The news would undoubtedly be welcomed by schools, students and their parents: from 2024, it should be possible for French students to travel to the UK on a school trip simply with their identity card.. No need for a passport!
Brexit has changed the game for school trips
In the post-Brexit context, entering the UK has become a little more complicated for EU nationals. Indeed, since the start of this new era.., a valid passport is now required to cross the English Channel.
The passport requirement has had a significant impact on the school travel market: In addition to the additional administrative burden it represents for families, it has also generated significant additional costs: time-consuming appointments at the town halletc.
The return of the identity card as a travel document
According to recently published articles and exchanges between French and English administrations, French students will soon be able to travel to the UK again with a simple national identity card, as was the case before the Brexit. This measure will therefore specifically concern school trips, and is said to aim to make life easier for schools and families.
The benefits of a return to ID card use
- Less red tape: No need to apply for a passport in a hurry if you need one for a school trip.
- Cost reduction : families will be spared the cost of a tax stamp for a passport (€86 for adults, €42 for minors aged 15 to 18 and €17 for minors under 15).
- Facilitation for students requiring a visa: as part of a school trip, they will always be exempt from this obligation.
A measure that raises questions and concerns
However, this information also raises questions about its actual implementation. In particular, the discussions between the European and British governments on this issue will need to be closely monitored.
Will it be extended to all EU member states? Will there be specific conditions to be met? What about tourist or professional trips outside the school environment? All these questions remain unanswered to this day.
It also remains to be seen whether acollective passport"(a special feature dedicated to school trips and adapted to students who do not hold European nationality) will or will not be required..
Expectations of players in the school travel sector
For the time being, nothing is official, but this possibility is already raising a lot of hopes among school trip organizers and the establishments concerned. Indeed, with the return of the identity card as a travel document for these trips, they hope to see a faster rate of bookings and easier logistics.
The UK tourism sector would also benefit from this measure
What's more, this measure could also have a positive impact on the British tourism economy. By making access to the country less restrictive for young Europeans, it may help to revitalize this sector, which has been particularly hard hit by the health crisis and the economic consequences of Brexit.
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