# The UK ETA for French Citizens: Cost, Timelines and Mistakes to Avoid (2026 Guide)

> French citizens need a £20 UK ETA — without an approved one you can't board a flight, Eurostar or ferry. Fees, timelines, ID-card rules and mistakes.

Canonical: https://chartavisa.com/guides/uk-eta-french-citizens
Last updated: 2026-07-28

## What is the ETA and who needs it

The ETA (Electronic Travel Authorisation) is the electronic travel permission the British government requires from travellers who do not need a visa — including French citizens and all other EU nationals. It is **not a visa**: it is a prior authorisation, linked electronically to your passport, for short stays of up to six months for tourism, business, family visits or courses shorter than six months. For a general overview of the scheme, see [our guide to what the UK ETA is](https://chartavisa.com/guides/what-is-uk-eta).

Every French traveller not resident in the UK needs one, including children and babies, each with their own application. It is not needed by those who already live legally in the country (settled or pre-settled status, or a valid UK visa) or by those who also hold a British or Irish passport — although dual French-British nationals must travel on their British passport.

## When this started — and what changed in 2026

EU nationals, French citizens included, have been able to apply since **5 March 2025**, and the ETA became **required for travel from 2 April 2025**. Two further changes this year raised the stakes:

**Since 25 February 2026 the rule is strictly enforced.** The grace period is over: airlines, Eurostar and ferry operators are prohibited from boarding anyone without an approved authorisation. Having applied is no longer enough; it has to be granted.

**Since April 2026 the fee is £20.** The authorisation cost £16 when the scheme opened to Europeans; it now costs £20 (around 23 euros). If a website still quotes £16, it is out of date — a bad sign for everything else it tells you.

## Exactly how much it costs

The official fee is £20 per person — including children and babies — paid by card when the application is submitted. It is a one-off, non-refundable payment that covers the two years of validity.

## How long it takes and when to apply

Most applications are resolved quickly, often within minutes, but the official recommendation is to allow up to three working days. And since February you cannot board without the authorisation granted, so the practical rule is simple: apply when you buy your ticket, not the week of the trip. A “pending review” on a Friday afternoon, with a Eurostar on Sunday morning, is a very long weekend.

## How to apply

The official route is the British government's “UK ETA” app (or its website, GOV.UK). The process: scan your passport chip with your phone (NFC), take a photo of yourself, complete a short facial scan, answer a few security questions and pay. The entire procedure is available only in English, which is precisely where most mistakes happen: misunderstood eligibility questions, details that don't match the passport, rejected photos. It is a manageable process if you are comfortable in English and take your time; if that is not your case, it is reasonable to ask for help. [At Charta Visa we review your application before it is submitted](https://chartavisa.com/apply).

## Passport only: the carte d'identité is not enough

This is the post-Brexit rule that still catches French travellers out. Since **1 October 2021**, the UK no longer accepts EU national identity cards at the border — the French CNI included (the narrow exceptions for EU Settlement Scheme holders have also since ended). You need a **passport**, valid for the whole of your stay, and the ETA is linked electronically to that passport. A generation of French travellers used to hopping to London on a carte d'identité needs two things it never needed before: a passport, and an approved ETA attached to it. Check your document against our [2026 passport requirements guide](https://chartavisa.com/guides/passport-requirements-2026) before you book.

## How long it lasts and when to renew it

The ETA is valid for two years or until your passport expires, whichever comes first, and allows multiple entries with stays of up to six months each time. Two details that catch people out: if you renew your passport, the old ETA dies with it and you need a new one; and if you already obtained one for a previous trip and it is still valid, don't pay for another — check it first.

## Eurostar, ferries and the Channel Tunnel

Do not assume the ETA is an airline formality. It is required **however you enter the UK**: flying into Heathrow, taking the Eurostar from Gare du Nord, boarding a Calais–Dover ferry, or driving through the Channel Tunnel on Le Shuttle. Checks happen before departure — for Eurostar and ferries, at the juxtaposed controls on French soil. The only exemption is **airside transit**: passengers connecting through Heathrow or Manchester airports who do not pass through UK passport control do not currently need an ETA. That exemption exists at those two airports only — and only if you stay airside; collect a bag, change terminals through immigration, or hold separately-booked tickets and you need the ETA.

## Children, families and school trips

Every minor needs their own ETA, applied for by their parents or guardians. For a family of four, that is £80 in fees and four error-free forms. School groups deserve special care: a class of 50 heading to London means 50 authorisations handled by 50 different families, and in practice there is always one application with transposed passport digits and one student nobody checked until the day before. If you are organising a group, consider managing it centrally — that is exactly [the group service we offer](https://chartavisa.com/contact), with confirmation that the entire group is approved before departure.

## Who is exempt

- **British and Irish citizens**, including dual nationals — a French-Irish dual citizen travelling on the Irish passport needs nothing.
- **Legal UK residents** — holders of settled or pre-settled status or a valid UK visa use their existing permission, not an ETA.
- **Airside transit passengers** at Heathrow and Manchester, as above.

## What if it is refused?

Refusals are very rare and almost always avoidable: they usually come from mistakes on the form or wrong answers to the security questions. There is no formal appeal: the options are to submit a new application correcting the problem, or to apply for a Standard Visitor visa (far more expensive and weeks of waiting), which will not arrive in time for an imminent trip. The moral: review every field before submitting, because the fee is not refunded and there is little room to react.

## Checklist before crossing the Channel

- A passport with an electronic chip, valid for your entire stay — the French carte d'identité is no longer accepted for entry to the UK.
- An ETA approved — not just applied for — for every traveller, including minors, whatever the mode of transport: plane, Eurostar, ferry or Le Shuttle.
- The ETA linked to the passport you are travelling with, not to one renewed afterwards.
- Keep the confirmation email with the reference number.
- Unsure what your itinerary requires? Run it through our free [visa checker](https://chartavisa.com/tools/visa-checker), or see [the full France-to-UK requirements page](https://chartavisa.com/visa/fr/uk).

**Charta Visa is a private travel-authorisation review and processing service. We are not a government website and we are not affiliated with any government.**

## FAQ

**Do French citizens need an ETA to visit the UK?**

Yes. French citizens, like all EU nationals, have needed a UK ETA since 2 April 2025 (applications opened 5 March 2025). Since 25 February 2026 it is strictly enforced — carriers must deny boarding without an approved one.

**How much does the UK ETA cost for French travellers?**

£20 per person (around 23 euros) since April 2026 — including children and babies. That is the British government's official fee; any higher amount is an intermediary's service fee, which should be shown separately.

**Can I travel to the UK with a French carte d'identité?**

No. Since 1 October 2021 the UK no longer accepts EU national identity cards at the border. You need a passport valid for your whole stay, with the ETA linked electronically to it.

**Do I need the ETA for the Eurostar or a ferry?**

Yes. The ETA applies to every mode of entry — plane, Eurostar, ferry and the Channel Tunnel by car. Checks happen before departure, including at the juxtaposed controls in France. Only airside transit at Heathrow or Manchester airports is exempt.

**How long is the UK ETA valid?**

Two years, or until your passport expires — whichever comes first — with multiple entries and stays of up to six months each time. Renew your passport and you need a new ETA, even if the old one had time left.

## Sources

- [GOV.UK — Apply for an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA)](https://www.gov.uk/eta)
- [GOV.UK — Visiting the UK as an EU, EEA or Swiss citizen](https://www.gov.uk/guidance/visiting-the-uk-as-an-eu-eea-or-swiss-citizen)