Starting from April 2, 2025, most international visitors to the United Kingdom will be required to obtain an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) before their trip.
The ETA, which is digitally linked to the traveler’s passport, will cost £10 and can be paid using Visa, Mastercard, American Express, JCB, Apple Pay, or Google Pay.
According to the UK Home Office, the introduction of the ETA aims to create a more streamlined and secure digital immigration system, ensuring smoother border control for millions of travelers each year.
The UK government has emphasized that all visitors, except British and Irish citizens, must obtain permission to travel in advance.
This requirement can be fulfilled through either an ETA or an eVisa, depending on the traveler’s nationality and circumstances.
Currently, most leisure and business travelers from the European Union do not require a visa to enter the UK. However, from April 2025, they will need to apply for an ETA before their trip, similar to non-European travelers who already require the permit.
Government officials say that expanding the scheme worldwide will help prevent misuse of the UK’s immigration system.
However, following concerns raised by London Heathrow Airport, authorities have scrapped an earlier requirement for passengers in airside transit—who do not enter the UK—to obtain an ETA.
The UK is joining other nations in requesting more travel details from visitors before they board planes, ships, or trains bound for Britain, or before crossing into Northern Ireland from the Republic of Ireland by land.
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