The Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is expanding its Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) scheme to citizens of the European Union. Applying for the British ETA will cost you 10 pounds sterling.
By April 2025, all visitors who do not need a visa will need an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) to travel to the United Kingdom, a dedicated UK.gov page indicates.
The British Government is taking major steps towards delivering its ambitious aim to digitise the UK border and immigration system and has today set out new implementation dates for the Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) scheme.
Everyone wishing to travel to the UK – except British and Irish citizens – will need permission to travel in advance of coming here. This can be either through an ETA or an eVisa.
From 2025
“Today we are confirming that from 27 November 2024, eligible non-Europeans can apply for an ETA and will need an ETA to travel from 8 January 2025. ETAs will then extend to eligible Europeans from 5 March 2025, who will need an ETA to travel from 2 April 2025.”
“ETAs are digitally linked to a traveller’s passport and ensure more robust security checks are carried out before people begin their journey to the UK, helping to prevent abuse of our immigration system. An ETA costs £10 and permits multiple journeys to the UK for stays of up to 6 months at a time over 2 years or until the holder’s passport expires – whichever is sooner.”
Gulf Cooperation Council visitors already need an ETA to travel to the UK.
UK is not alone with such a policy
The introduction of ETAs is in line with the approach many other countries have taken to border security, including the United States, Canada and Australia. The European Union will also introduce such a scheme
Minister for Migration and Citizenship Seema Malhotra (Labour) said: “Digitisation enables a smooth experience for the millions of people who pass through the border every year, including the visitors we warmly welcome to the UK who are predicted to contribute over £32 billion to our tourism economy this year.”
“The worldwide expansion of the ETA demonstrates our commitment to enhance security through new technology and embedding a modern immigration system.
eVisa
People who need a UK visa to live, work or study in the UK are now issued with an eVisa, providing digital proof of immigration status, instead of physical immigration documents which can be lost, stolen, or tampered with. eVisas mean people no longer have to wait for or travel to collect a physical document, streamlining their experience.
The government is asking migrants in the UK who currently use a physical immigration document, including a Biometric Residence Permit (BRP), or a passport containing ink stamps or visa vignette stickers, to take action now and create an online account to access their eVisa.
Most BRPs are due to expire on 31 December 2024, and BRP holders are urged to take action before their BRP expires.
Creating the account enables people to use online services to prove their rights and manage their data, such as their personal details and passport information, and won’t impact their underlying immigration status. Through government funding, extra support is being provided for vulnerable people who need to take action to move from physical documents to an eVisa.
The government continues to work closely with global airline, maritime and rail carriers, who are crucial to ensuring smooth implementation of our digitisation programme.
Who can apply now?
People from: Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates.
Who can apply from 27 November 2024?
Nationalities from the following locations (including associated territories) can apply for an ETA from 27 November 2024. They can travel to the UK with an ETA from 8 January 2025.
People from Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (including British national overseas), Israel, Japan, Kiribati, Macau / Macao Special Administrative Region, Malaysia, Maldives, Marshall Islands, Mauritius, Mexico, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Samoa, the Seychelles, Singapore, Solomon Islands, South Korea, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Taiwan (if you have a passport issued by Taiwan that includes in it the number of the identification card issued by the competent authority in Taiwan), Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tuvalu, United States, Uruguay.
Who can apply from 5 March 2025?
Nationalities from the following locations (including associated territories) can apply for an ETA from 5 March 2025. They can travel to the UK with an ETA from 2 April 2025.
People from Andorra, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, San Marino, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Vatican City.
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