From March 5, 2025, all eligible European travelers can begin to apply for an electronic travel authorization (ETA) to travel to the UK. The UK government has been rolling out the UK ETA in phases for the millions of international visitors who pass through its border every year.
In the previous phase, all eligible non-European visitors, including those from the USA, Canada, and Australia, could start applying for an ETA from November 27, 2024, and required one to travel to the UK from January 8, 2025.
Now in its final phase, citizens from all European countries that were previously in the UK visa waiver scheme (except Ireland) will require an ETA to travel to the UK from April 2, 2025. Therefore all visitors to the UK who do not require a visa for short stays and who do not already have a UK immigration status will need an ETA from April 2025.
The ETA was first introduced to the citizens of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and Jordan. In the first half of 2024, over 243,000 nationals from Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman, and Jordan were issued with ETAs and benefitted from a more seamless and efficient entry into the UK for short stays.
Visitors from the USA, Canada, and Australia alone contributed a staggering £8.8 billion to the UK economy, enhancing the tourist industry and supporting local businesses throughout the UK. The ETAs will strengthen security through innovative technology and increase the efficiency of the UK border.