European Travel Information and Authorization System

ETIAS UK Visa for Travelling to France

The new European Travel Information and Authorisation System, or ETIAS for short, will replace the current system in 2023 and will change the travel process for many visitors who are heading to France, including those travelling from the UK. Until 2023, British travellers heading to France will only need a valid biometric passport without ETIAS UK.

STEP 1

Get notified when ETIAS is mandatory

STEP 2

Start ETIAS Application online

STEP 3

Receive ETIAS confirmation

STEP 4

Welcome to Europe

What is ETIAS?

ETIAS (European Travel Information and Authorisation System) is a new visa waiver system that’ll debut in 2023. Conceived by the European Union in 2016, the ETIAS will change the way millions of British citizens travel to France. Once it becomes mandatory in 2023, an ETIAS application will be required for any British citizen seeking entry into one of the 26 Schengen countries. The ETIAS online application process isn’t terribly labour-intensive, and it shouldn’t take more than 10 minutes to fill out and submit. Wondering why the European Union decided to replace the current visa-free policy? Quite simply, ETIAS was designed to improve security and safety for travellers and residents alike. It’s intended to reduce health-related risks, reduce crime, and combat terrorism and illegal immigration.

Required documents for ETIAS UK citizens travelling to France

A UK citizen who is travelling to France won’t need to go through the trouble of visiting an embassy or consulate, as they would to apply for a standard visa. The ETIAS application will have an online application process that’s much smoother than the Schengen visa process. To begin the application, travellers will need to have their biometric passport (expiring no sooner than three months from the intended date of arrival) on hand. There are no more document ETIAS requirements. The border official who reviews the application may request additional documents, but if everything is typical, additional documents will be necessary. It’s worth noting that ETIAS approval does not guarantee entry into France. If something seems “off” at the border, a border official may refuse entry, even to a pre-approved traveller.

Get notified when ETIAS becomes mandatory

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How does ETIAS Work?

When the new ETIAS process becomes mandatory, travellers from the UK will need to apply for authorisation before entering France or any other country in the Schengen area. ETIAS isn’t meant to make travel more difficult. The application process will take about 10 minutes, and a decision will be delivered, in most cases, within 24 hours. If approved, the traveller is free to travel to any country in the Schengen area for 3 years following the date of approval, as long as their passport is still valid. ETIAS approval is linked to a person’s travel document or passport, so a new passport demands a new ETIAS application. In the case of ETIAS application rejection, the traveller may or may not have the option to appeal the decision, depending on the bass for the rejection.

UK citizens who use the ETIAS application form to travel will appreciate the efficient processing. The system is designed to be efficient and user friendly. Travellers will submit basic information, like name and nationality, and a few details about travel history, criminal history, and other safety-ensuring matters. If everything is standard, European security officials will swiftly process and approve the application. If something’s not-so-typical, the security official may request additional information or, less commonly, an in-person interview.

The new ETIAS process is, first and foremost, a security measure. If these changes were coming into effect prior to Brexit, UK citizens might have been able to continue travelling to France with just a biometric passport. Since ETIAS comes into effect in 2023, though, and the United Kingdom is no longer part of the European Union, citizens from the UK will need to follow the same procedures as other non-EU based travellers. Rest assured that the information gathered by and stored on the ETIAS network will be collected and processed according to the strictest of security measures to protect personal data.

Events of the past few decades have sensitised Schengen countries to the threats of terrorism and crime. With a slew of attacks between 2015 and now, France is not immune to the risks posed by troubled and radicalised persons. ETIAS will serve as a pre-screening tool to protect the Schengen area against in-travelling threats. Each application will be thoroughly assessed, and if an applicant’s risk level is too high, border officials will refuse admission.

Illegal immigration is a growing problem in the Schengen area, especially in the past decade. Illegal immigration is linked to over-population issues, wage disparity, exploitation, and organised crime. ETIAS will make it easier for border officials to recognise and track travellers, reducing the incidence of illegal immigration.

The ETIAS process will become a blanket standard covering all 26 Schengen countries. That’s a good thing for travellers because when a process is standard and expected, the travel process is streamlined. It’s good for border officials, too, because travellers who are travelling to multiple countries in the Schengen area will be pre-screened and approved before they step off the plane at their initial destination. A tourist who travels to France and then to Spain, for example, will have already been vetted for entry to France using the same application process (and standards) as a tourist who is travelling exclusively to Spain.

Who will need ETIAS to travel to France?

Travellers from the United Kingdom, along with those from the 59 other visa-exempt countries, will need to submit an ETIAS application before travelling to a country in the Schengen zone. The United States, Australia, and Canada are also among the countries affected by the change. Here’s a full list of the 60 countries whose citizens will need to submit ETIAS applications to travel to France:

Albania
Antigua & Barbuda
Argentina
Australia
Bahamas
Barbados
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Brazil
Brunei
Canada
Chile
Colombia

Costa Rica
Dominica
El Salvador
Georgia
Granada
Guatemala
Honduras
Hong Kong
Israel
Japan
Kiribati
Macao

North Macedonia
Malaysia
Marshall Islands
Mauritius
Mexico
Micronesia
Moldova
Montenegro
New Zealand
Nicaragua
Palau
Panama

Paraguay
Peru
Saint Kitts & Nevis
Saint Lucia
Saint Vincent
Samoa
Serbia
Seychelles
Singapore
Solomon Islands
South Korea
Taiwan

Timor Leste
Tonga
Trinidad and Tobago
Tuvalu
Uruguay
Ukraine

UAE
Vanuatu
Venezuela
United Kingdom
United States

Get notified when ETIAS becomes mandatory!

ETIAS countries

British travellers will only need to complete an ETIAS application if they’re travelling to or through one of the 26 countries in the Schengen area. Travellers heading to a European country outside the Schengen zone, like Ireland, won’t need ETIAS approval. UK citizens will need to submit an application through ETIAS to travel to any of the following countries:

Austria
Belgium
Czech Republic
Denmark
Estonia
Finland
France
Germany
Greece
Hungary
Iceland
Italy
Latvia
Liechtenstein
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Malta
Netherlands
Norway
Poland
Portugal
Slovakia
Slovenia
Sweden
Spain
Switzerland

Non-Schengen Countries

Bulgaria
Croatia
Cyprus
Romania
Monaco
San Marino
Vatican

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ETIAS FAQ

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Will UK citizens need ETIAS to travel to France?

Yes, British citizens will need to apply through ETIAS once it becomes mandatory in 2023. The new ETIAS visa waiver will replace the current system for all travel in 2023 and later. There will be a grace period of six months (or more) to help travellers and border officials acclimate to the new process, but it’s best to go ahead and fill out the application form – ideally, at least 96 hours before your departure.

How can UK citizens apply for ETIAS?

As far as travel forms are concerned, the ETIAS application is relatively straightforward. UK citizens will need to submit an online application that shouldn’t take more than 10 minutes to complete. The application covers basic personal information and a series of security questions.

How does COVID affect travel from the UK to France?

Currently, all visitors aged 12 and up are required to show proof of a full series of vaccinations or a negative PCR or antigen test, taken 72 or 48 hours before departure, respectively. Children under the age of 12 are not subject to any COVID-related travel restrictions.

Who can support UK citizens during their stay in France?

If you run into issues during your stay, a British Consulate can help. There are several distributed throughout France, particularly, in Paris, Lille, Bordeaux, Lyon, Marseille, Saumur, Amiens, Calais, Cherbourg, Clermont-Ferrand, Dunkirk, Le Havre, Montpellier, Nantes, and Nice. The British Embassy is located in Paris.

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