New ETA travel rule comes into force today affecting 85 countries – Full list here

The new ETA travel rule comes into force today

According to the government, electronic travel authorisation (ETA) will improve the immigration system, but this has created problems for dual nationals who have been scrambling to get a UK passport to follow the new rules.

An ETA is a digital permission to travel to the UK, and most people who have been able to travel to the UK visa-free until now will need an ETA, from 25 February.

These new rules will apply to people from 85 different countries, and once approved your ETA will allow you to stay in the UK for up to six months.

It allows multiple journeys to the UK and it will be valid for two years, or until your passport expires.

The visit can be for things like tourism, business or short-term study, while longer trips and visits for work or longer study will require a visa.

The ETA can also be for people who cross the border and travel through the UK as part of a journey, although people transiting through UK airports and who don't need to go through border security will not need one.

People who will not need to apply for an ETA are those who usually need a visa to travel to the UK, as they will still need a visa to travel to the UK.

While British or Irish citizens will not need an ETA or a visa to visit the UK or to travel through it, there are a few other exceptions, such as those with settled status or children travelling from France on a school trip.

The scheme was launched in October 2023 but the government says it was “not strictly enforced to give visitors ample time to adjust to the new requirement”.

The government said in November that ETAs would be mandatory from 25 February.

According to the government, they will make the immigration system more efficient, speed it up and make it more secure.

The cost of an ETA is £16, but in the future the government has said it plans to increase the fee to £20.

While an ETA gives you permission to visit the UK, it does not give you the right to enter. So you will still need to go through passport control.

Those who cannot get an ETA are the dual nationals - those who are citizens of both the UK and another country.

If ETA sounds familiar, it's because Canada, the US, and other countries already use the system.

The application site can be found here.

The full list of countries previously visa-free, but now requiring an ETA is as follows:

Andorra

Antigua and Barbuda

Argentina

Australia

Austria

Bahamas

Bahrain

Barbados

Belgium

Belize

Brazil

Brunei

Bulgaria

Canada

Chile

Costa Rica

Croatia

Cyprus

Czechia (Czech Republic)

Denmark

Estonia

Finland

France

Germany

Greece

Grenada

Guatemala

Guyana

Hong Kong Special Administrative Region

Hungary

Iceland

Israel

Italy

Japan

Kiribati

Kuwait

Latvia

Liechtenstein

Lithuania

Luxembourg

Macao Special Administrative Region

Malaysia

Maldives

Malta

Marshall Islands

Mauritius

Mexico

Federated States of Micronesia

Monaco

Nauru

Netherlands

New Zealand

Nicaragua

Norway

Oman

Palau

Panama

Papua New Guinea

Paraguay

Peru

Poland

Portugal

Qatar

Romania

Samoa

San Marino

Saudi Arabia

Seychelles

Singapore

Solomon Islands

South Korea

Slovakia

Slovenia

Spain

Sweden

Switzerland

Tonga

Tuvalu

United Arab Emirates

United States of America

Uruguay

Vatican City

Saint Kitts and Nevis

Saint Lucia

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines