Documents & Preparations

Passport

First, the obvious—you need a passport. However, it must be valid for at least six months after your planned return date to the U.S. To prepare for the unlikely but possible event of loss, take a picture of the key passport pages on your phone or carry a paper copy.

Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA)

New in 2025, U.S. citizens traveling to the United Kingdom for short visits—whether for tourism, business, or even just transiting through UK airports—must obtain an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA). This applies if you do not have a UK visa or legal residency in the UK or the Republic of Ireland.

The ETA is a digital authorization linked to your passport, allowing UK authorities to screen visitors before arrival. If you plan to visit both the UK and any part of the European Union (such as France, Holland or Ireland), you will may need both a UK ETA and the EU equivalent, known as an ETIAS. The EU's ETIAS start date hasn't been announced yet but is likely to be in 2026.

The UK ETA costs £10 and allows multiple visits to the UK for up to six months at a time over a two-year period (or until your passport expires, whichever comes first). For more information and to apply, visit the UK Government website.

The easiest way to apply for an ETA is through the official UK ETA smartphone app, available on the App Store (iPhone) and Google Play Store (Android). Simply search for "UK ETA" to download it....

The "Dual Citizen Dilemma"

Under the new rules, almost all visitors who don't need a visa (including US citizens) must now apply for an ETA (a digital travel permit similar to the US ESTA) before they can board a flight to the UK.

• The Conflict: By law, British citizens are not eligible for an ETA. The system is designed only for foreign nationals.

• The Problem: In the past, dual citizens could simply fly on their US passports and enter as "tourists." Now, when they try to board a flight with a US passport, the airline will check for a valid ETA. If they apply for an ETA and the system recognizes them as British, it may be denied. If they don't have one, the airline may deny boarding.

Requirements for the Summer Trip

To ensure your children can board their flight and enter the UK without issues this summer, the UK Government now states they must present one of the following:

• A Valid British Passport: This is the simplest and most recommended option.

• A Certificate of Entitlement: This is a "Right of Abode" sticker (or digital record) placed in their US passport. However, this is expensive (currently £589) and often more of a headache than just renewing the passport.

• An Irish Passport: If they happen to have Irish citizenship through you or your wife, they can use a valid Irish passport, as Irish citizens are exempt from the ETA requirement.

What about the expired UK passports?

There is a small bit of "grace period" news, but it's risky. The Home Office recently indicated that carriers (airlines) may, at their discretion, accept an expired British passport alongside a valid US passport to prove citizenship.

Warning: Relying on an airline's "discretion" for a family summer vacation is a gamble. Airlines are terrified of being fined for bringing in undocumented passengers, so many are taking a "no valid document, no boarding" stance.

Option 1 - apply for ETA and see if you are rejected

Option 2 - renew British passport

Arrival in London

For Bryn an Henry Only

You can both use E-gates - these are unmanned electronic only entry where you can enter by scanning your passports. Theses are qiuick and easy and typically leass than 5 minutes

Cary/Dan and Jack/Sheila

Infants cannot use E-gates so you must enter through a manned gate. The UK has a policy of keeping families together so as long as one has a British passport, you can all go through the British entry gates. This is the standard process but you can get a difficult agent (some increasing evidence of Americans getting ruder welcome) so if there is a person guiding visitors (this is normal), just confirm with them