Brexit: Owning a Second Home in the EU27

This briefing was published in July 2019, prior to the Withdrawal Agreement and the Trade and Cooperation Agreement. It is no longer being updated. For an up-to-date briefing on issues relating to travel and staying in the EU following these two agreements and the end of the Brexit transition period on 31 December 2020 see: Library briefing paper 9157, After Brexit: Visiting, working, and living in the EU

The consequences of Brexit for UK nationals who do not permanently reside in the EU27, but rather own property or otherwise stay there for personal reasons for extended periods, have received less attention than many other facets of Brexit to date.

This paper compiles responses to a variety of frequently asked questions by MPs on behalf of their constituents who, for example:

• Own or wish to own property in an EU Member State
• Travel to that Member State regularly and stay for extended periods in their property there (eg, several months at a time)
• Rely on European Health Insurance Cards for their healthcare while abroad… 

And have asked whether this will be possible still after Brexit.

The Commons Library’s briefings should not be considered a substitute for professional legal advice, not least because it is a criminal offence for a person who is neither registered, authorised nor exempt to provide immigration or asylum advice or representation in the course of a business. The Library also does not have the expertise to comment in detail on the domestic law of other Member States. Instead, this briefing paper will signpost a variety of sources made available by the UK Government and Member State governments that may help address these kinds of questions.