The Forgeign Office has issued a visa update for Europe as part of a new crackdown on border security. Affected countries include popular holiday destinations for Brits such as Greece and Italy.
In a post made to social media platform X, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) explained that UK visas will have to be specially verified before the passenger flies over. It claimed this will “protect” borders and “streamline” arrivals.
“We’re working with European airlines to strengthen UK border security,” the FCDO said.
“Staff at major airlines on the continent are being trained to verify UK visas before passengers board. This will help protect our borders and streamline arrivals.”
This has been confirmed by the Immigration Advice Service (IAS), which noted how passengers flying from Greece, Italy, and Albania would be most affected.
“Airline staff in Europe are being trained to refuse travel to passengers to the UK who don’t have a valid visa or travel authorisation,” it said.
The new training comes as part of the wider rollout of the Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) and eVisa schemes.
The IAS continued: “Over 9,000 airline workers have undergone training to verify UK travel documents at international airports, including common sources for irregular migration such as Greece, Italy and Albania.”
David Lammy, the Foreign Secretary commented: “Tackling irregular migration demands cooperation across borders and industries to disrupt the pathways used by those attempting to enter the UK illegally.
We’re sending a clear message – air travel simply isn’t an option without proper authorisation and registration.”
Official statistics show that enforced returns from the UK have risen by 23% since the 2024 general election. This meant that more than 30,000 people have been returned to their home countries.
However, the IAS noted that some campaigners have raised concerns about delegating immigration responsibilities to private airline staff.
This could cause issues for “legitimate travellers”, especially in potential cases where boarding may be mistakenly refused due to system errors, the IAS added.