Travel documents checklist for UK travellers

Passports for the EU and Schengen area

France and Belgium both follow Schengen area rules. On 30 October 2026, GOV.UK's entry requirements for France said a full British citizen passport must:

have a date of issue less than 10 years before the date you arrive
have an expiry date at least 3 months after the date you plan to leave the Schengen area

GOV.UK adds that the expiry date does not need to be within 10 years of the issue date, and warns that a passport renewed before 1 October 2018 "might have a date of issue that is more than 10 years ago" (GOV.UK). Belgium's entry requirements use the same wording.

Check both dates on every passport in your group, including the children's, before you book.

The 90-day limit

British passport holders can visit the Schengen area without a visa for up to 90 days in any 180-day period, for example as a tourist (GOV.UK). The limit covers all Schengen countries added together, and the 180-day period keeps "rolling" (GOV.UK).

At French border control you may be asked to show proof of travel insurance, enough money for your stay, proof of your accommodation and a return or onward ticket (GOV.UK).

The EU Entry/Exit System (EES)

The EES replaces passport stamps with a digital record of each time British and other non-EU visitors enter or leave the Schengen area. On 30 October 2026, GOV.UK said the EES "started on 12 October 2025". The EU's official EES FAQs said it was phased in until 9 April 2026 and that "From 10 April 2026, the EES is fully operational at all external border crossing points".

What happens at the border

First crossing: border officers take a photo of your face and/or scan your fingerprints, and your passport is not stamped (EU).
What is stored: for travellers who don't need a visa, the EES stores four fingerprints and a facial image. Currently, children under 12 do not have their fingerprints scanned (EU).
Cost and preparation: there is no cost, and you don't need to do anything before you reach the border (GOV.UK).
Leaving: you may also be asked for a fingerprint or photo when you exit the Schengen area (GOV.UK).
Later trips: your digital EES record is valid for 3 years (GOV.UK), so later crossings are a quicker check of your fingerprints and photo (EU).
Queues: EES may take each passenger extra time, so be ready to wait longer at the border (GOV.UK). If you fly home from the Schengen area, allow extra time to reach your gate, as EES checks may take place before boarding (GOV.UK).

EES does not apply when you travel to Ireland or Cyprus (GOV.UK).

Eurostar, Dover and Folkestone

If you enter the Schengen area through the Port of Dover, Eurotunnel Le Shuttle at Folkestone or Eurostar at St Pancras International, EES checks are done at the border before you leave the UK (GOV.UK).

Eurostar from London St Pancras International: Eurostar says EES registration "can only be completed at your departure station on the day of travel", using pre-registration kiosks in 3 locations. It asks you to arrive at the time shown on your ticket, says EES is free, and takes fingerprints on first registration from age 12.
Eurotunnel Le Shuttle at Folkestone: a purpose-built pre-registration area with self-service kiosks (GOV.UK).
Port of Dover: a purpose-built EES processing area at the new Western Docks (GOV.UK).
Flights and other ferry ports: you are registered at the border when you arrive in your destination country (GOV.UK).

ETIAS: not needed yet

ETIAS is a separate travel authorisation that visa-exempt visitors, including UK nationals, will need for 30 European countries once it starts. On 30 October 2026, the EU's official ETIAS website said: "ETIAS is currently not in operation and no applications for travel authorisations are collected at this point." Its FAQs said no action is required from travellers at this point, and the EU says it will announce the start date several months before launch (EU).

Earlier in 2026 an EU news item said UK nationals would need ETIAS "starting from the last quarter of this year", and GOV.UK said ETIAS was expected from autumn 2026. When we checked, the EU's ETIAS pages gave no start date.

When ETIAS does start, the EU says:

applying costs EUR 20, though some travellers are exempt from the fee
it is valid for up to three years, or until your passport expires if that comes first, and a new passport needs a new ETIAS
it covers short stays, normally up to 90 days in any 180-day period

The EU also says ETIAS will be checked before you board, including on trains and ferries leaving the UK (EU).

Beware of look-alike websites. GOV.UK says "Any website selling ETIAS at this time is doing so fraudulently" (GOV.UK), and the EU says applying directly costs EUR 20, with anything extra going to an intermediary (EU).

GHIC: state healthcare cover in Europe

The NHS says a UK Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) lets you get necessary state healthcare in the European Economic Area (EEA) and some other countries on the same basis as a resident. That may be free, or it may cost what a local resident would pay.

It's free and lasts up to 5 years. Apply through the NHS website and avoid unofficial websites that may charge a fee (NHS).
Everyone needs their own card, but you can add your spouse or civil partner and children to your application (NHS).
Allow time: once approved, the card should arrive by post within 15 working days (NHS).
Where it works: EEA countries, plus Montenegro, Australia, Jersey, Guernsey, the Isle of Man, and St Helena, Tristan and Ascension. British nationals can also use it in Switzerland. The USA and Japan are not on the NHS list (NHS).
What it doesn't cover: being flown back to the UK (medical repatriation), private treatment, or ski and mountain rescue (NHS).

The NHS is clear: "The UK GHIC is not a replacement for travel insurance." Take out insurance as well (NHS).

FCDO travel advice and travel insurance

GOV.UK says you should buy appropriate travel insurance before you go, covering existing physical or mental health conditions and the activities you plan, and that you should buy it as soon as possible after booking. One of its examples of costs without insurance is "£150,000+" for a stomach bug or infection treated in a hospital in the USA, with possible evacuation.

Check what's covered: the whole trip, every place you'll visit (even in transit), declared medical conditions, emergency transport and getting home after treatment (GOV.UK).
Take your policy details: the policy number and your insurer's emergency assistance phone number, shared with the people you travel with and family at home (GOV.UK).
Read the FCDO travel advice for every country on your trip. It covers entry requirements, safety and security, health risks and legal differences (GOV.UK).
Sign up for FCDO email alerts for your destination (GOV.UK).
Know how advice affects cover: if you travel to a destination where the FCDO advises against all but essential travel or all travel, "your insurance may be invalidated" (GOV.UK).

For example, when we checked, the FCDO advised against all but essential travel to Shan State South and East in Myanmar (FCDO), the area where Kalaw is. Always check the advice for the exact town you're heading to.

Going further: the USA and Japan

USA: ESTA or visa

On 30 October 2026, GOV.UK's USA entry requirements said:

you need either an ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorisation) or a visa to enter or transit through the US
you can apply for an ESTA on the official ESTA website or the ESTA Mobile app
your passport must be valid for the length of your planned stay
if your ESTA doesn't include the selfie photo now required by US Customs and Border Protection, you may need a new one, so check your ESTA account before you travel
children aged 17 and under travelling alone, with one parent, or with someone who isn't a parent or legal guardian must have a letter of consent, preferably in English and notarised

Heading to Florida? The FCDO notes that "The Atlantic hurricane season normally runs from June to November" (FCDO).

Japan

On 30 October 2026, GOV.UK's Japan entry requirements said your passport must be valid for the length of your stay, with a blank page for your visa stamp. You can get a visa on arrival for tourism or business for up to 90 days, and you don't need to apply before you travel. It also warns that bringing meat products such as sausages or ham into Japan without permission is illegal (GOV.UK).

Put it in your plan

Tick each item off in our trip planner, then browse the stays in our collections.

Questions people ask

Do I need an ETIAS for a trip to Disneyland Paris right now?

Not yet. On 30 October 2026 the EU's ETIAS website said ETIAS was not in operation and no applications were being collected, and its FAQs said no action was required from travellers.

Do I have to register for the EES before I travel?

No. GOV.UK says you don't need to take any action before you reach the border, and there is no cost. With Eurostar, registration happens at your departure station on the day you travel (Eurostar).

My passport has more than three months left. Is that enough for France?

Not on its own. For the Schengen area, GOV.UK says it must also have been issued less than 10 years before the date you arrive, and must expire at least 3 months after the date you plan to leave.

Does a GHIC mean I don't need travel insurance?

No. The NHS says the UK GHIC is not a replacement for travel insurance. It doesn't cover things like medical repatriation or private treatment.

Do I need an ESTA just to change planes in the USA?

Yes. GOV.UK says you need either an ESTA or a visa to enter or transit through the US.

Do British tourists need to apply for a visa before visiting Japan?

No. GOV.UK says you can get a visa on arrival for tourism or business for up to 90 days, without applying before you travel.

Sources

We wrote this guide from these pages, checked on 30 October 2026. Rules, timetables and hotel details change — please check with the operator before you travel.

France travel advice: entry requirements — GOV.UK (FCDO) , checked 30 October 2026
Belgium travel advice: entry requirements — GOV.UK (FCDO) , checked 30 October 2026
Travelling to the EU and Schengen area — GOV.UK , checked 30 October 2026
EU Entry/Exit System — GOV.UK , checked 30 October 2026
FAQs about EES — European Union (Travel Europe) , checked 30 October 2026
How does the EES work? — European Union (Travel Europe) , checked 30 October 2026
The EU's Entry/Exit System (EES) — Eurostar , checked 30 October 2026
What is ETIAS — European Union (Travel Europe) , checked 30 October 2026
ETIAS frequently asked questions — European Union (Travel Europe) , checked 30 October 2026
UK nationals and ETIAS (news item, 16 April 2026) — European Union (Travel Europe) , checked 30 October 2026
Get healthcare cover abroad with a UK GHIC or UK EHIC — NHS , checked 30 October 2026
Foreign travel insurance — GOV.UK (FCDO) , checked 30 October 2026
Foreign travel advice — GOV.UK (FCDO) , checked 30 October 2026
Myanmar travel advice: warnings and insurance — GOV.UK (FCDO) , checked 30 October 2026
USA travel advice: entry requirements — GOV.UK (FCDO) , checked 30 October 2026
USA travel advice: safety and security — GOV.UK (FCDO) , checked 30 October 2026
Japan travel advice: entry requirements — GOV.UK (FCDO) , checked 30 October 2026

Travel documents checklist for UK travellers