Residence rights for EU nationals in the UK and UK nationals in the EU
UK citizens who want to live in the EU
British citizens don’t need a visa to stay in an EU country for up to 90 days in a given 180-day period. This applies only to leisure visits, and any work you carry out will most often require a work permit. After 90 days, you will need to get a visa to be able to stay longer and to get a job or to study.
Most EU countries have multiple visa types, and the conditions and procedures differ for each. In some countries, it is necessary to be sponsored by an employer in order to be able to get the right to stay, while others will allow you to have a temporary visa to find work. Some EU countries have a points-based system for skilled migrants.
Please check the website of the national authorities for more information on the conditions that apply in your case.
EU citizens who want to live in the UK
EU citizens need a visa to live, work, or study in the UK. The conditions and procedures differ for each different visa type. Please check the website of the British immigration authorities for more information on the conditions that apply in your case.
To visit the UK for up to 6 months as a tourist, to do business, or as a short-term student, you will need to apply for an ETA (electronic travel authorisation). The ETA is valid for a maximum of 2 years or until your passport expires (whichever comes first). It can be used for more than one visit to the UK within that period.
You do not need to apply for an ETA if you are Irish, if you already have permission to live, work or study in the UK, if you already have a visa to stay in the UK, or if you are transiting through a UK airport (as long as you do not have to pass through border control - check with your airline to find out if this is the case).
More details and conditions can be found on the ETA section of the website of the UK immigration authorities.
Residence rights under the EU-UK Withdrawal Agreement (Brexit)
UK citizens who had been living in an EU country before January 2021 may have been able to stay thanks to the EU-UK Withdrawal Agreement. The same applied to EU citizens who had been living in the UK. Since 1 January 2021, EU citizens moving to the UK are not covered by the agreement, unless they are a family member of someone who is.
More information on residence rights after Brexit
Information on the UK’s settlement scheme for EU citizens
See also
Travel documents for EU nationals and their non-EU family members residing in the UK
Travel documents for UK nationals and their family members residing in an EU country