British passport · Schengen area

Do UK citizens need a visa for the Schengen area?

By the Visa Almanac editorial teamChange logUpdated 6 Nov 2026

In brief

No. British passport holders can visit the Schengen area visa-free (90 days in any 180).

Schengen visa-free stay for UK citizens: 90 days in any 180. Official rule. Source: European Union, Regulation (EU) 2018/1806, checked 6 Nov 2026.

Schengen visa fee for UK citizens: none for visa-free entry.

LIST OF THIRD COUNTRIES WHOSE NATIONALS ARE EXEMPT FROM THE REQUIREMENT TO BE IN POSSESSION OF A VISA WHEN CROSSING THE EXTERNAL BORDERS OF THE MEMBER STATES FOR STAYS OF NO MORE THAN 90 DAYS IN ANY 180-DAY PERIODEuropean Union, Regulation (EU) 2018/1806 (EUR-Lex consolidated text of 30.12.2025)

Checked 6 Nov 2026Source: European Union, Regulation (EU) 2018/1806 (EUR-Lex consolidated text of 30.12.2025)Report a change

Independent reference, not a government website. We don't issue visas or sell visa services.

ContentsIn brief

In brief
At a glance
Do UK citizens need a visa?
Visa types
Fee
Processing time
Documents
What changed
FAQ
Sources

At a glance

Access	Visa-free · 90 days in any 180
Stay	90 days in any 180
Validity and entries	An ETIAS will be linked to your passport and valid for up to 3 years or until the passport expires, for any number of short stays within the 90/180 limit.⁴
Official fee	None for visa-free entryOnce ETIAS starts, the application fee will be EUR 20 (raised from EUR 7); applicants under 18 or over 70 will not pay it.⁶
Official processing	Nothing to apply for
Where to apply	Nothing to apply for to visit visa-free

Do UK citizens need a visa for the Schengen area?

The European Union, Regulation (EU) 2018/1806 (EUR-Lex consolidated text of 30.12.2025) lists the UK among the countries whose nationals can visit without a visa. Stay: 90 days in any 180.

“LIST OF THIRD COUNTRIES WHOSE NATIONALS ARE EXEMPT FROM THE REQUIREMENT TO BE IN POSSESSION OF A VISA WHEN CROSSING THE EXTERNAL BORDERS OF THE MEMBER STATES FOR STAYS OF NO MORE THAN 90 DAYS IN ANY 180-DAY PERIOD”
European Union, Regulation (EU) 2018/1806 (EUR-Lex consolidated text of 30.12.2025) · checked 6 Nov 2026

Conditions and exceptions

British citizens can visit the Schengen area without a visa for up to 90 days in any 180-day period, for tourism, family visits, business meetings, events or short training.
You can travel without a visa to the Schengen area, which includes France, for up to 90 days in any 180-day period. This applies if you travel: as a tourist to visit family or friends to attend business meetings, cultural or sports events for short-term studies or trainingUK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office · checked 1 Nov 2026
Your passport must have been issued less than 10 years before you arrive and expire at least 3 months after the day you plan to leave; UK passports renewed before 1 October 2018 may show an issue date more than 10 years old.
Your passport must: have a ‘date of issue’ less than 10 years before the date you arrive – if you renewed your passport before 1 October 2018, it might have a date of issue that is more than 10 years ago, making it invalid for entry to the Schengen area have an ‘expiry date’ at least 3 months after the date you plan to leave the Schengen areaUK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office · checked 1 Nov 2026

Schengen visa types for UK citizens

An ETIAS will be linked to your passport and valid for up to 3 years or until the passport expires, for any number of short stays within the 90/180 limit.
European Union, official EES/ETIAS website · checked 1 Nov 2026

Fee

Visa-free entry costs nothing.

Once ETIAS starts, the application fee will be EUR 20 (raised from EUR 7); applicants under 18 or over 70 will not pay it.
European Union, official EES/ETIAS website · checked 1 Nov 2026

These are government fees as the official sources state them. Agencies add their own service fees; those are not visa fees, and we don't list them.

Processing time

Nothing to apply for to visit visa-free (90 days in any 180). For visas, the official sources we read state no processing time.

Documents and entry checks

EES registration is free; at Dover, Eurotunnel Folkestone and Eurostar St Pancras it is done at the border before you leave the UK, and the record is valid for 3 years.UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office · checked 1 Nov 2026

What changed

10 Apr 2026Since 10 April 2026 the Entry/Exit System registers your fingerprints and facial image at the external border instead of stamping your passport; it started on 12 October 2025. European Commission, Directorate-General for Migration and Home Affairs · checked 1 Nov 2026
1 Nov 2026ETIAS is not in operation yet and no applications are taken; the EU will announce the start date several months before launch. European Union, official EES/ETIAS website · checked 1 Nov 2026
1 Nov 2026UK nationals will need an ETIAS once it starts; it will be checked before boarding planes, cruises and trains from the UK, and UK beneficiaries of the Withdrawal Agreement with an EU residence document are exempt. European Union, official EES/ETIAS website · checked 1 Nov 2026
1 Nov 2026EU ministers endorsed a timeline in which ETIAS is expected to start in the last quarter of 2026, followed by transitional and grace periods of at least 12 months; the exact date will be announced by the European Commission. European Union, official EES/ETIAS website · checked 1 Nov 2026
6 Nov 2026Checked against the official sources on this page: the rule above still holds.

FAQ

Is the Schengen area visa-free for UK citizens now?

Yes: visa-free (90 days in any 180). Checked on 6 Nov 2026 against the European Union, Regulation (EU) 2018/1806 (EUR-Lex consolidated text of 30.12.2025).

How much does a Schengen visa cost for UK citizens?

Visa-free entry costs nothing. Once ETIAS starts, the application fee will be EUR 20 (raised from EUR 7); applicants under 18 or over 70 will not pay it.

Can I get a Schengen visa in 7 days?

There is nothing to apply for to visit visa-free (90 days in any 180). The official sources we read state no processing time.