The British government announced this week that citizens of European countries will have to pay to enter the United Kingdom from spring 2025. British Home Secretary Yvette Cooper went into detail about this “Electronic Travel Authorization” (ETA).
What is ETA and how much does it cost?
An ETA (Electronic Travel Authorisation) is a travel authorisation digitally linked to a traveller’s passport and intended for people entering or transiting through the United Kingdom who do not have a visa.
The latter costs 10 pounds (about 12 euros) and allows the traveller to visit the United Kingdom several times for stays of up to six months, over a period of two years or until the expiry of the holder’s passport.
The reform concerns people who come to the UK for tourism or to visit relatives. Affected travellers can apply using the UK ETA application.
Who needs it?
Previously, many visitors could arrive at a UK airport with their passport and enter the country without a visa.
Things began to change in November 2023, when the previous conservative government introduced ETA, targeting Qatari citizens.
The program was expanded in early 2024 and now includes citizens of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Children and infants from these countries also need this authorization.
When will Europeans be affected?
Europeans will be the last to be affected by this reform. They will be able to apply for it from 5 March, with it coming into force on 2 April 2025.
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Travellers will need this permit even if they are only using the UK as a transit country.
Why expand this program?
The move is part of the UK government’s efforts to digitise its border management system. The Home Office says this will ensure “Stronger security controls”.
The reform is partly a consequence of Brexit, which ended freedom of movement to the United Kingdom for European citizens.
Do other countries do it the same way?
The Ministry of the Interior says that ETA is “obedient” the approach taken by many other countries to border security, notably the United States and Australia.
The European Union plans to introduce a similar system called ETIAS (European Travel Information and Authorization System) by mid-2025. Some sixty countries will be affected, including the United States, Canada, Brazil and the United Kingdom. This authorization will cost seven euros and will be valid for three years.
What were the reactions to these announcements?
According to London’s Heathrow Airport, electronic travel authorisation has led to a drop in the number of passengers transiting to the UK.
He described this system as “devastating for competitiveness” and calls on the Government to re-examine the part of the reform relating to transit passengers.
