European travellers now have to pay for an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) to enter the United Kingdom. Applications for this travel document opened on Wednesday 5 March.
Nearly ten years after British citizens voted to leave the EU, a UK measure further impeding travel and free movement is now taking effect. As of Wednesday, all European visitors who do not need a visa to travel to the UK for short stays of up to six months will need permission to travel before arriving in the country.
Since January 2025, nationals from non-European countries that do not require a visa to visit the UK, such as the United States and Canada, have needed an ETA. Now, citizens of around 30 European countries, including all EU Member States except Ireland, must also have an ETA.
How to apply
The document currently costs £10 (approximately €12) but will increase to £16 (around €19) from 9 April. People can apply for an ETA via the official government website or via the UK ETA app available on the App Store or Google Play. Applicants must supply a photograph and answer a set of questions.
It is advised to apply for an ETA at least 72 hours before travel, as the maximum issuance time is three working days. However, "most applicants can expect to get an automatic decision in minutes when applying through the app. This means last-minute trips to the UK are still possible," said UK ambassador to Belgium, Anne Sherriff.
An ETA is valid for multiple stays of up to six months each, for two years or until the visitor's passport expires. UK Border Force will check the document on arrival and may ask supplementary questions before deciding whether or not to approve it.
Initially, people in transit, waiting to board a connecting flight at a British airport, also had to obtain an ETA. However, the UK Home Office has now decided that transit travellers will be "temporarily" exempted from the ETA requirement. The exemption will be reviewed regularly.
