The United Kingdom is set to tighten its border controls this week, as a long-planned digital travel permit becomes mandatory for millions of overseas visitors.
From Wednesday, travellers arriving from 85 visa-free countries must hold an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) before heading to Britain. Without it, passengers will be denied boarding by airlines and other carriers, according to the Home Office.
The ETA is a pre-travel clearance that visitors must apply for online ahead of their trip. It costs £16 (about $21.57) and applies to people who previously could enter the UK without a visa. Although the scheme was launched in 2023 and expanded to European travellers last April, enforcement had until now been relatively light.
That grace period is ending.
From February 25, proof of an approved ETA — or an alternative valid document such as an eVisa — will be compulsory. Airlines will be responsible for checking compliance before passengers are allowed to fly.
British and Irish citizens, including dual nationals, are exempt from the requirement, as are people who already have permission to live, work, or study in the UK.
The government says the system is designed to modernise border checks while improving security. “The ETA scheme is a vital part of our work to strengthen the UK’s border security, while delivering a more efficient and modern service for visitors and the British public,” said migration minister Mike Tapp.
The move comes as travel rules across Europe continue to shift in the post-Brexit landscape. Last October, the European Union began rolling out its own digital border controls for UK travellers entering the bloc through the Entry/Exit System. That system replaces passport stamping with electronic records, but its early implementation has drawn complaints from travellers and warnings from industry leaders about potential delays during peak travel periods.
As both sides introduce new digital checks, passengers are being urged to plan ahead — or risk being stopped before their journey even begins. Photo by dannyman, Wikimedia commons.