Good news for travellers transiting through the UK: they will not have to apply for an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA). But bad news for the wallet, the price of the ETA could soon increase…
The UK government today announced a temporary exemption from Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) for air transit passengers who do not pass through UK border control.
This measure mainly concerns London Heathrow and Manchester airports, the only ones in the United Kingdom with such transit facilities at present.
ETA, inspired by similar systems in the USA (ESTA), South Korea (K-ETA) and Israel (ETA-IL), aims to strengthen border security by requiring visa-exempt travellers to obtain prior authorisation to enter the UK.
Initially, the ETA requirement also applied to transit passengers, including travelers from the 54 countries already included in the program.
“Following feedback from the aviation industry, the government has agreed a temporary exemption (Ed. note: of ETA) for passengers who transit airside, and therefore do not pass through UK border control,” explains the UK Home Office in a statement.
According to the Home Office, this exemption will be reassessed regularly.
“The removal of airside transit passengers from the ETA scheme is the right decision and we welcome it,” rejoices Heathrow’s chief executive, Thomas Woldbye. “It shows that the government is listening to industry concerns and is willing to make the necessary changes to strengthen the UK’s competitiveness and drive economic growth.”
Towards an ETA price increase?
In addition, the government has proposed an increase in fees associated with various immigration and nationality services.
In particular, the UK is considering raising the cost of the ETA to £16 (≃ €19 / $20), the Certificate of Sponsorship to £525 (≃ €624 / $643), naturalization as a British citizen to £1,605 (≃ €1907 / $1967) and naturalization as a British overseas territories citizen to £1,070 (≃ €1271 / $1310).
Since its introduction in October 2023, the price of the ETA has been set at £10, or around €13 / $14 (including bank charges).
According to the UK authorities, these adjustments aim to reduce the dependence of the migration and border system on public funding and “are forecast to generate an additional £269 million a year”.
The proposed changes will be debated in Parliament and require the approval of both Houses.
If passed, the new tariffs will be introduced by amending existing legislation, as soon as the parliamentary timetable allows.
EU citizens will need an ETA to travel to the UK from April 2, 2025
The Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) for the UK is a compulsory document for nationals of UK visa-exempt countries.
The ETA is valid for up to two years, allowing multiple stays of 6 months during this period. The application can be made online, or from the “UK ETA” mobile app (App Store | Google Play Store), and is usually approved within minutes or hours.
Visitors from the following 34 European countries and territories will need an approved ETA to travel to the UK from April 2, 2025. Applications can be submitted from March 5, 2025:
- Andorra, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, San Marino, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and Vatican City.
Nationals of the following 54 countries and territories already require an ETA to travel to the UK:
- Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Bahamas, Bahrain, Barbados, Belize, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Hong Kong, Kuwait, Marshall Islands, Mauritius, Mexico, Micronesia, Nauru, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Oman, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Qatar, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Saudi Arabia, Seychelles, Singapore, Solomon Islands, South Korea, Taiwan, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tuvalu, United Arab Emirates, United States and Uruguay.
