The UK government is set to further increase the cost of the Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) for travellers from Europe, coinciding with the implementation of tougher entry rules.
The UK government is set to hike the cost of its new Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) by a further 25 percent, coinciding with the end of a transitionary phase and the implementation of tougher entry rules.
Reports in the British press suggest the fee will rise from £16 to £20, a 25 percent increase. This follows a previous from £10 to £16 announced by the Home office in 2025.
No concrete date has yet been outlined by the British government, but information on the Home Office website suggests that the price rise is imminent.
“As with all our fees, the cost of an ETA is kept under review, and we intend to increase the cost of an ETA to £20 in the future. We will provide more information in due course,” it says.
The rise would roughly bring the ETA price in line with the EU’s ETIAS travel authorisation coming in at end of 2026, which will be €20.
READ ALSO: When will Europe roll out its ETIAS visa waiver for non-EU travellers?
The UK first introduced its Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) in 2023, gradually rolling it out so that by April 2025 it was compulsory for anyone entering the UK – with the exception of those travelling on a UK or Irish passport.
But although the scheme has been in place for several months now, people who have not had the required authorisation have mostly not actually been prevented from entering the country.
This phase is due to end on February 25th, 2026.
The UK government warns that from that date, people who don’t have the ETA if required will be denied entry, or denied boarding if travelling by plane.
The latest 25 percent could coincide with the date marking the end of that phase.
What is ETA?
The Electronic Travel Authorisation is, technically, not a visa, rather it is a visa waiver.
However its introduction ends paperwork-free travel to the UK for people from countries where a visa is not required for a short stay – including Americans, Canadian, Australians and citizens of all EU/EEA countries.
Only people who are travelling on a valid UK or Irish passport are exempt from the new requirement. People who have a British long-stay visa or residency status should show that at the border instead.
There is no exemption for EU nationals who are married to a Brit.
Travellers must apply for the ETA in advance of travel, and it can only be obtained online – find full instructions on how to get one HERE.
An ETA, at a cost of £16 (around €18), must be obtained for each traveller, including children.
It is advised to apply for it at least three days in advance of travel, although the UK government says that “most applications are processed in minutes”. Once obtained, it is valid for two years – unless you get a new passport during that period.
Be careful that you are on the correct Gov.uk website or app, there are a lot of scammers out there, as well as companies that will charge you far in excess of the official fee to get the ETA for you.
READ ALSO: Will British dual nationals really be forced to have a valid UK passport from February?
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: thelocal.de
