UK opens travel permit process for EU nationals

EU citizens can now apply for an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) to enter the UK, starting Wednesday.

An ETA is obligatory for European travelers entering the United Kingdom from April 2.

According to the UK government, "an ETA is a digital permission to travel – it is not a visa and does not permit entry into the UK – it authorises a person to travel to the UK."

An ETA currently costs £10 (€12) and permits multiple journeys to the UK for stays of up to six months at a time over two years or until the holder's passport expires – whichever is sooner.

Information on who can get an ETA and how to apply before coming to the UK is available on gov.uk.

With an ETA, visitors can come to the UK for up to six months for tourism, visiting family and friends, business or short-term study. It can also be used for transit through a UK airport that passes through border control.

Exemptions

An ETA is not required if permission to live, work, or study in the UK has been granted, or if the traveler holds a visa.

Travelers transiting through a UK airport without passing through border control do not need an ETA.

British and Irish citizens are exempt, as are EU citizens residing in Ireland and traveling to the UK from Ireland.

Travel to EU

The European Union is also set to introduce its ETIAS travel authorisation, an entry requirement for visa-exempt nationals, including UK citizens, travelling to 30 European countries.

An ETIAS will cost €7 and be valid for up to three years or until the traveler's passport expires.

The date the requirement will be introduced is still to be announced. The EU has confirmed it will not be before July 2025.