New ETA Requirement for all UK Visitors

Thank you for the information.

Thanks for this helpful information Stuart.

At least I can go back to London one more time for my birthday (Jan. 7) without the ETA ! Haha

Thank you! Very useful information.

We’ll be visiting the UK in the of summer 2025 so thanks for this information with links. I put a reminder on our calendar to apply 2 weeks in advance.

Good to know, Stuart - thank you! I have an overnight layover next spring, so that is one more item to put on my to-do list.

We will be there from Jan 2 to Jan 12, so since we will still be in England on and after Jan 8 i am guessing we will need to get the new ETA. Thank you for the head's up! I had researched this a few weeks ago and at that time it didn't look like we would need one.

I had researched this a few weeks ago and at that time it didn't look like we would need one.

It really didn't. This was meant to be a slow roll out for a few 'at risk' countries. The announcement of it having global effect was a total surprise announcement by the new government.

We will be there from Jan 2 to Jan 12, so since we will still be in England on and after Jan 8 i am guessing we will need to get the new ETA. Thank you for the head's up! I had researched this a few weeks ago and at that time it didn't look like we would need one.

Technically. no, since your entry is before January 8. You could still do it, it is good for 2 years, but not a requirement. The ETA is information provided for entry.

The announcement of it having global effect was a total surprise announcement by the new government.

Thanks for this key piece of information too!

ETA was originally expected to be rolled out to all other countries at some time in the present year, so the implementation is if anything a little late but not by much to matter. There weren't any prior details of how this rolling out was to be done though & this represents two big steps rather than a slow build-up.

There is an app called UK ETA where you can apply. According to the ETA website, it is the fastest way to apply.

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/uk-eta/id6444912481
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=uk.gov.HomeOffice.ho3

Or it will be from 27 November.

Until then it is only open to passport holders of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE.
Jordanians have now been removed from the ETA scheme and have to apply for Visas, presumably due to the ongoing Palestine conflict.

That's right, Nick, The last group, who will need to register in March, are EU nationals and those from non-EU countries that are in Europe. (And don't necessarily need a visa.)

Thank you! I’m going to England (and Ireland) next June.

So this would apply to people who only have a connection at Heathrow on their way back to the states from anywhere? I think a lot of folks may be caught unawares next January 9.

I think this is pretty clear, but just because I'm having "that" kind of day (one where nothing is going smoothly) I'll ask.... I do not need this for a December trip, right? It looks like although the applications open in November, it is not needed until January, right?

You're right, KRS. If you are not going to be in the UK before January 8, 2025, there is nothing to do and nothing you need.

You're right, KRS. If you are not going to be in the UK before January 8, 2025, there is nothing to do and nothing you need.

Thank you! That's one less thing to worry about today. :)

Or it will be from 27 November.

Stuart, that's true, but you can download the app now. I have done so and since it's on my home page, it will be a reminder that I need to sign up before I leave for the UK in March.

So this would apply to people who only have a connection at Heathrow on their way back to the states from anywhere? I think a lot of folks may be caught unawares next January 9.

Lyndash, I have a feeling that airlines may be informing passengers of this.

The transit passengers will need to be careful. More clarity may be needed as to whether even those transiting airside on one ticket do or do not need an ETA.

Logically you would hope it would be just those transiting landside, on two tickets.

But the devil will be in the detail, so to speak.

LHR have already this year reported a sizeable decrease in transit passenger numbers from the pilot scheme, so doubtless there will be behind the scenes lobbying happening.

So this would apply to people who only have a connection at Heathrow on their way back to the states from anywhere?

Not just Heathrow but any airport in the UK. You would need it in any direction.

In the section on "What you can do with an ETA" is this:

transiting through the UK – including if you’re not going through UK border control

So, it looks like you will need an ETA even if you are staying airside. However, this really does need clarification.

Right now, many airlines have a section when booking a flight internationally to what is required to enter that country. I'm sure they'll include this information since they'll probably have to check you have one prior to boarding.

How about non-UK/non-Irish citizens going from Ireland to Northern Ireland or Great Britain? I’m wondering how it works with the CTA?

"since they'll probably have to check you have one prior to boarding."

This could get chaotic- there are tens of thousands of people with the legal right to live in the UK who the government is yet to move to electronic visas/residency proof, and others (like me) who have right of abode in the UK but foreign passports.

Interestingly (for anyone who leaves applying too late) the government site notes:

"You must apply for an ETA before you travel to the UK. You can travel to the UK while waiting for a decision."

Thank you everyone for the info!

And just to confuse things, don't forget that the EU is going to start requiring similar information next year through ETIAS.

According to their website, that is slated to begin "in the first half of 2025" but we've heard that before. Perhaps there will even be an attempt to have these two databases play nice together ...

Perhaps there will even be an attempt to have these two databases play nice together ...

I seriously doubt that, these are two entirely separate entities. The UK refused to integrate many things when they were part of the EU, I see no incentive now.

Perhaps there will even be an attempt to have these two databases play nice together ...

Never. The EU is intent on punishing the UK for having the temerity to leave the union, they'd never agree to it even if it made sense.

We are traveling to Europe summer 2025. Going to England, then France and Germany. It seems I need the ETA for England, and then ETIAS for France and Germany (if it is online by then). The ETIAS site says not to book travel until you get authorization, but how is that possible if we have no idea when it will be active? Are safe to book travel?

The same is true of any such scheme. The ETA/ETIAS whatever could be refused in the checking process if you are found to have some kind of suspicious background, or an unspent felony.
Is that actually statistically likely to happen? No, but it could.

Unless you know you have a shady background then the chance of being refused travel is very close to (but not equal to) NIL.

Exactly the same applies for foreign visitors to the USA where the Dept of Homeland Security could be capricious, or even act on false intelligence,

Equally, like a VISA waiver to the US, you could still in theory be refused entry at the Border. I could do everything right, get all the correct paperwork but still be refused entry at the US border, if new information has come to light. It very rarely happens, but can.

We'll be in the UK on January 8th (entering January, 2nd & departing January 12th).
I'm assuming that we won't need ETAs but can't find anything confirming that.
Does anyone have a link or other confirmation that we won't need ETAs?

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/apply-for-an-electronic-travel-authorisation-eta

Best thing you can do is follow official sites.

And posted in the original post by isn31c
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/check-when-you-can-get-an-electronic-travel-authorisation-eta

Thank you VAP, but neither of these links addresses my question. They only say when one can apply.

@declan- Simply there isn't a clear answer to your question currently. That is one of quite a few grey/gray areas in the ETA scheme at the moment.

As I read it, and this is emphatically not any kind of legal or definitive opinion, the ETA will be needed to enter the UK (to be presented before boarding your flight/ship/train/bus to the UK. It does not appear that you will have to present your ETA on departure, thus on that basis if you have entered the UK before the start date then you are in the clear.

But I guess that will be tidied up closer to the time.

Unless you are suspected of an unconnected felony then no law enforcement authority has any powers in the UK to ask you on the street for proof of your identity/right to be here/whatever turn of phrase others wish to use.

One of the other gaping holes is the open border on the Island of Ireland- how ETA's are meant to work entering Northern Ireland from the Republic of Ireland/Eire. I know one poster keeps writing dire warnings of deportation and banning- totally unsupported by any official statement or document.

Thanks, Stuart. I'm pretty sure we'll want to visit England next fall, on our way to Spain and France.

Thanks isn31c.
That (that we'll be fine entering before January 8th without ETAs & so from 8th onwards we'll be fine as we're already there) is my reading of the situation too but I was hoping there might be some clarification somewhere that I'd missed.
I appreciate your input.

Checked BA and Delta sites. Neither has anything about the ETA program.

Did a 'booking' on BA all the way to the payment page, for a trip from SEA in late January and a US phone number, and nothing came up about the ETA.

I suspect some folks may be in for a surprise, of the unwelcome sort, when they fly after to start date.

A cursory look at Delta says a US passport holder did not need a visa to visit UK.

A cursory look at the RS Tours site for ENGLAND, 2025 has no mention of this requirement....hmmm.

Hope this keeps getting bumped to the top to be some sort of alert to folks planning UK travel next year.

I'd be watching IATA Travel Center. This is where airlines check document requirements for passengers.
https://www.iatatravelcentre.com/

As of today.......

Americans, Canadians, Australians and Kiwis, among others, can start applying for a UK ETA on November 27.

You will need it to ENTER the UK starting on January 8, 2025. (If you are already in the UK you do not need the ETA until the next time you enter.)

It will cost 10 GBP, lasts for two years, and allows you to enter as many times as you want. They claim it shouldn't take more than three days to get one once you've applied.

There is an official app for both Apple and Android that can be used to apply. They claim it will be the easiest way.

This has nothing to do with any other entrance paperwork we might need for the EU/Schengen. No official start date for those has been announced.

I've just done the same and done a dummy booking (up to payment stage) for LHR-SEA on BA and it doesn't tell me anything about needing an ESTA to enter the United States- using a UK phone number.

Arriving on the Friday of Thanksgiving Weekend and departing the following Monday 3 days later. Interesting that the cost is barely any higher than normal at £687 return- I look at the return BA fare quite often, usually around £600 return or a bit more. They try to sell me car rental at £34/day and a hotel (choice of one- the Hyatt downtown) at £130 a night. I suspect both of those prices are actually quite reasonable. But no mention of ESTA.

Also very interesting that there is now a day flight arriving SEA at 1120. I've not seen that day flight before, only one that arrives early evening.
I would have expected higher fares that weekend.

What is the “destination” for all the fees collected??

What is the “destination” for all the fees collected??

The big government fiscal black hole.