Beginning January 8, 2025, US passport holders have an extra step to complete before taking a trip to the United Kingdom. On that date, His Majesty’s government introduced the Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) for holders of US, Canadian, and Mexican passports, plus 45 other nationalities around the world. EU passport holders will also need an ETA to visit Britain in late Spring 2025. The program mirrors the European Union’s delayed plans for an ETA system, which we’ll take a look at later in this post. Much like the US Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA), both European ETAs are not visas, and do not guarantee foreign passport holders entry into the country, but they’re a way of speeding up border checks on arrival.
ETAs have long been in use in Australia, New Zealand and the US. During the current process, border officials scan passports of passengers entering the country, and the identification details are cross referenced by law enforcement and immigration databases, telling the officer whether the passenger has any convictions, immigration violations, or other notes that would make them inadmissible, or require more information before letting them enter the country. The ETA process essentially moves those checks further out, before passengers board their flight to Britain, meaning the process can be expedited once they arrive.
An ETA for the UK will cost £10 ($12.18 at today’s exchange rate), and will be good for two years, or until the passport expires. Because ETAs are linked to the holder’s passport, they’ll need to apply for a new ETA if their passport is lost, stolen, or expires before the ETA expires. The £10 fee covers the cost of the police checks and administrative overhead. The new ETA does not change the United Kingdom’s visa policy. Currently, US passport holders do not need a visa to remain in Britain for stays up to six months for tourism purposes. Travelers who want to study, work, live permanently, or travel for tourism purposes longer than six months will still need to apply for a separate visa in advance of their visit. The UK now uses electronic visas on a similar platform to the ETA system.
Travelers will also need an ETA to transit airports in the UK even if they don’t plan to enter the country. Visitors can apply for ETAs either online or using the dedicated app. The app is the easiest way to apply for the ETA, for it allows users to scan their passports and upload a photo to include with their application, which are required parts of the process. The UK government notes that processing ETA requests can take up to three business days, unless more detailed checks are required. Specific travel details are not required for the ETA application, so it helps to apply for the ETA as soon as you know you’ll be traveling to or transiting the UK, to give ample time for your ETA to be issued before you begin your journey. If your ETA is not approved and issued prior to the beginning of your journey, the system will still recognize a pending application, and won’t prohibit travel (unlike Australia and New Zealand, which require an ETA to be approved and issued before travel can commence). Passport holders from the European Union (and associated territories) will need an ETA to enter the United Kingdom on or after March 5, 2025.
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A new visa waiver program will also be introduced by the European Union (EU). Known as the European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS), it was originally set to roll out early last year, but is now expected to launch “starting in the spring,” according to the official ETIAS Web site. ETIAS is not a visa in the traditional sense as it only requires an online application, with approval delivered via email. Once launched, ETIAS authorization will be required for Americans traveling to the 29 Schengen Member States as well as future Schengen Members and European microstates. Unlike traditional visas, the application process for ETIAS will be relatively quick and easy. It’s also inexpensive, costing only €7 (less than $8) for a three-year approval. All travelers will need to fill out an ETIAS application regardless of their age. However, children under 18 and adults over 70 years of age can apply for free.
The idea behind ETIAS was first introduced by the European Commission in 2016 and, since then, the timeline’s been adjusted on multiple occasions due to technological needs required to roll out the new system, according to the EU’s Justice and Home Affairs Council. What was the hold up? In large part it was due to setbacks in the building of another new IT infrastructure in Europe: the Entry/Exit System (EES), which will replace manual passport stamping with electronic registration. According to Anitta Hipper, a European Commission spokesperson, ETIAS could not launch until EES is fully operational as the traveler authorization system will rely on EES data to identify potential risks.
The EU warns that travelers will need to apply for ETIAS well in advance, before booking flights or hotels. While most applications will be processed in minutes, some may take weeks. , so travelers need to make sure their applications are submitted well ahead of departure. Travelers will have to submit their passport data, home address, current occupation, level of education, parents’ names, and details of their itinerary in Europe. Applicants must also disclose criminal convictions, deportations, and past visits to war zones. After completing this process, travelers will receive an email containing their unique ETIAS number, which they’re advised to keep for future reference. Airline and Immigration staff will also be able to confirm a traveler’s ETIAS status via their passport number, which will be linked to the ETIAS database. Biometrics won’t be required during an ETIAS application, but travelers using the new system will have to submit to facial and fingerprint scans upon arrival in Europe.
Until next time…safe travels.
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