Travelling between France and the UK: what are the requirements?

Travelling between France and the United Kingdom is now much simpler than it was during the Covid-19 pandemic, but the UK entry and residence requirements since Brexit have changed significantly. Passports, the UK ETA, maximum length of stay and border controls: the rules depend in particular on your nationality and the direction of travel.

For a French citizen travelling to London, Scotland or elsewhere in the United Kingdom for a short stay, the two main documents to remember are now a passport and, unless exempt, an ETA (Electronic Travel Authorisation). In the other direction, a British citizen travelling to France for a short stay can generally travel without a visa but must comply with the rules that apply to non-EU visitors entering the Schengen Area.

What are the requirements for travelling from France to the United Kingdom?

A French citizen travelling to the United Kingdom for tourism or another short stay will generally need a passport valid for the entire duration of the stay and a valid ETA.

An ETA does not replace a passport and is not a visa. It is an electronic travel authorisation that allows eligible travellers to travel to the United Kingdom for certain stays without a visa.

Do you need a passport to travel to the United Kingdom?

Yes, in the vast majority of cases. Since Brexit, a French national identity card is no longer sufficient for an ordinary tourist trip to the United Kingdom.

Your passport must be valid for the entire duration of your stay. Unlike some destinations, the United Kingdom does not require EU visitors to have several additional months of passport validity beyond their planned departure date.

Do you need an ETA to travel to the United Kingdom?

Yes, for most French travellers visiting the United Kingdom for a short stay who do not already have UK immigration status.

The ETA for travelling to the United Kingdom (Electronic Travel Authorisation) is an electronic travel authorisation linked to your passport. It applies to travel including tourism, visits to family or friends, certain business trips and short-term study.

An application currently costs £20 per person, and every traveller who requires an ETA must have their own authorisation, including babies and children.

Exemptions apply to certain travellers, including British and Irish citizens, holders of certain UK visas and people who already have permission to live, work or study in the United Kingdom. This includes many people with settled status or pre-settled status.

Do you need a visa to travel to the United Kingdom?

A French citizen travelling for tourism or another short visit generally does not need a visa for a stay of up to 6 months. An ETA is, however, normally required unless the traveller is exempt.

The rules vary depending on the purpose of your stay. An ETA does not, for example, allow you to move permanently to the United Kingdom or freely take employment with a UK company.

If you are travelling to work, settle in the United Kingdom, undertake certain long-term studies or get married, check which visa or immigration permission applies to your circumstances before booking your trip.

Can you travel to the United Kingdom with a national identity card?

For a French citizen making an ordinary tourist trip, a passport is required. A national identity card is no longer the standard document for entering the United Kingdom following the end of freedom of movement.

Exceptions exist for some people with specific rights, particularly under the EU Settlement Scheme, as well as for certain school trips organised from France.

What travel documents do children need?

For an ordinary family trip, a French child must have their own passport and, where required, their own ETA. A parent's ETA does not automatically cover their children.

Additional French requirements may apply when a minor travels without one of their parents or without a person who has parental responsibility.

What are the rules for school trips between France and the United Kingdom?

Special arrangements apply to certain school trips organised from France. The France-UK School Trip Travel Information Form can, subject to certain conditions, simplify travel requirements for eligible school groups.

Children aged 18 or under who are included on this form are exempt from the ETA requirement, regardless of their nationality. Pupils who are citizens of the European Union, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein can also, in this specific situation, use their national identity card instead of a passport.

What are the requirements for travelling from the United Kingdom to France?

The requirements for entering France from the United Kingdom depend primarily on the traveller's nationality and immigration status, rather than simply on the fact that the journey begins in the United Kingdom.

A French citizen living in London, for example, is not subject to the same immigration rules as a British citizen travelling to France for a holiday.

For French and EU citizens

A French citizen returning to France from the United Kingdom remains a citizen of the European Union. The rules imposed on British visitors making short stays in the Schengen Area therefore do not apply to them in the same way.

If you are a citizen of another European Union or European Economic Area country, or Switzerland, the rules depend on your nationality and final destination.

For British citizens

Since Brexit, British citizens are considered third-country nationals when entering the Schengen Area, unless they have a particular status that gives them different rights.

For a short tourist stay in France, a British citizen generally does not need a visa. They must, however, travel with a passport that meets the requirements for entering the Schengen Area.

For a traveller holding a standard British passport, the passport must in particular:

• have been issued less than 10 years before the date of entry into the Schengen Area;
• be valid for at least 3 months after the planned date of departure from the Schengen Area.

How long can a British citizen stay in France without a visa?

For short stays, British citizens can generally remain in the Schengen Area for up to 90 days in any 180-day period without a visa.

This limit does not apply only to France: days spent in other countries in the Schengen Area must also be taken into account.

A stay of more than 90 days in France generally requires a long-stay visa, unless the traveller has a particular status or right of residence.

What is the EES when travelling from the United Kingdom to France?

The EES (Entry/Exit System) is the European system that digitally records the entry and exit of many non-EU travellers making short stays in the Schengen Area.

Following a gradual rollout, the system has been fully operational since 10 April 2026. It applies in particular to British citizens making short stays in France, unless they are exempt.

When crossing the border, the system can record passport information as well as biometric data, such as a facial image and, depending on the traveller's age and circumstances, fingerprints.

Do you already need an ETIAS authorisation to travel to France?

No, not yet. At the time this article was updated, ETIAS (European Travel Information and Authorisation System) had not yet entered into operation.

The exact date on which ETIAS will become operational will be announced by the European Union ahead of its launch. Once the system is in place, it will apply to many visa-exempt travellers visiting the Schengen Area.

Are there still Covid restrictions between France and the United Kingdom?

The exceptional measures that restricted travel during the pandemic are no longer part of the ordinary travel requirements between France and the United Kingdom.

Travellers therefore no longer have to follow the 2021 rules that, depending on the period and direction of travel, required PCR tests, day 2 and day 8 tests, a passenger locator form, quarantine, designated quarantine hotels, red list rules or essential reasons for travel.

If you find an old page or form referring to these measures, check its publication date before planning your trip.

Eurostar, plane or ferry: are the travel requirements different?

The main immigration rules depend on your nationality, immigration status and destination, not on your chosen means of transport.

A French citizen who needs a passport and ETA to travel to the United Kingdom by plane therefore also needs the required documents when travelling by Eurostar, ferry or through the Channel Tunnel.

The way border controls are organised can, however, vary. On some cross-Channel routes, border checks for the destination country take place before boarding.

Allow enough time before departure, particularly during busy travel periods and if you are completing your first registration in the EES.

FAQ: travelling between France and the United Kingdom

Does a French citizen need a passport to travel to London?

Yes. For an ordinary tourist trip, a French citizen must have a passport valid for the entire duration of their stay in the United Kingdom. A national identity card alone is generally no longer sufficient.

Does a French citizen need an ETA to travel to London?

Yes, in most cases. French citizens making a short visit to the United Kingdom generally need to obtain an ETA before travelling, unless they already have an immigration status or permission that exempts them.

How much does the UK ETA cost?

The UK ETA currently costs £20 per person, including for children who are subject to the requirement.

Can you travel to London with a French national identity card?

Not for an ordinary tourist trip. Exceptions apply in certain circumstances, including for some people covered by the EU Settlement Scheme and some pupils taking part in an organised school trip from France.

Do you need a visa for a weekend in London?

A French citizen generally does not need a visa for a short tourist stay in the United Kingdom. They do, however, need a passport and, unless exempt, an ETA.

Does a British citizen need a visa to visit France?

Not for a short tourist stay within the limit of 90 days in any 180-day period in the Schengen Area. Longer stays and certain purposes of travel may require a visa or another form of permission.

Are British citizens subject to the EES in France?

Yes, generally for short stays, unless they fall within an exemption. The EES electronically records the entry and exit of eligible non-EU travellers at the external borders of the Schengen Area.

Do you need an ETA to travel by Eurostar?

If your nationality and immigration status mean that you need an ETA to enter the United Kingdom, yes. Travelling by Eurostar rather than by plane does not exempt you from this requirement.

Do you still need a Covid test to travel between France and the United Kingdom?

The mandatory Covid tests introduced under the pandemic travel rules are no longer part of the ordinary requirements for travelling between France and the United Kingdom.

Summary

For a French citizen travelling to the United Kingdom for a short stay, the simplest rule to remember today is: valid passport + ETA, unless an exemption applies. A visa is generally not required for a tourist stay of less than 6 months.

In the other direction, a British citizen travelling to France can generally make a tourist visit without a visa for up to 90 days in any 180-day period in the Schengen Area. Their passport must meet the applicable validity requirements, and they may be subject to the European EES.

PCR tests, quarantine, passenger locator forms and the other health restrictions that dominated travel between the two countries in 2021 are no longer part of the ordinary travel requirements. Before each trip, check the entry requirements that apply to your nationality, destination and purpose of travel.