Today, 10 September, the UK Government announced a major step towards delivering its ambitious aim to digitise the UK border and immigration system. By April 2025, all visitors who do not need a visa for short stays up to six months, except British and Irish citizens, will need an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) – a digital permission to travel to the UK.
Those nationalities that ordinarily require a visa to visit the UK will continue to do so and should not obtain an ETA. Those who are exempt from immigration control are not required to obtain an ETA.
Nationals of Gulf Cooperation Council countries already need an ETA to travel to or transit through the UK. All remaining nationalities will be able to apply for an ETA from later this year through a quick and simple process using the UK ETA app or via the gov.uk webpage.
ETA is extending in two phases:
- Eligible non-Europeans can apply in advance from 27 November 2024 and will need an ETA to travel to the UK from 8 January 2025.
- Eligible Europeans can apply from 5 March 2025 and will need an ETA to travel to the UK from 2 April 2025.
- The full list of nationalities (including countries and associated territories) subject to the requirement to obtain an ETA can be found here.
Key information
- Eligible non-Europeans can apply in advance from 27 November 2024 and will need an ETA to travel from 8 January 2025.
- Eligible Europeans can apply from 5 March 2025 and will need an ETA to travel from 2 April 2025.
- Gulf Cooperation Council visitors already need an ETA to travel to the UK.
- Visitors can find out when they need an ETA to travel and can apply on GOV.UK
- An ETA costs £10 and permits multiple journeys to the UK for stays of up to six months at a time over two years or until the holder’s passport expires – whichever is sooner.
- For more information and regular updates on ETAs, please visit GOV.UK
