An independent Scotland would have to wait up to eight years to rejoin the European Union and be forced to set up dozens of expensive new public bodies, according to analysis by Holyrood officials.
Civil servants warned that even under a best-case scenario it would take between three and four years for Scotland to re-enter the bloc.
The information was released through freedom of information laws even though ministers had hoped to keep it secret.
Darren Fitzhenry, the information commissioner, ruled that there was significant public interest in the analysis being published.
The document points out that new public bodies would need to be set up to meet EU membership rules and replace functions of the UK government. It suggests that more than 30 organisations would be required in areas such as trade, finance, justice, education, environment and culture.
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The rough timescales for setting those up was given as between six months and four years, depending on the scale of what was being replaced.
The report said: “The setting up of appropriate administrative and regulatory structures is likely to be expensive and lengthy”.
Work on a formal application to the EU could only begin after Scotland had separated from the UK.
Officials noted there would be an expectation for Scotland to adopt the euro as currency and also the Schengen visa-free travel zone, which could mean passport checks for cross-border travel to England.
The document, written before the Brexit vote, appears to undermine SNP claims that an independent Scotland would have a relatively quick and seamless route back into the EU.
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It said: “The best-case scenario for Scotland would involve a total timeline of three to four years and the upper limit could be up to eight years, based on Scotland acceding to the EU from third country status.”
The report goes on to highlight the quickest EU accession, Finland in two years and nine months, as well as longer examples such as the 12 years taken by Bulgaria and Romania.
Ian Murray, the Labour MP and shadow Scottish secretary, said: “It’s no wonder the SNP wanted to keep this damning analysis from the public. This makes abundantly clear that the SNP’s independence plans would be Brexit on steroids: years of political upheaval and economic harm justified by a vague promise of jam tomorrow.”
The Scottish government said the information did not reflect its current thinking or past or present policy.
A spokesman said that some of the advice “pre-dates the pandemic and other significant developments”, such as the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA).
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He added: “To give people the information they need to make an informed choice about Scotland’s constitutional future, ministers will shortly publish a paper setting out how an independent Scotland would rejoin the EU, in order to escape the damage of Brexit and enjoy the benefits of being back in the EU as a full, equal member.”
