Andrew Taylor, 61, a divorced care company owner from Liverpool, owns a holiday home in Alicante, Spain<\/a>, and in Cianciana, Sicily<\/a>.<\/p>\n He has spent time in his homes on the continent for nearly three decades but says he is finally considering moving there permanently, after regulation came in last month that makes it more difficult for Britons with second homes in Europe.\u00a0 <\/p>\n The Entry\/Exit System (EES)<\/a> means travellers from non-EU countries, including the UK, must register biometric details such as fingerprints and facial photographs the first time they enter an EU member state, with the data stored for three years.<\/p>\n However, numerous Britons have reported waiting for hours in queues since the system\u2019s introduction.<\/p>\n For Taylor, the new biometric scans will make flexibility around Brexit rules that limit Britons to 90 days in the EU in every 180-day period impossible and add complications to what is already a burden for Britons navigating European travel. <\/p>\n It is now becoming more tempting to leave the UK for good and seek residency in a European country. <\/p>\n Earlier this month, Taylor travelled to Spain and had to face hours-long queues to get into the country.<\/p>\n \u201cThe EES rules will make it harder and more time consuming than it already is to travel to Europe. I feel even more frustrated and mad than I already was with Brexit,\u201d Taylor told The i Paper.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd, I am definitely more concerned that this won\u2019t allow me to fully enjoy my two holiday homes abroad.\u201d<\/p>\n According to Taylor, the EES now makes it impossible to bypass the 90-day restriction. Previously, he said, many Britons with second homes in the EU might have been able to avoid tight controls at European airports thanks to officers willing to allow some flexibility. The EES now makes this impossible. <\/p>\n \u201cI think until now, whilst your passport has been stamped as you arrive and leave the country, nobody really checked how many days you were there\u201d, he said. <\/p>\n \u201cBut now it\u2019s all going to be electronically monitored, there\u2019s no flexibility, and everything will take more time. If you make a mistake with your 90 days or you need to travel in an emergency it will be a problem.\u201d<\/p>\n The new travel system means Taylor faces a conundrum: fight or flight. He is seriously thinking of ditching the UK for good, rather than selling his European properties. High taxes in Britain, which are expected to go up again in Wednesday\u2019s Budget<\/a>, are another major factor that could impact his decision. <\/p>\n \u201cWe have a UK budget on 26\/11 and I know a lot of people who are thinking of leaving the UK. It\u2019s a very difficult decision to make but with the 90-days restrictions and higher UK taxes I have to consider moving away,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Taylor says he is considering seeking Spanish or Italian residency to get around the new rules. His choice could ultimately depend on which country would offer a more advantageous fiscal regime to expats. <\/p>\n \u201cThis is a big question. Having property in both countries I would only consider becoming a resident in either Spain or Italy. I have already started to look into visa applications to see which would be the easiest and most tax-efficient way to do this.\u201d<\/p>\n Taylor bought his first holiday home in Spain back in 1999 and has since owned and sold five homes, all in the coastal area of Cabo Roig near Murcia, in Spain\u2019s province of Alicante. He bought his house in Cianciana in 2014 because he felt Sicily offered a more cultural escape rather than just beaches and warm weather. <\/p>\n \t\tYour next read<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/comp-1763731528.png\")
Taylor\u2019s villa in Cabo Roig in the Alicante region on Spain\u2019s Costa Blanca; his home in Cianciana, Sicily<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/SEI_275062121.jpg\")
The interior of his Sicily home, in the historic centre of the village of Cianciana<\/p>\n
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