Beginning January 8, 2025 U.S. and other world travelers will need to obtain Electronic Travel Authorizations (ETAs) ahead of traveling to the U.K.
The U.K. is moving to fully digitize its borders by the end of 2025, according to Conde Nast Traveler. This means any visitors who are visiting or passing through airports in England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales, who aren’t citizens must obtain an ETA or eVisa.
The news of this shift follows various delays of the implementation of the U.K.’s new ETA application portal. Now, travelers can apply for the U.K. ETA via mobile app or web for a £10 fee.
The system imitates the US’s Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) which was first established in 2008 and determines if a non-US citizen’s is eligible to visit the country.
An ETA is not a visa, the U.K. government has emphasized, but “a digital permission to travel” attached to a traveler’s passport. After getting your authorization approved, travelers are allowed to stay in the U.K. for up to six months for business or tourism. Permissions are valid for two years or until your passport expires. Travelers who want to stay in U.K. territories for more than six months must still apply additionally for a visa.
To apply, travelers must provide proof of a valid passport, a digital headshot, email address, payment details for application fees, and details of travel plans within the territory.
A similar system is slated to be introduced in the European Union in mid-2025. The ETIAS system, or the European Travel Information and Authorization System, will require U.S. travelers hoping to enter the EU to complete an online form registering for their trip. With the form, travelers will also have to pay a fee just under eight euros.
In recent years, new technology has expanded into the travel space. New facial recognition technology has been tested at airports and airline headquarters across the globe. At busy terminals like NYC’s La Guardia, kiosks outfitted with iPads are taking stock of travelers by photographing their faces and matching them to government database imagery.
Many other countries are changing procedures for global tourism tracking, replacing old data entry systems with new faster and more efficient technologies. The EU also plans to establish a new Entry/Exit System, referred to as EES, which will use high-tech scanning processes on biometric data including face and fingerprint scans to record who is traveling in and out of member states. EES has been delayed several times due to difficulties with updating technology.
Travelers of all ages should be warned that most ETA applications are approved within 24-72 hours so planning ahead is crucial. Those with travel dates already booked after January 8, can apply for an ETA right now on the UK government site or through the ETA app.
