French schools avoid trips to the UK in favor of Ireland because “they also speak English and you don’t need a passport to visit”.
Due to increased red tape when traveling to the UK after Brexit – requiring EU visitors to present a passport instead of an ID card – some French school leaders have shifted their focus to Ireland for convenience.
Many French families do not have a passport because they mainly travel in the border-free zone of Europe.
And while passes aren’t the most expensive purchase (€17 for under-15s, €42 for 15-18s and €86 for adults), they are a step too far for some schools.
Other problems include that some French students from third countries need a visa to enter the UK – which can cost €118 and requires families to travel to the big cities to raise the money.
The number of French students going on school trips to the UK has fallen after Brexit
Many French people don’t actually have a passport – which involves travel costs
With 7.7 percent of France’s population coming from third countries, this is giving schools many headaches they didn’t have before Brexit.
Didier Rys, head of the Vauban Lycée in Aire-sur-la-Lys in northern France, articulated the problems facing the sector, telling French publication La Voix du Nord that the new system was “problematic”. .
He said: “Because of Brexit, going to our English neighbors is too restrictive and too difficult.
“You need a pass for each student, which is an extra cost for families.”
The play goes on to say that Ireland is now more attractive than “them”. speak English and do not need a passport”.
Speaking to the Times, Edward Hisbergues, director of UK school tour operator PG Trips, said the new process was like a “Hundred Years’ War”.
He said: “Families travel to the visa application center and it can take a lot of time and money if you live in a small town in the Dordogne or anywhere along that line. You pay for the visa application but will not receive a refund if it is not rejected. It is very scary.’
‘[The Home Office] seem to think these students will stay in the UK illegally but we send 15,000 students a year and I don’t know of anyone who hasn’t returned. What picture does that picture paint of Great Britain?
“It’s 2023, not 1400. It’s like they think they’re still in the Hundred Years War.”
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James is an author and travel journalist who writes for The Fashion Vibes. With a love for exploring new cultures and discovering unique destinations, James brings his readers on a journey with him through his articles.
