The Embassy of Greece in London has published a fresh notice on its website stressing that **Greek nationals – like all EEA citizens – will require a UK Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) for short visits from 2 April 2025** and must apply online before travel. The post, dated 3 January 2026, follows reports of Greek travellers being denied boarding over the festive period after mistakenly assuming their biometric passports were sufficient.
Although the change took effect last year, embassy officials told Global Mobility News that query volumes have spiked as Easter-period business conferences approach. The £16 ETA is valid for multiple entries over two years and covers stays of up to six months for tourism, meetings and short-term study, but **does not permit paid work** – a common misconception among visiting contractors.
![Greek Embassy in London issues ETA reminder to citizens heading to the UK]()
Travel managers with operations in Greece should circulate step-by-step application guides and encourage employees to apply at least 72 hours before departure. Airlines connected to the ‘Status Check’ system can refuse boarding if the ETA is missing or linked to an expired passport.
The UK Home Office has confirmed that the next tranche of ETA expansion – covering visa-exempt nationals entering via the Common Travel Area land border in Ireland – remains scheduled for July 2025, with no further nationalities added in 2026. Greek citizens holding long-term UK visas or dual British citizenship remain exempt.
Failure to hold an ETA can attract a civil penalty of up to £10,000 for carriers and a possible two-year entry ban for the traveller. Companies relying on Greek short-term assignees should therefore integrate ETA checks into their boarding-pass validation workflows.
Although the change took effect last year, embassy officials told Global Mobility News that query volumes have spiked as Easter-period business conferences approach. The £16 ETA is valid for multiple entries over two years and covers stays of up to six months for tourism, meetings and short-term study, but **does not permit paid work** – a common misconception among visiting contractors.
Travel managers with operations in Greece should circulate step-by-step application guides and encourage employees to apply at least 72 hours before departure. Airlines connected to the ‘Status Check’ system can refuse boarding if the ETA is missing or linked to an expired passport.
The UK Home Office has confirmed that the next tranche of ETA expansion – covering visa-exempt nationals entering via the Common Travel Area land border in Ireland – remains scheduled for July 2025, with no further nationalities added in 2026. Greek citizens holding long-term UK visas or dual British citizenship remain exempt.
Failure to hold an ETA can attract a civil penalty of up to £10,000 for carriers and a possible two-year entry ban for the traveller. Companies relying on Greek short-term assignees should therefore integrate ETA checks into their boarding-pass validation workflows.
