Learn our full information to the UK’s new Digital Journey Authorisation (ETA): who wants it, how lengthy it is legitimate and how one can apply.
The UK’s Digital Journey Authorisation (ETA) system has formally expanded to European travellers.
Beginning 2 April 2025, all European guests will want ETA approval – or, for some non-EU nationals, a visa – to enter the UK.
The system grew to become necessary for travellers from the US, Canada and Australia on 8 January 2025, following its rollout final November for nationals of Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE.
Learn on for particulars on value, validity and how one can get it.
What’s the ETA?
The ETA replaces the single-use Digital Visa Waiver (EVW) scheme, providing a decrease value possibility with multi-entry validity.
The UK authorities notes that it isn’t a visa and doesn’t allow entry into the UK. Moderately, it authorises an individual to journey to the UK.
The ETA is now required for all eligible nationalities. Yow will discover the complete listing of nations right here.
How do I apply for an ETA to enter the UK?
Most guests will have the ability to apply utilizing a cell app and might anticipate a call emailed inside three days.
Everybody travelling wants to use, together with infants and youngsters, however you possibly can apply for different folks.
The UK authorities says its app is the quickest and best technique to apply for an ETA. You possibly can obtain the ETA app from the UK authorities web site.
Should you can not obtain the app, you may also apply on-line right here.
To finish the applying, ensure you have readily available the passport you may be travelling on, an e mail deal with and a bank card, debit card, Apple Pay or Google Pay. You’ll have to reply a set of suitability questions. You need not enter your journey particulars.
You possibly can delete the app whenever you’ve completed making use of. Your ETA can be linked to your passport digitally, and you’ll not want to point out anything whenever you enter the UK.
When to use in your ETA
The federal government says: “You could apply for an ETA earlier than you journey to the UK. You possibly can journey to the UK whereas ready for a call.”
Contemplating most candidates will get a call inside three days, it may be assumed you need to apply a minimum of three forward of travelling to the UK, although you are able to do it a lot additional prematurely.
How a lot does the UK ETA value?
Just like the Digital System for Journey Authorisation (ESTA) within the US, a payment is hooked up to the applying course of.
The ETA prices £10 (roughly €12 on the time of writing), rising to £16 (€19) on 9 April 2025.
How lengthy is the ETA legitimate?
An ETA lasts for 2 years. You don’t want to use once more throughout this time.
You possibly can journey to the UK as many occasions as you need through the interval of validity, however you can’t keep for longer than six months on one journey. Examine the UK authorities web site for extra particulars on what you possibly can and can’t do on an ETA.
Word that you will want to use for a brand new ETA should you get a brand new passport, as your ETA is linked to it.
Will I would like a visa to enter the UK?
As talked about above, the ETA is not a visa, but it surely does grant permission to enter the nation.
All guests who do not at present require a visa might want to get an ETA earlier than they journey. This consists of those that don’t at present have to submit any type of software to go to the UK. US, Canadian, Australian and European residents want an ETA even for brief stays or transiting by means of the UK, for instance.
Travellers from nations that do not have visa-free entry agreements with the UK will nonetheless have to use for the proper visa and an ETA.
Should you do not apply earlier than your journey, the federal government says you possibly can be fined, although no additional particulars have been given about this.
You continue to want to use in case you are transiting by means of the UK – even should you aren’t going by means of border management.
The ETA permits you to come to the UK for six months for tourism, visits to household and mates, enterprise or brief time period examine.
You can even get an ETA as an alternative of a visa in case you are coming to the UK for as much as three months on the Inventive Employee visa concession or coming to the UK for a permitted paid engagement. Outdoors of those circumstances, you possibly can’t use an ETA to do paid or unpaid work for a UK firm or as a self-employed particular person.
Who doesn’t want an ETA?
British and Irish residents, individuals who have already got a visa or permission to stay, work or examine within the UK, these travelling with a British abroad territories citizen passport and individuals who stay in Eire and are travelling from Eire, Guernsey, Jersey or the Isle of Man need not apply for an ETA.
Why is the UK introducing the ETA scheme?
The ETA is a part of the UK’s plan to digitise its borders at UK airports by the top of 2025.
The scheme is meant to scale back queues on the border, “serving to to hurry up respectable journeys to the UK”.
Facial recognition expertise might be used to make these “contactless corridors” potential, British newspaper The Occasions stories. It could require worldwide travellers to submit biographic and biometric particulars, like pictures of their faces by means of the brand new Digital Journey Authorisation (ETA) scheme earlier than they fly.