UK: ETA now mandatory for European travellers

♪ London Calling ♪, but showing up empty-handed is no longer an option. As of April 2, 2025, European citizens now need an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) to enter the UK.

📌 In brief:

• From April 2, 2025, ETA is mandatory for EU nationals.
• Application is made online, costing £10 until April 8, 2025, then £16.
• The ETA is valid for 2 years and allows multiple stays of up to 180 days.
• For the time being, travelers in transit benefit from an exemption.

As of today, visa-exempt European travelers – including French, Belgian and Swiss citizens – are required to obtain an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) before entering the United Kingdom (England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland).

This digital formality, inspired by the American ESTA model, was previously reserved for nationals of 53 non-European countries.

87 countries affected by ETA for the UK

With the integration of European countries into the scheme on April 2, 2025, 87 nationalities are now required to obtain an ETA before traveling to the UK.

This system exclusively concerns nationals of the following countries, which are exempt from short-stay visa requirements in the UK:

• Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Bahrain, Barbados, Belgium, Belize, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kiribati, Kuwait, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macau, Malaysia, Maldives, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritius, Mexico, Micronesia, Monaco, Nauru, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Oman, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Saudi Arabia, Solomon Islands, Spain, South Korea, United Arab Emirates, United States. Saint Kitts and Nevis, San Marino, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Saint Lucia, Samoa, Seychelles, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Tonga, Tuvalu, Uruguay, and the Vatican.

Whether for tourism, business, a family visit, or a sporting event, these travelers must now complete the ETA process to enter the United Kingdom.

The ETA: a simple application… but the price will soon increase

The good news is that the application can be made entirely online, either via the UK government’s website www.gov.uk, or via the “UK ETA” mobile app available to users of iOS and Android devices.

In just a few minutes, travelers can submit their form, attach their passport and passport photo, then pay the authorization fee online. Until April 8, 2025, the ETA fee is set at £10 (around €13 / US$13). From April 9, 2025, however, the ETA will cost £16 (around €20 / US$21). So if you’re planning a trip to the UK in the near future, it’s best to plan ahead.

Once issued, the ETA is valid for two years, or until your passport expires. It allows you to make several short stays (up to six months for tourism, business or short studies), without having to renew the application for each trip.

Some exceptions… but not for everyone

While the rule now applies to the vast majority of Europeans, a few exceptions remain—temporarily. This is particularly the case for French school groups: students traveling as part of an educational trip will still be able, for a while, to enter the United Kingdom without an ETA, simply by presenting an identity card.

Another special case: passengers in transit. Those who do not cross British border controls (for example, during a stopover at Heathrow) are not affected by the ETA. However, this exemption could change in the coming months, according to British authorities.

French day trippers to the Channel Islands, such as Jersey and Guernsey, will not need an ETA until the end of 2025, as long as they do not transit through the rest of the United Kingdom. A French identity card will therefore remain sufficient until the ETA comes into force for these territories.

A security measure, but also a symbolic one

With the introduction of the ETA for Europeans, the UK is continuing the gradual tightening of its post-Brexit migration controls. While the authorities insist on security and border fluidity objectives, the measure also sends a clear message: the days of free movement are well and truly over.

For travelers, the challenge is simple: adapt quickly to this new framework. The ETA is now a sine qua non for entering the UK, even if it’s just for a weekend in London.