Or it might be rather harsher. No way to know from that vagueness. Probably depends on the border guard and what they think of you.

foxyrider wrote: 22 Apr 2022, 4:57pm

Jdsk wrote: 22 Apr 2022, 4:53pm You must be able to show that:
you’ll leave the UK at the end of your visit
you’re able to support yourself and your dependants during your trip (or have funding from someone else to support you)
you’re able to pay for your return or onward journey (or have funding from someone else to pay for the journey)
you’ll not live in the UK for extended periods through frequent or successive visits, or make the UK your main home[/i]

https://www.gov.uk/standard-visitor

My emboldening.

Jonathan

Thats rather more lenient than 'you must have €60 per day of your visit'.

It's more open to interpretation.

Continued delays in issuing blue passports. No solid data but doesn't sound as if it will improve soon.

"Travellers told to apply as soon as possible as MPs accuse agency of running ‘absolute shambles’":
https://www.theguardian.com/money/2022/ ... r-holidays

Jonathan

Jdsk wrote: 30 Apr 2022, 8:54am Continued delays in issuing blue passports. No solid data but doesn't sound as if it will improve soon.

"Travellers told to apply as soon as possible as MPs accuse agency of running ‘absolute shambles’":
https://www.theguardian.com/money/2022/ ... r-holidays

Jonathan

I find myself wondering if this news is to distract us from something else. Passport delays seem commonplace. when I got my current passport (now several years old) delays were over the 13 weeks the report highlights. I ended-up booking an "interview" and driving to the passport office and paying a significant surcharge. Couple of years ago my brother had to cancel an overseas trip because the Passport Office took over 20 weeks to process his new passport and 10 years ago different brother had to get and use an Australian passport because of UK Passport Office delays.

I don't know the causes but having a Passport Office that is always staffed to cater for rare surges in applications would cost us so if (as the report suggests) the surge is after ending of Covid restrictions and EU passport validity requirements then one can hardly blame the Passport Office because the public failed to plan their travel.

Ian

I took the ferry over to Hook of Holland at the weekend. The Dutch border guard asked the purpose of my trip and where I was staying. I wasn’t asked for any proof of funds, booking etc although I could have provided it if needed.

I think if you don’t have any accommodation pre-booked it’s worth at least knowing the area or town where you’re heading. Answering with “I’m not sure” is more likely to raise suspicion than confidently naming a place, even if you’re not certain you’ll actually make it there (just IMO)

Psamathe wrote: 30 Apr 2022, 12:29pm I find myself wondering if this news is to distract us from something else. Passport delays seem commonplace. when I got my current passport (now several years old) delays were over the 13 weeks the report highlights. I ended-up booking an "interview" and driving to the passport office and paying a significant surcharge. Couple of years ago my brother had to cancel an overseas trip because the Passport Office took over 20 weeks to process his new passport and 10 years ago different brother had to get and use an Australian passport because of UK Passport Office delays.

I don't know the causes but having a Passport Office that is always staffed to cater for rare surges in applications would cost us so if (as the report suggests) the surge is after ending of Covid restrictions and EU passport validity requirements then one can hardly blame the Passport Office because the public failed to plan their travel.

Ian

My personal experience, having renewed several passports lately...

Mini V needed a new passport early last year. I submitted the application on-line, sent in all the documents the next day, and her new passport arrived about 3 weeks later.

Littlest's passport expired later in the year. I submitted the paperwork in late December, sent the passport on the first day in January that post went, & the new passport was with us in 2 weeks (fastest service I have ever experienced).

My passport expired in the middle of April. I completed the paperwork, and sent my old passport on the day it expired. Postal tracking says my old passport was signed for on the 23rd April, HM passport office sent me a reminder yesterday to send in my documents. Passport application tracking says nothing has been received. The website & my reminder email say something to the affect of: if you sent your documentation in the last 2 weeks, it might not have been registered / please ignore this notice.

In the past, I have found the passport office to be quick and efficient. I thought that they were much better than in other countries. Although I only have passport application experience with one other, in Norway, the same process is used for other stuff, like my residency card, and it takes months.

Although it seems to me that there are delays in the British system, it probably puts them more inline with other bureaucracies.

Been to the Netherlands and back over the weekend. Not cycling.

I wasn't asked for anything other than my passport. No "how long are you staying?", no "what's the purpose of your trip?" Nothing. Took my passport, looked at me, stamped it, gave it back, on your way son.

My British passport was reissued last year without any fuss or unreasonable delay (it used to be reissued in the states but now is done somewhere in the midlands), my US Green Card however still has not be renewed 8 months after applying for it. I think it is all down to using Covid as an excuse for indolence.

Just another reminder- make sure you get stamped in and out of the EU/Schengen so you don’t have any problems with numbers of days etc.

Even pre ESS and ETIAS Portugal is allowing UK passport holders to use e- gates. They say stamp optional as you are recorded on their database. Obviously this could lead to problems elsewhere if you are a frequent traveller rather than a simple tourist on their summer hols.

Other countries may follow with e-gates.