What you need to enter theUK

If you’re a citizen from theEU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein

You will need a valid passport, a valid Irish passport card or (in some cases) a valid national identity card in order to enter theUK. This must be valid for the whole time you are in the UK.

Citizens from theEU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein can travel to theUK for holidays or short trips without needing a visa. In other cases,find out if you need to apply for a visa to enter theUK.

Irish citizens can continue to enter and live in the UK without a visa. Read more aboutentering theUK from Ireland.

Citizens from theEU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein (except Irish citizens) need anelectronic travel authorisation (ETA) to travel to theUK.

Citizens from theEU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein can continue to use the automatic ePassport gates to pass through the border on arrival.

You can use a valid national identity card to enter the UK if you’re from theEU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and you:

• have settled or pre-settled status under theEU Settlement Scheme, or Jersey, Guernsey or the Isle of Man’s settlement scheme
• have anEU Settlement Scheme family permit, or the equivalent from Jersey, Guernsey or the Isle of Man
• have afrontier worker permit
• are anS2 Healthcare Visitor
• are a Swiss citizen and have aService Provider from Switzerland visa

You can also use a valid national identity card to enter the UK if all of the following are true:

• you’ve applied for settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme, or Jersey, Guernsey or the Isle of Man’s settlement scheme
• you’ve been issued with confirmation your application is valid
• you’re not applying as a joining family member (unless you have a valid or expired EUSS family permit)

Valid national identity cards complying with the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards for biometric identification will continue to be accepted indefinitely in these cases.

The position in relation to national identity cards which are not compliant with the ICAO standards will be communicated in due course, but they can continue to be used until announced otherwise.

If you’re a non-EEA national family member of a citizen from theEU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein

You must have a valid passport to enter theUK. It should be valid for the whole of your stay.

You may also need a visa or an electronic travel authorisation (ETA), depending on which country you’re from and the reason for your stay.

Check if you need a visa or ETA to come to theUK. You must have your visa or ETA before you travel to theUK.

If you need a visa, you’ll need to show your airline or transport provider (your ‘carrier’) either:

• a valid visa
• a ‘visa exemption document’ such as anEU Settlement Scheme family permit

Before you travel, check that your visa is valid and will not expire before you enter theUK. 

If you have online proof of your immigration status (aneVisa)

You will usually have an eVisa if you have permission to stay in theUK for longer than 6 months or you have been granted status under theEU Settlement Scheme.

If you do not already have a UKVI account, you need toset up access to your eVisa.

If you’re from a non-EEA country

Your passport (and visa if you have one) will be checked at border control. You’ll usually be asked why you’re coming to theUK.You can use theUK/EEA immigration lanes and the automatic ePassport gates if you’re from:

• Australia
• Canada
• Japan
• New Zealand
• Singapore
• South Korea
• United States

Travelling from within the Common Travel Area (CTA)

The Common Travel Area (CTA) is made up of theUK, Ireland and the Crown Dependencies (Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man).

There aredifferent document requirements if you are travelling to theUK within the CTA.

Business travel to theUK

If you’re from theEU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and travelling to theUK for a short business trip, you may not need to apply for a visa.

Citizens from theEU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein (except Irish citizens) need anelectronic travel authorisation (ETA) to travel to theUK without a visa.

Under theUK’s points-based immigration system, you can continue to visit theUK without applying for a visa. In most cases you can stay for up to 6 months. You may participate in a wide range of activities including business-related activities such as meetings, events and conferences. You may enter theUK multiple times during that period but you may not live in theUK by means of frequent or successive visits.

As a business visitor, you cannot:

• do paid or unpaid work for aUK company or as a self-employed person
• do a work placement or internship
• sell directly to the public or provide goods and services

Read more aboutvisiting theUK on a business trip and check whether you need to apply for a visa to carry out your intended activities.

Check theVisitor Rules and see the full list of business and academicactivities you can do as a visitor to theUK.

Read more about what you can do whenvisiting from Ireland or one of the Crown Dependencies and check whether you need to apply for a visa.

Working in theUK or sending employees to work in theUK

If you require citizens from theEU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein (except Irish citizens) to work in theUK for longer than 6 months, they need to apply for a visa. Find out more aboutworking in theUK.

If you employ or intend to employ a citizen from theEU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein (except Irish citizens) who commutes to theUK, see theguidance for frontier workers.

Trading with theUK

EU businesses can find out more abouttrading with theUK.

Commercial goods (merchandise in baggage)

You must tell customs (‘declare’) if you are bringing commercial goods into theUK in your accompanied baggage or small motor vehicle. Commercial goods are things to sell.

You need tomake a full customs declaration if you are bringing commercial goods that are any of the following:

• above the total value of £1,500 into Great Britain
• above the total value of £873 into Northern Ireland
• excise,restricted orcontrolled goods
• weigh above 1,000 kilograms

Check the rules onmerchandise in baggage.

Professional qualifications

Find out how toget qualifications obtained in theEU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein recognised in theUK.

School travellers entering theUK

Schools in France

You can visit theUK using theFrance-UK school trip travel information form.

This allows:

• children who are citizens from theEU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein to enter with their national identity card instead of a passport
• children who are citizens of other countries to enter without a visa, even if they would normally need one to visit the UK

Children named on the form do not need a visa or an electronic travel authorisation (ETA), whatever their nationality.

Schools in other countries

All schoolchildren need a passport to visit theUK.

Children who are citizens of other countries may also need a visa or anETA -check if you need aUK visa orETA.

What you can bring into theUK

Read the updated guidance on:

• how you bring horses to and from theUK
• how you bring endangered plants, animals or their products to and from theUK

Bringing your pet to and from theUK

Find out aboutpet travel to Europe.

Bringing goods into theUK

Some rules have changed when you bring goods for your own use from theEU to theUK. Find out more aboutbringing goods into theUK.

Controls on cash

Individuals travelling from theEU to theUK with £10,000 or more in cash will need to make a declaration. Find out abouttaking cash in and out of theUK.

Healthcare in theUK

EEA and Swiss citizens visiting theUK should check theguidance on healthcare for the latest information on access to NHS healthcare.

Driving in theUK

If you have a non-UK licence

Visitors with a non-UK driving licence can drive in theUK. You do not need an international driving permit (IDP).

If your vehicle is not insured in theUK

If you have vehicle insurance issued in theEU, Andorra, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Serbia or Switzerland, you should carry an insurance green card or other valid proof of insurance.

To be valid, other proof of insurance must be a document issued by the vehicle insurance provider which includes the:

• name of the insurance provider
• number plate or other identifying particulars of the vehicle
• period of insurance cover

Contact your vehicle insurance provider before you travel.

If your vehicle is insured in a country outside theEU, Andorra, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Serbia or Switzerland, what you’ll need to do will depend onif your country is a member of the green card system.

If your country is a member, you will need to carry a green card.

If your country is not a member, your vehicle will needUK vehicle insurance.

Using your mobile phone in theUK

How much you pay for calls, texts and mobile data in theUK and theEU will depend on your operator. Please check before you travel.

1. 31 October 2025

   The information regarding national identity cards has been updated.

2. 2 October 2025

   Page updated following the introduction of eVisa.

3. 10 February 2025

   Added details about who will need an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) from 2 April 2025, and who will not need an ETA.

4. 31 December 2024

   Updated lines to confirm that you need a valid national passport, and either an EU Settlement Scheme family permit or a an EU Settlement Scheme pre-settled or settled status If you’re a non-EEA family member of an EU, EEA or Swiss citizen.

5. 28 December 2023

   Updated the section on school travellers with information on the France-UK school trip travel information form.

6. 27 May 2022

   Updated 'School travellers entering the UK' as the List of Travellers scheme is no longer in operation.

7. 7 April 2022

   Updated to remove information about travelling to England during coronavirus (COVID-19).

8. 4 October 2021

   Updated information on use of ID cards to enter the UK if you're an EU, EEA or Swiss citizen.

9. 2 September 2021

   Updated information for Irish citizens travelling to the UK from Ireland or the Crown Dependencies.

10. 25 August 2021

    Those with an EU, EEA or Swiss citizen national ID card who have applied to the EU Settlement Scheme will be able to use it to enter the UK whilst they wait for the decision on their application.

11. 24 May 2021

    Added information for EU, EEA and Swiss citizens who have applied to the EU Settlement Scheme by 30 June 2021 but not yet received a decision.Added guidance for Gibraltar identity card holders.Added guidance for Irish citizens.

12. 31 December 2020

    First published.