Thousands of Brits are being stopped at the border – the rules you NEED to know about for top holiday destinations

TravelNews Travel BRITS are being caught out by visa rules which is seeing thousands banned from their flights. While UK holidaymakers can (currently) travel to Europe without needing a visa, other countries do not have such rules. Brits are being stopped at the border due to not following visa rules Credit: Alamy Some Brits might not realise they need an ESTA even if only travelling through airports in America Credit: Alamy A new study by Confused.com found that more than 2,800 Brits were stopped at the border between 2023 and 2025 to just two destinations. When it came to the US, this saw 242 refusals in 2014, followed by 1,451 last year. Sign up for the Travel newsletter Thank you! All UK travellers need a an Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) to visit the US, which was launched back in 2008. Confusion often comes when travelling via the US as a layover – an ESTA is still required , even if in America for a few hours without leaving the airport. Read more on travel rules ESTAs currently cost $40.27 (£30), a steep jump from $21 (£15.38) last year. But a large number of Brits were also refused entry at the Australian border too. An eVisa is required from all UK travellers visiting Australia for holiday purposes which lets you stay up to three months in a 12-month period. Thankfully, this is free although it must be applied for being travelling. Most read in Travel According to Confused.com, more than 300 people were refused entry to Australia because of travel document problems between 2023 and 2025. Some places have recently scrapped visas, such as China until the end of 2026. Make sure to check your passport before travelling Credit: PA:Press Association/PA Images And Sri Lanka has scrapped ETA visa fees, which were usually $50 (37), although you will still need to apply for a free one. From next year, Brits will need an ETIAS to visit Europe, which is a visa-waiver similar to the American ESTA and will cost £18, lasting three years. In response, Confused.com has launched a new visa checker tool which helps you find out what you need for your travels. Tom Vaughan, travel insurance expert at Confused.com said: “Being turned away at border control is something no traveller expects, but it’s a real risk if you’re unsure about the entry requirements for your destination. “Visa rules can be complex and vary between countries, so even small mistakes can result in people being refused entry and losing out on their holiday. “And it’s worth knowing that if you’re refused entry, it may not be covered by standard travel insurance.” Comment now