The U.K. government has opened applications for the electronic travel authorization (ETA) needed to visit the U.K. starting Jan. 8.
The ETA program for inbound travelers launched in 2023 for several Middle Eastern countries. It expands to other non-Europeans next month and to Europeans beginning April 2. The U.K. stressed that the ETA is “not a visa, it is a digital permission to travel.”
An ETA costs 10 British pounds.
Eligible visitors can apply for the ETA via its app and expect to receive a decision in hours, according to the ETA website. Visitors can also apply on GOV.UK if they do not have access to a smartphone. The ETA costs about $12 and permits multiple journeys for two years or until the holder’s passport expires, whichever is sooner. The ETA is digitally linked to a traveler’s passport and allow for stays of up to six months at a time.
In a statement, the U.K. government said ETAs “enhance security through new technology and make the U.K. border more efficient, preserving the U.K.’s appeal as a dynamic, diverse and exciting destination to visit.”
The U.K.’s ETA is similar to the EU’s long-planned European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS), which the EU also stresses is not a visa but a travel authorization. It is unclear when ETIAS will open for applications.
It was originally to take effect in 2021 and then pushed to 2024, but is now delayed until 2025 at earliest.
Both the ETA and ETIAS are similar in purpose to the $14 Electronic System Travel Authorization that the U.S. requires of visa-exempt European travelers. They, too, must receive online approval determining that they do not pose a security risk.