UK has introduced a new online entry requirements for European visitors from Wednesday, implementing a digital Electronic Travel Authorisation ( ETA ) permit as part of enhanced security measures.
European travellers must obtain an ETA permit, initially priced at £10 ( 12 euros ), with costs increasing to £16 from April 9. The program has already been operating for tourists from America, Canada and various visa-exempt countries since Britain’s EU withdrawal in 2020.
British border force general Phil Douglas confirmed this application as part of a broader global implementation, emphasising its main function as a safety measure.
The program aims to speed access methods whilst enabling context checks on immigration background and criminal records. Douglas highlighted that approved visitors may benefit from faster borders crossing through eGates.
” The quid pro quo for the person, though, is that we are building a smart borders, so if they’re cleared for admittance, they’ll be able to use our fresh eGates and they’ll be ready to go through the border many more quickly”, he added.
During the initial cushion time, expected to continue until” September or October”, vacationers can still continue with their adventures. The ETA remains true for two years, permitting gets up to six months.
Software opened to Europeans in March, covering about 30 places, excluding Ireland. Applicants must post card photos and visual images through a laptop app or authorities website, normally taking 10 minutes to complete.
Whilst most software receive timely actions, specialists advise allowing three working time. The condition extends to all ages, though transport passengers no crossing UK borders are free after Heathrow Airport’s concerns about European network traffic.
Heathrow, which handled 84 million passengers in 2024 with one-third from the EU, initially launched the scheme for Qatar in 2023 before expanding to Gulf nations. By January, it included about 50 additional countries including Argentina, South Korea and New Zealand.
