UK Electronic Travel Authorisation: What is the new ETA visa-free entry system and what effect will it have?

The UK’s new Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) scheme will apply to the vast majority of overseas arrivals – even those merely changing planes – by 2 April 2025.

The new government says: “Everyone wishing to travel to the UK – except British and Irish citizens – will need permission to travel in advance of coming here. This can be either through an Electronic Travel Authorisation or an eVisa.”

The ETA costs £10 and is valid for multiple entries to the UK over the course of two years or until the traveller’s passport expires, whichever is sooner; the eVisa is used by a minority of travellers who do not qualify for “visa-free” status.

Ministers say rolling out the scheme worldwide will “prevent abuse of our immigration system”.

The ETA will be needed even for those who are “airside” at Heathrow for a short time between international flights.

For British travellers, there should be no direct impact. But travel industry figures say rules attached to the ETA will disadvantage UK airlines and tourism.

These are the key questions and answers.

What is planned?

Most visitors to the UK need not go through the complex and expensive business of applying for a British visa; they simply turn up with their passport and apply for entry.

But that is all changing with the new online permit. The Electronic Travel Authorisation will be mandatory for all “non-visa” overseas visitors to the UK – except for Irish nationals, who are allowed free movement under the Common Travel Agreement.

The starting point of the journey to the UK is not relevant – it is the traveller’s nationality that counts.

The ETA is loosely modelled on the US Esta and is electronically linked to the traveller’s passport. The cost is £10. The permit will be valid for repeated journeys within two years or until the passport expires, whichever is sooner.

When is it happening?

The roll-out began with Qatari nationals travelling to or via the UK on 15 November 2023. On 22 February 2024 the programme was extended to nationals of Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia and the UAE. Jordan was later removed from the pilot scheme, for reasons that are unclear.

Non-Europeans will need the permit to travel from 8 January 2025, with the ETA mandatory for European arrivals from 2 April 2025.

How do travellers obtain an ETA?

Online through a UK government website or via the app (search for “UK ETA” on the Apple app store or Google Play).

You need to supply a photograph and answer a set of questions. The government says: “This will ensure we have information on those seeking to come to the UK helping to prevent dangerous individuals, such as criminals, entering the UK.”

A decision on each case is expected “usually” within three days. In practice, existing similar schemes in the US, Canada and elsewhere deliver approval more quickly.

Commercial sites that are designed to tempt applicants to pay additional fees have already appeared, such as etauk.uk, which is based in Spain and has no connection with the UK government.

Who will check the ETA?

For the majority of travellers, airlines and ferry companies will be expected to verify the ETA status before the passenger boards a flight or ship to the UK. They will be penalised if they fail to check.

The government says: “Where an inadequately documented arrival (IDA) is brought to the UK, the carrier may be liable for a fine of up to £2,000.”

Ferries from France to Dover, Eurostar trains to London and Eurotunnel shuttles to Folkestone have “juxtaposed controls” and UK Border Force staff will check the permit while the traveller is in Continental Europe.

On arrival, UK Border Force will check the ETA and ask supplementary questions before deciding whether or not to allow the traveller in. The government says: “An ETA does not guarantee entry to the UK.”

Non-Irish and British travellers from the Republic of Ireland to Northern Ireland will not face checks.

What about transit passengers?

The UK government has decided to become an outlier by insisting that all connecting travellers must obtain an ETA. This will make London Heathrow airport a more challenging transit hub than the main continental European competitors, plus airports such as Istanbul and Dubai.

The almost-worldwide convention is that passengers who are connecting from one gate to another at a hub – not passing through passport control – need only meet the requirements for their final destination.

But when the ETA scheme takes full effect next April, all passengers except British and Irish nationals will need a permit – even if they are simply switching from one British Airways plane to another at Heathrow Terminal 5, or making a connection between Star Alliance airlines at the airport’s Terminal 2.

Travel industry experts predict overseas travellers with a choice of routings will switch to other hubs to avoid extra red tape and cost – harming Heathrow and leading to a slump in customers for British Airways and Virgin Atlantic.

About 30 per cent of passengers at Heathrow are in transit.

Paul Charles, director of The PC Agency and former Virgin Atlantic communications director, said: “Taxing transit is tantamount to failure. If other airports offer free transit then they will pick up market share.

“Airports should be zones of ease, enabling seamless travel. This proposed tax needs removing.”

Rob Burgess, editor of the frequent flyer website Head for Points, says: “Why would anyone pay £40 for a family of four to get an ETA purely so they can transit in the UK on the way from, say, the US to Croatia? All of the other European hub carriers will be laughing as they pick up this business.”

A Heathrow spokesperson said: “We don’t disagree with the long-term roll-out of the scheme, but including airside transit passengers will make the UK less competitive and harm economic growth.

“We want to work in partnership with Home Office ministers over the next few months to address this issue, and learn from the lessons of the countries trialled, where we’ve seen the loss of a significant number of transfer passengers already.”

What does the government say?

The minister for Migration and Citizenship, Seema Malhotra, said: “Digitisation enables a smooth experience for the millions of people who pass through the border every year, including the visitors we warmly welcome to the UK who are predicted to contribute over £32bn to our tourism economy this year.

“The worldwide expansion of the ETA demonstrates our commitment to enhance security through new technology and embedding a modern immigration system.”

Government online information about the new scheme says: “Requiring those transiting to obtain an ETA will stop transit being a future loophole for people to use to avoid needing an ETA. This is in line with the US Esta scheme.”

If I’m changing planes in the US I need an Esta…

There is a crucial difference: all passengers in transit through the United States are required to clear Customs & Border Protection and be legally admitted to the US. In theory they could decide, instead of transferring at Atlanta, Chicago or Houston, to stay in America for up to three months.

This policy does not apply at Heathrow (or elsewhere in Europe) for international-to-international journeys. UK Border Force will not check passengers on arrival at Heathrow if they are continuing their journey internationally.

Furthermore, few US airports rely on transit passengers for business in the way that Heathrow does.

Besides the potential financial damage to airlines and Heathrow airport, the government decision could also impact British passengers. A number of routes and frequencies are viable only because of the volume of connecting passengers. If services are cut, choice will reduce and fares could rise.