ETA required
Poles need a UK ETA
ETA required for travel from 2 April 2025
Poland has one of the largest EU-born populations in the UK. If you already have settled or pre-settled status, you do not apply for an ETA — you travel as a resident. If you are visiting from Poland on a Polish passport without UK permission, you do need the £20 ETA (from 2 April 2025). Wizz Air and LOT will check it. Do not buy an ETA ‘just in case’ if you have status; it is the wrong document and can confuse carriers. Family in Poland visiting you in London: they need ETAs on their passports, even if you are settled.
Polish travel facts
| Passport | Poland |
|---|---|
| Roll-out | ETA required for travel from 2 April 2025 |
| What you need | UK ETA (£20) |
| Stay | Usually up to 6 months as a visitor |
| Work | Not allowed on visit permission |
| Landside transit | ETA required if you pass UK border control |
Mistakes poles make
- Settled-status holders paying for an ETA they do not need.
- Visiting grandparents travelling on old passports that do not match the ETA application.
London notes for Polish arrivals
Luton and Stansted take a lot of Poland traffic. National Express or Thameslink/Stansted Express into central London; those airports are not on the Underground. Budget extra time. Congestion Charge is irrelevant until you are in a car in the zone.
FAQs
- I have settled status. ETA or not?
- Not. Travel with the evidence the airline lists for EU Settlement Scheme passengers.
- My parents are visiting from Kraków.
- They need ETAs on their Polish passports unless they themselves have UK permission.
Other passports
Bodhixt is not affiliated with UKVI. Confirm on GOV.UK before you book. Apply via https://www.gov.uk/eta only.