UK Plans to Keep Visa-Free Travel for EU Citizens

European nationals will still be able to pass freely without passport checks between the Irish Republic and Northern Ireland after the UK’s departure from the EU, under new government plans.

It comes after officials published the second Brexit negotiating position paper on the contentious issue of the Irish border, which includes preserving the Common Travel Area between the two countries, The Independent reported.

Due to the government’s insistence that there must be “no return to the hard borders of the past” and that no physical border will be erected between Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic, EU citizens will be able to travel freely between them and into the rest of the UK.

According to reports in The Times, an anticipated plan by the Home Office on post-Brexit migration will add that there will be no extra curbs on EU citizens travelling to Britain through airports and ports.

The BBC added it would mean visitors from the bloc would only need permission to work, study or settle in the UK.

In practice, it will mean there will be no passport checks, no CCTV cameras and no checkpoints at the 300-mile border for EU nationals–despite repeated promises of “taking back control” of the UK’s borders after Brexit during the referendum campaign last year.

Nigel Farage, the former Ukip leader, accused the government of “bowing to EU demands”, adding that the operation of the land border between the north and south should be none of their business.

“That the government would willingly allow EU national to freely move into UK territory is of concern,” he said.

The government, however, believes restricting the availability of jobs to EU nationals and access to social security will deter many from making the journey.

Speaking on Wednesday, British Premier Theresa May repeated her insistence that the UK government does not want to “see a return of the borders of the past” and that “we are able to ensure the crucial flow of goods and people between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland is able to continue in the future”.

She added: “I want people to be absolutely clear: The UK does not want to see border posts for any purpose.”