EU citizens will soon require an electronic visa waiver to travel to the UK. British nationals are exempt from the requirement, but what about their Italian spouses or children?
The UK’s ETA (Electronic Travel Authorisation) is a visa waiver that visa-free travellers need to apply for online in advance of their trip.
It costs £10 and lasts two years, allowing for multiple trips to the country.
Much like the EU’s upcoming ETIAS requirement and the existing ESTA visa waiver for travel to the US, the ETA is required for all types of travel, including tourism, short stays and family holidays.
The requirement is already in place for non-EU citizens, but will be extended to people travelling on an EU or EEA passport from April 2nd.
The website for ETA applications opens on Wednesday, March 5th, for EU/EEA nationals.
READ ALSO: EXPLAINED: The UK’s pre-travel entry scheme opens to Europeans
People with a British passport are exempt from ETA requirements – but what about their Italian spouses or kids?
Italian spouse
There are very few exemptions to the ETA requirements, and being married to a UK national does not grant you an exemption unless you are a dual national (more on that below).
Exempt from the requirements are people who have a visa for the UK or who have UK residency (e.g., EU citizens who have Settled Status or Pre-Settled Status).
EU or EEA citizens falling outside of the above categories, including those married to a British national, will need an ETA to travel to the UK.
Italian kids
The ETA scheme includes no exemption for under 18s. All children will need one, even babies.
The cost for under-18s is £10, the same as the adults.
READ ALSO: Do British-Italian dual nationals need an ETA to travel to the UK?
As with adults, children who are dual nationals are exempt from the ETA requirement as long as they travel on their UK passport.
British-Italian dual nationals
Children of UK citizens, including those living in Italy, are entitled to British citizenship, and it’s not uncommon for the spouses of British nationals to take UK citizenship.
However British-Italian nationals must abide by dual nationality rules, which state that you’re treated according to the passport you’re travelling on.
Children of UK nationals may be entitled to British citizenship, but it’s still up to the parents to apply for a British passport for them. If they cannot show a UK passport at the border, they will not be treated as British.
The passports of dual nationals are not ‘linked’, so if you present an Italian passport at the border, the system has no way of knowing that you’re also a UK national and will treat you like any other Italian citizen, meaning you will need an ETA from April 2nd, 2025.
You will only be exempted from the ETA requirement if you have your UK passport with you and can show it at the border.
If you show up at the port/airport/station with only an Italian passport and no ETA, you will be denied boarding.
When does this come in, again?
An ETA will be required for all entrants to the UK (with the exception of those travelling on a UK or Irish passport) from April 2nd. The website for applications from EU/EEA citizens opens on Wednesday, March 5th.
Qiana Damron
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