As of 8 January 2025, the UK’s Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) system has entered into force, marking a significant shift in how visitors from visa-exempt countries access the Kingdom. The new protocol is part of the UK’s broader strategy to digitise border control and enhance security.
The ETA system is designed to streamline entry into the UK by pre-screening travellers’ backgrounds before they arrive. Similar to other pre-travel authorisation systems like the US ESTA or the Canadian eTA, it represents a shift towards a more controlled and secure border management strategy.
For now, the ETA affects travellers from 48 specified non-European countries, including the US, Canada, Australia, Hong Kong and Singapore. From 2 April 2025, European visitors will also need to comply, with applications opening on 5 March 2025. Notably, British and Irish citizens, as well as people who already have a residence permit in the UK and those travelling with a British overseas territories citizen passport, are exempt from this requirement.
Applying for the authorisation is mandatory for tourists, those visiting family and friends, and business travellers, including those looking for short-term study opportunities. Once obtained, it allows visitors to stay in the UK for up to six months on multiple trips over a two-year period. Moreover, the ETA is linked digitally to the traveller’s passport, eliminating the need for physical documentation upon arrival.
The application is a straightforward process that can be done through a dedicated app or online and involves filling out personal details, paying a fee of £10 (€12) and answering suitability questions to assess security risks. Most applications are processed within three days and while urgent travellers can enter the UK while their application is pending, those who are not approved before their journeys will usually not be allowed to board flights at their point of departure.
Travel industry experts suggest that the transition may be smooth due to the familiarity with similar systems elsewhere. However, they advise travellers to plan well in advance and apply early to avoid potential delays or disruptions.
In its turn, the European Union is also set to introduce a comparable system. Coming in spring 2025, the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) means that arrivals to the EU from 60 nations (such as Australia, Canada, the UK and the US) will need to give themselves a 96-hour margin to apply for authorisation, pay a €7 fee, or approximately US $7.40 or £5.80, and wait for approval.
ETIAS is not the only new kid on the EU bloc though. The now-infamous Entry/Exit System, or EES, has been delayed several times, but is set for launch in the next year. It calls for no prior action on the part of travellers though – their details, including biometrics, will be registered when they cross into the territory. Like many such existing systems, for example in North America and Australia, it has been explained as a way of cracking down on “illegal overstays” in the EU.
