French citizens travelling to the United Kingdom for business or leisure will soon have to complete an online Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) and pay a £16 fee before boarding a plane, train or ferry. The Home Office confirmed on 2 January 2026 that the scheme—already rolled out to several Gulf countries—will extend to all visa-exempt travellers, including those from France, on 25 February 2026. Applications will be made via a mobile app or web portal and are expected to be approved within hours, although officials advise applying at least three days in advance.
The ETA is valid for multiple entries over two years or until the traveller’s passport expires. Holders may stay up to six months per visit for tourism, meetings or short-term study, while longer work assignments will still require a visa. Carriers that allow passengers to board without a valid ETA face fines of up to £10 000 per traveller, prompting Eurostar, Air France and Brittany Ferries to begin updating their check-in systems.
For French corporates, the change adds a new layer of administration to frequent cross-Channel travel. Mobility teams will need to build ETA checks into travel-approval workflows and educate employees on lead times, especially for last-minute day trips to London. Companies that send technicians for emergency call-outs should consider holding multiple-entry Standard Visitor visas for key staff until the new system beds in.
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VisaHQ can smooth this transition: its France-specific platform (https://www.visahq.com/france/) lets individuals and corporate travel managers complete UK ETA applications online, track approvals in real time and set up reminders for passport or authorisation expiry. Bulk-processing tools and dedicated support reduce the paperwork load for frequent travellers and help ensure no one is caught out by the new rules.
The UK government argues that ETAs will enhance border security and provide better data on visitor flows. Critics counter that the fee—roughly €18—amounts to a new tax on European mobility and could deter small businesses from face-to-face meetings. The EU is due to introduce its own €7 ETIAS travel authorisation for UK nationals later in 2026, raising the prospect of tit-for-tat charges.
Practical tip: once approved, the ETA is linked electronically to the passport, so travellers who renew their passport must obtain a new authorisation. HR and travel managers should therefore track passport-expiry dates alongside ETA validity to avoid last-minute disruptions.
The ETA is valid for multiple entries over two years or until the traveller’s passport expires. Holders may stay up to six months per visit for tourism, meetings or short-term study, while longer work assignments will still require a visa. Carriers that allow passengers to board without a valid ETA face fines of up to £10 000 per traveller, prompting Eurostar, Air France and Brittany Ferries to begin updating their check-in systems.
For French corporates, the change adds a new layer of administration to frequent cross-Channel travel. Mobility teams will need to build ETA checks into travel-approval workflows and educate employees on lead times, especially for last-minute day trips to London. Companies that send technicians for emergency call-outs should consider holding multiple-entry Standard Visitor visas for key staff until the new system beds in.
VisaHQ can smooth this transition: its France-specific platform (https://www.visahq.com/france/) lets individuals and corporate travel managers complete UK ETA applications online, track approvals in real time and set up reminders for passport or authorisation expiry. Bulk-processing tools and dedicated support reduce the paperwork load for frequent travellers and help ensure no one is caught out by the new rules.
The UK government argues that ETAs will enhance border security and provide better data on visitor flows. Critics counter that the fee—roughly €18—amounts to a new tax on European mobility and could deter small businesses from face-to-face meetings. The EU is due to introduce its own €7 ETIAS travel authorisation for UK nationals later in 2026, raising the prospect of tit-for-tat charges.
Practical tip: once approved, the ETA is linked electronically to the passport, so travellers who renew their passport must obtain a new authorisation. HR and travel managers should therefore track passport-expiry dates alongside ETA validity to avoid last-minute disruptions.
