The UK government has announced that from April 2025, tourists from EU countries will need an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) to enter the UK. The ETA is a registration system designed for tourists from visa-free countries and is currently required only for travellers from Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates.
This requirement will be extended to all non-European travellers starting 8 January 2025, with applications opening from 27 November this year. For European travellers, the new requirement will begin on 2 April 2025, and they will be able to apply for an ETA starting from 5 March 2025.
The ETA will be linked electronically to the traveller’s passport and costs £10 (approximately 11.8 euros). It will be valid for two years or until the passport expires, whichever comes first, and it will allow visitors to stay in the UK for up to six months.
Seema Malhotra, the UK Secretary of State for Migration, has stated that this move is part of a broader effort to modernise the migration system by using technology to create a simpler experience for the millions of people who cross the UK border each year. Malhotra also emphasised that the UK remains open to tourism, a sector expected to contribute over £32 billion (around 38 billion euros) to the British economy this year.
Meanwhile, the EU is developing its own registration system for non-Schengen travellers, known as the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS). However, the launch of ETIAS has been delayed and is now expected in spring next year.
