The UK Government has confirmed the schedule for the rollout of its digital travel authorisation system, known as the Electronic Travel Authorisation or ETA, which is set to change the way in which tourists from the European Union and beyond enter British territory. Under the new rules, travellers from EU countries and other visa-exempt nations like Monaco will be required to apply for an ETA before entering the UK from April 2025.
The ETA is part of the UK Government’s effort to enhance border security and streamline the entry process for visitors. According to the UK Home Office, the ETA will apply to all travellers who currently do not require a visa.
The scheme already applies to a number of countries in the Middle East, including Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. As of 2nd April 2025, it will also apply to nations in the EU and EEA, as well as Monaco.
FAST AND EASY ONLINE APPLICATION
Visitors will need to apply online, providing personal and travel details in advance. Once granted, the ETA will be valid for multiple entries over a two-year period or until the applicant’s passport expires, making it similar to systems used by countries like the United States, with its ESTA system, and the new EU Entry/Exit System (EES).
This move comes in the context of the UK’s post-Brexit border management reforms. Until now, EU citizens could travel freely to the UK without any pre-approval. However, the new rules are designed to give the UK more control over who enters the country, ensuring that only those meeting entry requirements can cross its borders. The EU will implement a similar scheme this November.
The ETA is intended to be a swift and straightforward process, with most applications expected to be approved within a few minutes or hours.
“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 £32 billion to our tourism economy this year,” says Seema Malhotra, the UK’s Minister for Migration and Citizenship. “The worldwide expansion of the ETA demonstrates our commitment to enhancing security through new technology and embedding a modern immigration system.”
For tourists, this change means an increase in planning, as they will now need to apply for travel permission before arrival. While the UK government is working to ensure the system is user-friendly, there may still be concerns about how this impacts spontaneous travel, which was a hallmark of EU-UK relationships before Brexit.
For more information on the ETA, click here.
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EU Entry/Exit System expected to be operational by November 2024
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