Europeans will need to have permission to travel to the UK from Wednesday, and the procedure will be completed online by paying a fee of €12, and from April 9, €19.
An Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) is required before departure to the UK and is valid for two years. It can be obtained via the UK ETA app or, if that is not possible, on the UK government website, gov.uk.
The authorization was already required for non-European Union (EU) visitors who were exempt from visa requirements to enter the country.
Similar to the ESTA for entry to the US, the ETA is intended to strengthen border security, the British government said earlier.
From Wednesday, citizens of around 30 European countries, including all EU countries except Ireland, will need to have it to enter the UK, which left the EU in 2020.
The permit will cost £10 (around €12), but will be £16 (around €19) from April 9.
The applicant will need to have a photo of their passport and another photo of their face.
The procedure takes less than ten minutes, and the travel authorisation, digitally linked to the passport, is usually issued within moments, according to the UK Home Office.
However, the government recommends that the procedure be done at least three days in advance, as in some, albeit rare, cases, additional checks are required.
The ETA allows you to stay in the UK for up to six months. It allows unlimited travel for two years. The permit must be renewed if you change your passport.
The permit is mandatory for citizens of around 50 countries and territories, including the US, Canada and Australia. The system was launched in 2023, initially for citizens of Qatar, before being extended to other Gulf countries.
According to the Home Office, around 1.1 million ETAs will have been issued by the end of 2024.
The British government has cited the move as a need to “secure borders by digitising the immigration system”.
