On 17 January 2025, the Department of UK Visas and Immigration announced that passengers transiting through the United Kingdom who won’t pass through border control (‘airside’ transit) no longer need to pay for the ETA.
This means that travelers who change flights at a UK airport on their way to another country no longer need to apply for the ETA and pay the ETA fee, as they won’t pass through UK border control on their travels.
All other travelers who arrive in the UK by plane or boat are still required to apply for the ETA and pay the required fees before passing through border control. Without an ETA, travelers may be denied boarding for their flights. As always, the UK border control has the right to deny travelers entry to the UK regardless of the ETA.
This announcement follows reports of widespread “backlash” from the aviation and airport industry in the UK over charging transit travelers for an ETA. The ETA has been rolled out in phases, with the latest phase on 8 January coming into effect for travelers from Australia, Canada, and the US among others. The scheme was introduced to make travel easier, quicker, and more affordable for both passengers and border control. As transit passengers don’t pass through border control, many felt that charging these travelers for the ETA was unfair and unnecessary.
Despite dropping the fees for transit passengers, the UK Home Office is reported to be considering increasing the fees for the ETA by 60%. This 60% increase in price would be introduced to “reduce the reliance of the migration and borders system” on taxpayers for funding.
The ETA scheme will be fully implemented for all travelers from eligible countries visiting the UK from April 2025.