The United Kingdom will be starting Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) to travellers from visa exempt countries starting from 8 January 2025. ETA Applications can be filed as early from 27 Nov 2024 via online or app.
ETAs are digitally linked to a traveller’s passport and ensure more robust security checks are carried out before people begin their journey to the UK, helping to prevent abuse of UK immigration system.
An ETA costs £10 and permits multiple journeys to the UK for stays of up to 6 months at a time over 2 years or until the holder’s passport expires – whichever is sooner.
By April 2025, all visitors who do not need a visa will need an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) to travel to the UK.
– Home Office
The introduction of ETAs is in line is similar to US, Canada and Australia to enhance their border security. The EU is expected to start ETIAS travel authorization from mid-2025 from visa exempt countries. ETA already in force travellers for GCC countries.
List of Countries
| From 8 January 2025 (Applications open From 27 November 2024.) | From 2 April 2025 (Applications open from 2 April 2025) |
| Antigua and Barbuda Argentina Australia The Bahamas Barbados Belize Botswana Brazil Brunei Canada Chile Colombia Costa Rica Grenada Guatemala Guyana Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (including British national overseas) Israel Japan Kiribati Macao Special Administrative Region Malaysia Maldives Marshall Islands Mauritius Mexico Federated States of Micronesia Nauru New Zealand Nicaragua Palau Panama Papua New Guinea Paraguay Peru Samoa Seychelles Singapore Solomon Islands South Korea St Kitts and Nevis St Lucia St Vincent and the Grenadines Taiwan Tonga Trinidad and Tobago Tuvalu United States Uruguay | Andorra Austria Belgium Bulgaria Croatia Cyprus Czechia Denmark Estonia Finland France Germany Greece Hungary Iceland Italy Latvia Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg Malta Monaco Netherlands Norway Poland Portugal Romania San Marino Slovakia Slovenia Spain Sweden Switzerland Vatican City |