Alert! Beginning in 2025, U.S. visitors to the United Kingdom will need to apply for electronic travel authorization

Travelers from the United States who intend to visit the United Kingdom next year now need to obtain a new permit.

Visitors from the United States, Australia, and Canada will need to apply for the U.K.’s Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) beginning January 8, 2025. The ETA costs $12.77 in U.S. dollars, is valid for two years or until the passport expires, and permits stays of up to six months, much like the U.S. ESTA system.

After being approved, ETAs are digitally connected to a visitor’s passport and permit stays of up to six months, encompassing both brief visits and longer stays. In its launch of the initiative, the U.K. government stated that an ETA is a digital authorization to travel, not a visa.

Applications can be submitted online or through the U.K. ETA smartphone app. Although they can take up to 72 hours, most approvals are processed in a few hours. It is recommended that travelers apply well in advance of their trip.

Transit passengers are likewise subject to the ETA, albeit this regulation is “under review.” The staggered implementation will be completed by April 2nd, 2025, when travelers from Europe will also need ETAs. By the end of 2025, the new system hopes to have all of the UK’s borders totally digitalized.

A current passport, a digital headshot, travel information, and a payment mechanism are required in order to apply for the ETA. With more than 600,000 ETAs issued in the last year, inhabitants of the Gulf Cooperation Council are already subject to these regulations. Visitors should visit the official U.K. government website for the latest information.