Starting Wednesday, European travellers visiting the United Kingdom will need a mandatory entry permit as part of new border security measures introduced by the British government.
The permit, called the Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA), will be required for visitors from about 30 European countries, except Ireland. It allows travellers to stay in the UK for up to six months and is valid for two years.
Migration Minister Seema Malhotra said the move is aimed at improving border control. “By digitising the immigration system, we are paving the way for a contactless UK border,” she said earlier this month.
The application process, which began in early March, can be completed on a smartphone app or the UK government website. Applicants need to upload a photo of their passport and face. The process takes about 10 minutes, and most decisions are made within minutes, although the government advises allowing up to three working days.
The permit costs £10 (12 euros) but will increase to £16 from April 9. It is similar to the US ESTA system and was previously introduced for visa-exempt travellers from the US, Canada, and other countries in January.
The UK first tested the ETA scheme in 2023 for Qatari travellers before expanding it to Gulf nations and, later, other countries such as Argentina, South Korea, and New Zealand. By the end of 2024, nearly 1.1 million visitors had obtained ETAs, according to the UK Home Office.
The scheme does not apply to UK residents or those with an existing immigration status. Meanwhile, the European Union plans to launch a similar system, called ETIAS, for visa-exempt travellers visiting 30 European countries, but it has been delayed until 2026.
