Asked by: Elsie Blundell (Labour - Heywood and Middleton North)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps he is taking to assess the potential merits of flexible visa arrangements with the European Union for British nationals who face challenges with the Schengen rules.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
The UK and the EU allow for visa-free short-term travel in line with their respective arrangements for third country nationals. UK nationals can travel visa-free within the Schengen Area for up to 90 days in any rolling 180-day period; this is standard for third countries travelling visa-free to the EU. There may be opportunities to apply for visas to stay for longer periods of time, in accordance with the rules of individual Member States. The UK Government will continue to listen to and advocate for UK nationals.