Travel Update: UK to Enforce Strict Digital Border Checks as Europe Celebrates Cultural Milestones

The era of lenient border checks for European visitors to the UK is drawing to a rapid close. The British government has confirmed that starting 25 February 2026, enforcement of the Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) will be significantly tightened. While the scheme has been technically mandatory for visa-free travellers, such as German nationals, since April, authorities have thus far operated a “soft launch” approach with only occasional spot checks.

This transitional phase is now set to be scrapped entirely. London’s new directive places the onus squarely on transport operators; airlines and ferry services will soon be legally obliged to systematically verify a passenger’s ETA status before they even board. The message is stark: without valid digital clearance, travellers will face a blanket refusal of carriage, with no leeway for those who claim ignorance of the new bureaucracy.

The Application Process and Costs

For tourists, this shift means the ETA can no longer be an afterthought. The authorisation is digitally linked to the traveller’s passport and is most efficiently secured via the official government app. The process incurs a fee of approximately €18 and requires applicants to submit a passport scan and answer a series of questions regarding their profession and criminal history. Additionally, anyone over the age of nine must provide a current digital facial image.

While the government frames this as a vital enhancement to national security, it is also widely recognised as a significant revenue generator. The app reportedly includes automated checks to ensure data completeness, helping applicants avoid administrative rejections, but travellers are strongly advised to complete the process days in advance to avoid disruption.

Natural Spectacles on the Coast

For those who navigate the new digital borders successfully, the rewards of a British winter visit remain compelling. In East England, the Donna Nook National Nature Reserve in North Lincolnshire is currently hosting one of the country’s most beloved wildlife events.

Since late October, the reserve’s sand dunes have been teeming with grey seals arriving to give birth. The sight of hundreds of seal pups spread across the coastline has become a major draw, attracting nature enthusiasts from across the UK to witness the colony’s thriving population first-hand.

Cultural and Festive Highlights Across the Channel

Meanwhile, mainland Europe is marking significant cultural moments of its own. In southwest France, the city of Bayonne is celebrating the long-awaited return of a cultural institution. The Musée Bonnat-Helleu has finally reopened its doors to the public after an exhaustive 14-year renovation project. The museum houses a prestigious collection spanning from the Renaissance era to the early 20th century, now accessible to art historians and tourists alike after over a decade of closure.

Further east in Germany, the festive season is meeting modern engineering in spectacular fashion. In Leipzig, Saxony, a worker was recently spotted carrying out final checks on a massive “Schwibbogen”—a traditional decorative candle arch—mounted in a rather unconventional location. The six-metre-wide light display, featuring a classic Schwarzenberg motif, has been installed atop the machine house of a wind turbine. Glowing at a height of 140 metres, it serves as a towering, illuminated beacon of the season, blending Saxon folklore with renewable energy infrastructure.