BREXIT: Hundreds of passport requests at Romanian Consulate in London

Brexit puts pressure on consular staff in the United Kingdom. Hundreds of Romanian citizens submit daily requests for passports, worried that they will not be able to travel only with their ID card or that they will not be able to apply for UK resident status.

Radio Romania News Channel (RRA) Special Envoy in London, Dan Vasiliu: Romanian Consulate in London processes around 600 requests for documents daily, out of which over half are for electronic passports. Situation of Brexit is yet uncertain, and the Easter holidays are approaching, so many Romanians fear that they will not be able to travel only with their identity card.

Ciprian Muntean, Romanian Consul in London:We want to assure Romanian citizens that in the case of a Brexit agreement, Romanian citizens will be able to travel from UK to Romania and return on the basis of their identity card until 31 December 2025. In the case of a Brexit without consent, Romanian citizens will also be able to travel from UK to Romania and return on the basis of their identity card until 1 January 2021. Our message is: Remain calm.

RRA Reporter: Those who wish to apply for UK settlement, which guarantees same rights in the UK after Brexit, can do it online only with an electronic passport, although there is a possibility to file documents also by mail post, where only ID will be enough.

Romanian citizens who have been living in the UK for more than five years can already apply for settlement status, and those who have been living for less than a year - for the pre-settlement status. Here too, process is a lasting one.

In case of Brexit without agreement, applications are open until the end of 2020; in case of Brexit with agreement, by 30 June 2021.

Due to the large number of requests for passports, Consulate of Romania in London states that the waiting period until release of the document may exceed three months.

Source:RRA.Translated by Miruna Matei