UK’s ETA transition period ends: what changes for residents of France?
Rules have been toughened for people with dual UK or Irish and another citizenship
The ETA was introduced for EU citizens in April 2025
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Stricter border security rules have come into force from today (February 25) for the UK’s Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) scheme, affecting dual nationals.
This includes some 16,000 Britons who became French over the last seven years, according to the latest available interior ministry data (though annual numbers have dropped during that period).
The new measures aim to ensure that dual-national citizens travel to the UK on their British or Irish passports or otherwise hold a certificate of entitlement, a £589 document linked to a foreign passport that proves their right to remain in the UK.
It comes after several months of leniency, where dual nationals using a third-nation passport were not prevented from travelling to the UK on this document.
Carriers are now being asked to check passenger documents prior to boarding including whether they hold either valid UK/Irish documentation or a valid ETA.
There is some confusion over implementation of the new rules however, with some carriers potentially allowing passengers without the necessary documentation to board flights to the UK.
ETA recap: who is affected and how
The ETA scheme has been in place since April 2025, requiring non-UK/non-Irish citizens or those without prior right to live or travel to the UK via a valid visa or residency permit to apply for travel authorisation to enter the country.
Impacted travellers must apply in advance before travelling to the UK. As of February 2026, it costs £16 and is valid for two years - or until the passport it is linked to expires.
It allows for visits of up to six months at a time, for tourism or family visiting purposes, or pre-arranged visits for certain work events or business meetings.
It is fully digital and applications are made online or through the official ETA smartphone app.
The general rules implemented in April 2025 for non-dual citizens have not changed.
As a recap, these are how certain other groups have been affected by the ETA:
British or Irish nationals without dual citizenship: No changes, as they must always travel on their UK/Irish passport
Spouses of British or Irish citizens without dual citizenship: An ETA is required, as there are no spousal waiver rights (unless they have a valid visa or residency permit to live/work in the UK and are already exempt)
Children of British or Irish nationals living abroad: An ETA is required on their third-nation passport if they do not have a British or Irish passport. If they have a UK/Irish passport however, they must travel on this document. Alternatively they can also obtain a certificate of entitlement linked to their third-nation passport
Visitors transiting through a UK airport: An ETA is not required provided the transit is direct and the traveller does not need to pass through UK border security
A full list of how groups are affected is available in our in-depth guide here.
An article comparing the ETA, the EU’s border security Entry/Exit-System (EES) and the bloc’s planned ETIAS visa-waiver scheme can be found here.
So what changes from February 25, 2026?
The new rules require British or Irish dual nationals to enter the UK on this passport – or a certificate of entitlement linked to a third-nation passport – as opposed to solely via their third-nation passport.
Dual citizens holding a UK and Irish passport are unaffected and can enter on either document, however for all others it is now no longer permitted to enter through a different nationality passport.
For example, a dual British-French (or Irish-French) citizen cannot enter the UK through their French document.
This means that British-dual nationals living abroad without a UK passport can no longer return to the UK unless they reapply for the document (or for a certificate of entitlement).
Either document can take several weeks to arrive, making it impossible to travel to the UK before then.
During the application process for an ETA, questions about other ID documents are asked, including any other nationality a person holds.
However, there is no option for applicants to add British or Irish, preventing dual nationals from truthfully completing an application.
Some carriers may allow boarding on expired passport
Confusion remains however over if there are any alternative ways for dual citizens without the required documents to visit the UK.
On its information page for dual citizens and the ETA, the UK government says: “You may not be able to board your transport to the UK without a valid document.”
However, “in line with temporary guidance, carriers (such as airlines and ferry companies) may allow you to travel if you have both:
an expired UK passport, issued in 1989 or later
a valid passport for one of the nationalities that can get an ETA
The personal details on both passports must match.”
The carrier can then decide if they will allow you to board.
This is not guaranteed, but low-cost carrier Ryanair previously said it would allow passengers in this situation to board its UK-bound aircraft.
A company spokesperson also told The Connexion that changes to travel requirements to enter the UK are a UK government matter, not a Ryanair one.
The UK government adds that passengers “will need to have additional identity checks to verify your citizenship before you can go through UK passport control.”
It does not elaborate on what these checks are, but The Connexion understands that if the carrier allows a person to board, they should usually be able to pass through without undue difficulty.
It remains, however, highly advisable to travel with a valid UK/Irish passport (or certificate of entitlement) wherever possible.
Previous owners of a British passport that has expired can apply for emergency travel documents through the UK Embassy for a one-off visit.
