Travel documents and requirements

Passports are required for all passengers travelling to the UK, including children.

Your passport doesn’t need to be valid for a minimum number of months to travel, as long as it’s valid for the length of your stay in the UK.

If you don’t have a passport yet or your passport needs renewing, please allow plenty of time to apply before your trip.

You won't be allowed to travel if you haven't received your passport in time for your journey.

Advance Passenger Information (API)

We’re required by the UK government to collect Advance Passenger Information (API) for you and anyone else on your booking before you travel to/from the UK. You’ll need your passport details.
Find out more about Advance Passenger Information.

You can continue to use your national ID card to travel until 31 December 2025.

If you have both a valid passport and a valid identity card, it’s a good idea to travel with the document linked to your settled or pre-settled status.

If you have a new passport and your pre-settled or settled status is linked to your previous ID document, remember to update your passport details in your UK Visa and Immigration account.

That way you'll avoid extra checks at border control, making for a smoother journey.

Read more on how to avoid extra checks at border control here.

Advance Passenger Information (API)

We’re required by the UK government to collect Advance Passenger Information (API) for you and anyone else on your booking before you travel to/from the UK. You’ll need your passport or national ID card details. Find out more about API here.

EU, EEA and Swiss children travelling to the UK with:

• A French school using the France-UK school trip travel information form will need a valid national ID card or passport.
• A school from another country will need a valid passport

Find out more at GOV.UK.

Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA)

An ETA is a digital permission to travel to the UK. It’s required for short stays of up to 6 months for tourism, visiting friends and family, business and short-term studies.

Do I need an ETA?
From 02 April 2025, you’ll need an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) to travel to the UK, unless you have an Irish passport or you're exempt. Everyone travelling needs an ETA, including babies and children.

If you’re travelling to the UK before 02 April 2025, you won’t need an ETA.

How much does it cost?
It costs £10 per applicant and, when granted, is linked electronically to your passport.

How long is an ETA valid for?
It’s valid for 2 years or until the passport your ETA is linked to expires – whichever comes first.

When can I apply for an ETA?
You can apply from 05 March 2025. Please apply before booking your trip, where possible. Most applications are processed within 3 days, but it may occasionally take longer. Learn more about applying on GOV.UK


Visas

If your stay is longer than 6 months or for a different reason, please check this GOV.UK page to see if you need a visa.

Your British passport must:

● be valid for the length of your stay in Europe,

● have at least three months' validity left from the date you intend to leave the EU, and

● be less than 10 years old.

Check that you have a clear page in your passport, as it will need to be stamped with your travel date when you’re travelling to and from the EU.

If you don’t have a passport yet or your passport needs renewing, please allow plenty of time to apply before your trip.

You won't be allowed to travel if you haven't received your passport in time for your journey.

You can check passport processing times on the UK government website.

See if your passport needs renewing here.

Advance Passenger Information (API)

We’re required by the UK government to collect Advance Passenger Information (API) for you and anyone else on your booking before you travel to/from the UK. You’ll need your passport details.
Find out more about API here.

You don’t need a visa for short trips to EU countries of up to 90 days in any 180-day period.

If you visit more than one of these countries within a 180-day period, make sure you don't spend more than 90 days in total across all the countries that you visit.

This is because most of these countries apply the 90-day limit as a group.

You may need a visa for longer stays or when travelling for work or business.

Find out more

If your main residence is in the EU, you won't need to get your passport stamped as long as you carry your EU residence permit when you travel.

If you can't prove that you're an EU resident, you may be asked additional questions by border authorities and your passport may be stamped before you enter the Schengen area.

UK citizens can no longer apply for a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC).

If you have an existing EHIC, it will continue to be valid until its expiry date.

Once it expires, you'll need to apply for a Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) which provides access to state healthcare in the EU.

EHIC and GHIC do not replace travel insurance.

It is strongly recommended that you take out travel insurance with medical cover when travelling abroad.

You need a valid passport to travel between the UK and the EU.

Advance Passenger Information (API)
We’re required by the UK government to collect Advance Passenger Information (API) for you and anyone else on you booking before you travel to/from the UK. You’ll need your passport.
Find out more about API here.

Please check whether you need a visa for your destination(s) before you travel.

● UK: UK government website

● France: French government website

● Belgium: EU visa website

● The Netherlands: EU visa website

● Germany: EU Visa website

If you don’t need a visa to travel to the UK, you may need an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) instead.

Non-UK and non-EU children travelling to the UK with:

• A French school using the France-UK school trip travel information form will need a valid passport.
• A school from another country will need a valid passport and possibly a visa.

An ETA is a digital permission to travel to the UK. It’s required for short stays of up to 6 months for tourism, visiting friends and family, business and short-term studies.

Who needs an ETA?

You currently need an ETA to travel to the UK if you’re a national of:

• Bahrain
• Kuwait
• Oman
• Qatar
• Saudi Arabia
• United Arab Emirates

Everyone travelling needs an ETA, including babies and children.

Who will need an ETA in future?

From 08 January 2025, other non-EU/non-UK nationals who don’t need a visa to travel to the UK will need an ETA. You can apply from 27 November 2024. Check who will need an ETA on GOV.UK.

How much does it cost?

It costs £10 per applicant and, when granted, it is linked electronically to your passport.

How long is an ETA valid for?

It’s valid for 2 years or until the passport your ETA is linked to expires – whichever comes first.

When should I apply for an ETA?

Please apply before booking your trip, where possible. Most applications are processed within 3 days, but it may occasionally take longer. Learn more about applying on GOV.UK

My stay is longer than 6 months or for a different reason. What should I do?

Please check this GOV.UK page to see if you need a visa.

Unaccompanied minors (up to the age of 18) will need to carry additional travel documentation.

As well as reading the relevant section below, we strongly recommend checking the latest government advice before the trip – for both the country the young person is departing from, and the country they're travelling to.

Children under 12 must travel with a responsible person aged 16 or older.

Children 12 to 15 (inclusive) can travel on their own to some Eurostar destinations, as long as they’ve got a fully completed Eurostar unaccompanied minor form  and only travel on trains departing between 06:00 and 17:00 local time.

The form must be signed by their parent or legal guardian (or by a responsible adult, aged 18 or over, given consent by the parent or legal guardian) at the station in the presence of a member of the Eurostar team.

The child will need to keep this signed form with them throughout their journey and show it to the onboard team if they’re asked.

When the parent or legal guardian gives written consent for the young person to travel, they accept and agree that the young person will travel unaccompanied and be treated as an adult passenger (ie the young person will not be supervised by a member of the Eurostar team) for the entirety of the trip.

The responsible person must also ensure arrangements are in place for the young person to be met on arrival.

Please note: Children under 16 years of age cannot travel unaccompanied on our direct trains to or from the Netherlands.

Documents the child will need:

● Eurostar ticket

● Passport

● Eurostar unaccompanied minor form signed by a parent or legal guardian

Additional requirements for French residents

As above, plus:

● Authorisation des sorties de territoire (AST) form signed by a parent

● Photocopy of the identity card or passport of the parent who has signed the AST form

16 to 17-year-olds can travel by themselves, as long as they’ve got all the usual travel documents and meet all the legal requirements.

Documents the child will need:

● Eurostar ticket

● Passport

Additional requirements for French residents

As above, plus:

● Authorisation des sorties de territoire (AST) form signed by a parent

● Photocopy of the identity card or passport of the parent who has signed the AST form