What is the ETA? Non-EU travellers now have to apply online for €11 permit to enter the UK

The UK has just launched its new Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) permit for non-EU travellers.

The new system means tourists are required to gain permission to enter the country, as part of plans to fully digitise its borders.

The permit is required for travellers from countries like the US, Canada and Australia starting 8 January 2025.

The scheme has been in place for nationals of Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates since last November.

Europeans will also need an ETA from later this year. Read on for the cost, validity and how to get it.

When will EU travellers need to apply for an ETA to visit the UK?

The ETA replaces the single-use Electronic Visa Waiver (EVW) scheme, offering a lower cost option with multi-entry validity.

The ETA is required for all nationalities, except European citizens. You can find the full list of countries here.

Europeans, meanwhile, will be required to have an ETA for travel from 2 April 2025, with applications opening on 5 March.

Related

• London, Paris, Dublin: Which European city has the most congested roads?

• Remote working in Asia? Taiwan's digital nomad visa has now launched

How do I apply for an ETA to enter the UK?

Most visitors will be able to apply using a mobile app and can expect a decision within three days. You will get an email with the decision.

Everyone travelling needs to apply including babies and children, but you can apply for other people. Download the ETA app from the UK government website.

The government says the app is the quickest and easiest way to apply for an ETA but if you cannot download it for some reason, you can also apply online here.

To complete the application, make sure you have on hand the passport you'll be travelling on, an email address and a credit card, debit card, Apple Pay or Google Pay. You will have to answer a set of suitability questions. You don't need to enter your travel details.

You can delete the app when you’ve finished applying. Your ETA will be linked to your passport digitally, and you will not need to show anything else when you enter the UK.

When to apply for your ETA

The government says: "You must apply for an ETA before you travel to the UK. You can travel to the UK while waiting for a decision."

Considering most applicants will get a decision within three days, it can be assumed you should apply at least three ahead of travelling to the UK, though you can do it much further in advance of course.

Related

• UK passport holders advised to swat up on validity rules as passenger wrongly denied boarding

• World’s most powerful passport: Surprise European nation takes second spot

How much does the UK ETA cost?

Like the Electronic System for Travel Authorisation (ESTA) in the US, a fee is attached to the application process. The ETA costs £10, approximately €12 at the time of writing.

How long is the ETA valid for?

An ETA lasts for two years. You do not need to apply again during this time.

You can travel to the UK as many times as you want during the period of validity but you not stay for longer than six months on one trip. Check the UK government website for more details on what you can and can not do on an ETA.

Note that because your ETA is linked to your passport if you get a new passport you will need to apply for a new ETA.

Related

• Spain flip-flops on Golden Visa ban as applications continue to flood in

• Love collecting passport stamps? You only have until November to get one from an EU country

Will I need a visa to enter the UK?

The ETA isn't a visa but it does grant permission to enter the country.

All visitors who currently don't have to apply for a visa will need to get an ETA before they travel. This includes those who do not currently need to submit any form of application to visit the UK. US, Canadian, Australian and European citizens for example need an ETA even for short stays or transiting through the UK.

Travellers from countries that don't have visa-free entry agreements with the UK will still have to apply for the correct visa and an ETA.

If you don't apply before your trip, the government say you could be fined, though no further details have been given on this.

You still need to apply if you are transiting through the UK even if you aren't going through border control.

The ETA allows you to come to the UK for six months for tourism, visits to family and friends, business or short term study.

You can also get an ETA instead of a visa if you are coming to the UK for up to three months on the Creative Worker visa concession or coming to the UK for a permitted paid engagement. Outside of these conditions you can't use an ETA to do paid or unpaid work for a UK company or as a self-employed person.

Related

• ETIAS: The new visa waiver Brits need to enter the EU in 2025, what it costs and who gets it free

• EU’s biometric Entry/Exit border system set to launch in 2025: Who’ll need to use it?

Who does not need an ETA?

British and Irish citizens, people who already have a visa or permission to live, work or study in the UK, those travelling with a British overseas territories citizen passport and people who live in Ireland and are travelling from Ireland, Guernsey, Jersey or the Isle of Man don't need to apply for an ETA.

Why is the UK introducing the ETA scheme?

The ETA is part of the UK's plan to digitise its borders at UK airports by the end of 2025.

The scheme is intended to reduce queues at the border, “helping to speed up legitimate journeys to the UK”.

Facial recognition technology could be used to make these “contactless corridors” possible, British newspaper The Times reports. It would require international travellers to submit biographic and biometric details, like photos of their faces through the new Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) scheme before they fly.