Visiting UK as an EU, EEA or Swiss citizen 2025

Planning a trip to the UK? Make sure your passport is up to date and valid for your entire stay. If you’re an EU, EEA, or Swiss citizen (excluding Irish nationals), you’ll need an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) starting.

Business travelers can attend meetings, seminars, or events for up to six months, but working directly for a UK company requires a work visa. Students traveling on authorized French school trips can enter with a national ID card, while other international students may need a passport and possibly a visa.

What You Need to Enter UK?

Citizens of the EU, EEA, and Switzerland (with the exception of Irish nationals) will need an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) prior to entering the UK. Your passport must be up to date and valid for the duration of your trip. Entry using a national ID card from the EU, EEA, or Switzerland is no longer permitted unless you qualify for one of the following exceptions:

• According to the EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS), you are either settled or pre-settled.
• You are an S2 Healthcare Visitor, a family permit, or a frontier worker permit.
• You hold a Service Provider visa and are a citizen of Switzerland.

These people do not require an ETA in order to use their ID cards. Irish nationals remain unaffected and are still able to travel freely within the Common Travel Area (CTA).

Business Travel to UK:

EU, EEA, and Swiss nationals are presently exempt from a visa for short business trips; however, starting 2025, an ETA will be needed. Visitors are allowed to stay for up to six months on each trip and attend meetings, seminars, and activities, but they must not:

If you’re traveling to the UK for business purposes, here are the key points you need to know:

• For brief business visits, citizens of the EU, EEA, and Switzerland are still permitted entry into the UK without a visa.
• But as of 2025, these passengers will have to get an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) before visiting.
• During these short visits, travelers can:
  • Attend business meetings
  • Participate in conferences
  • Go to business-related events

They may spend up to six months in the UK on each visit, provided they don’t:

• Accept any position, whether paid or unpaid, with a company established in the UK.
• Engage in work-placement or internship programs.
• Sell goods or services to clients directly in the United Kingdom.

A person must apply for a work visa using the UK’s points-based immigration system if they intend to work there permanently or if their employer is transferring them there.

School Travel Rules:

Here’s a clear explanation of the school travel rules:

• French school groups have a special arrangement when visiting the UK:
  • Students who are citizens of the EU, EEA, or Switzerland may enter the UK with their national ID card.
  • As long as they are traveling on an authorized school trip from France to the UK, they do not require a visa or an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA), even if some students come from nations that typically require one.
• School groups from other countries (non-French):
  • Every student needs a passport in order to travel.
  • The need for a visa or ETA to enter the UK may vary depending on the country of the student.

This means that although other nations must adhere to standard entry requirements, French school groups have easy access under this arrangement.

Read Also: Skilled Production Operative Jobs in UK With Visa Sponsorship

Driving and Vehicle Insurance in UK:

Here is a clear breakdown of the UK’s driving and auto insurance regulations for tourists:

• If you have a valid non-UK driver’s license, you can drive in the UK.
• To drive, you do not require an International Driving Permit (IDP).

However, insurance requirements depend on where your vehicle is insured:

• If your car is insured in Switzerland, the EU, or an EFTA nation (such as Iceland, Liechtenstein, or Norway), you should have:
  • A green card or
  • Other proof of valid insurance.
• If your vehicle is insured outside these regions:
  • Verify if the green card system applies to your nation.
  • If not, in order to drive lawfully, you will need to purchase insurance from a UK provider.

What You Can Bring to UK?

Goods and Currency Rules

If you’re bringing commercial goods into the UK:

• When entering Great Britain, you are required to declare them if their cumulative worth exceeds £1,500.
• When entering Northern Ireland, you are required to declare them if their total worth exceeds £873.

When you arrive from the EU with £10,000 or more in cash, you have to disclose it.

Healthcare Access in UK:

It is recommended that citizens of the EU, EEA, and Switzerland maintain current health insurance. Make sure you are covered for access to NHS care during your visit, even though the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) can still be recognized.

Mobile Phone Use in UK:

Each provider has different roaming fees. Free roaming in the UK may no longer be available from some EU mobile providers. Before you go, check your plan for data, text, and call rates.

Travelling via the Common Travel Area (CTA):

Travelers inside the United Kingdom, Ireland, Jersey, Guernsey, and the Isle of Man are subject to special regulations. Check ahead of time if you want to traverse internal borders within the CTA, as paperwork requirements differ even though travel is still visa-free.

‍‍ Family Members and Non-EEA Nationals:

The following explains in detail how family members and non-EEA nationals can enter the UK:

• If you are a family member of an EU, EEA, or Swiss citizen but are not an EEA national (that is, you are not from the EU, EEA, or Switzerland), you must show:
  • A valid passport, and
  • Either:
    • Pre-settled or settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme, or
    • A valid EU Settlement Scheme family permit
• Important change:
  EU nations’ Article 10 or Article 20 residency cards are no longer accepted for entrance into the UK.
• You can enter the UK without an ETA (Electronic Travel Authorization) if you have the necessary settlement documents.

References:

• https://www.gov.uk/
• https://www.eeas.europa.eu/

Conclusion:

Entering the UK now requires careful planning, from obtaining an ETA for most EU, EEA, and Swiss nationals to ensuring valid passports and appropriate visas for work or study. Travelers must follow rules for driving, insurance, goods, and healthcare to enjoy a smooth visit. Special arrangements, like French school trips and family member permits, make some journeys easier, but proper documentation remains essential.

Frequently Asked Questions: