• Passports

British passports must:

– be valid for the length of the passenger’s stay in Europe
– have at least three months’ validity left from the date they intend to leave the EU
– be less than 10 years old

Passengers must have a clear page in their passports, as it will be stamped when travelling in and out of the EU.

If passengers do not yet have a passport, or their current passport needs renewing, please ensure there is ample time for the application process to conclude, before travelling.

Passengers will not be permitted to travel if they have not received their passport in time.

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

• Visas

Passengers do not require a visa for trips to EU countries up to 90 days in any 180-day period.

If passengers visit more than one of these countries within a 180-day period, they will need to ensure they do not spend more than 90 days in total across the EU.

This is because most of these countries apply the 90-day limit as a group.
Passengers may need a visa for longer stays or when travelling for work or business.

• UK citizens living in the EU

If your customers’ main residence is in the EU, they will not need to get their passport stamped, provided they carry their EU residence permit.

If your customers cannot prove that they are an EU resident, they may be asked additional questions by border authorities and their passport may be stamped before they enter the Schengen area.

• European Health Insurance Cards (EHIC)

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

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

Once it expires, customers 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 to take out travel insurance with medical cover when travelling abroad.

• Passports

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

Passports do not need to be valid for a minimum number of months to travel, as long as they are valid for the length of stay in the UK.

If passengers do not yet have a passport, or their current passport needs renewing, please ensure ample time for the application process to conclude, before travelling.

Passengers will not be permitted to travel if they have not received their passport in time for their journey.

• Do you live in the UK with settled or pre-settled status?

Passengers can continue to use their national ID card to travel until 31 December 2025.

If your customers have both a valid passport and a valid identity card, we recommend they travel with the document linked to their settled or pre-settled status.

If passengers have a new passport and their pre-settled or settled status is linked to their previous ID document, they must remember to update their passport details in their UK Visa and Immigration account. This will avoid extra checks at border control.

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• School groups

The List of Travellers scheme is no longer available for school groups travelling from the EU to the UK.

All EU children need to carry their own valid passport to be able to travel.

• Visas

Passengers can continue to travel to the UK for holidays or short trips without a visa.

For longer stays, EU citizens may need a visa. Ensure this is checked before travel.

• Passports

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

• Visas

Check whether your customers need a visa for their destination(s) before they travel.

– UK: UK government website
– France: French government website
– Belgium: EU visa website
– The Netherlands: EU visa website
– Germany: EU Visa website

• School groups

• Travel documents

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

In addition to reading the relevant section below, it is strongly recommended to check the latest government advice before travel – for both the country the minor is departing from, and the country they are travelling to.

• Children under 12 years old

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

• Children 12 to 15 years old (inclusive)

Children 12 to 15 (inclusive) can travel on their own to some Eurostar destinations, provided they have a 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 requested.

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 the 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 de sortie du territoire (AST) form signed by a parent
– Photocopy of the identity card or passport of the parent who has signed the AST form”

• Minors 16 and 17 years old

16 to 17-year-olds can travel by themselves, as long as they have all the necessary 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 de sortie du territoire (AST) form signed by a parent
– Photocopy of the identity card or passport of the parent who has signed the AST form