Travellers to the UK will soon have to pay more to enter the country after the government this week confirmed the cost of its new Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) will increase 60 per cent to £16.
The online pre-travel check, first introduced in November 2023, is now a requirement for travellers from countries who do not need a visa to visit the UK and is similar to the longstanding ESTA system in the US.
The ETA was extended to more than 50 countries in January, including citizens of the US, Australia, Hong Kong and Singapore and from 2 April will also be required for travellers from European countries. An ETA permits multiple journeys to the UK and is valid for two years or until the traveller’s passport expires, whichever is sooner.
The fee hike will see the cost of an ETA application increase from £10 to £16 from 9 April, a move that drew criticism from the business travel industry after it was first proposed in January.
However, following feedback from the aviation industry, the government has agreed a temporary exemption for airside transit passengers who, previously, also had to apply for an ETA prior to travel. The Home Office said this exemption “will be kept under review”.
The ETA is expected to enhance UK border security, but will now cost significantly more than the EU’s forthcoming Electronic Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS), which is expected to cost €7.
