The UK has provided specifics regarding the cost and schedule for implementation of its long-awaited Electronic Travel Authorisation visa waiver.
Travelers will be required to pay the fee of £10 ($12.59) per applicant when it is implemented this fall. All foreign travelers without a visa, including those from the United States, will be required to apply for the ETA online prior to their journey once it is fully implemented.
The ETA will be implemented gradually, beginning in November with inhabitants of Qatar. Travelers from Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates will then need to submit an application and pay the charge.
By the end of 2024, people from other countries, including the U.S., will have to apply for the ETA. The U.K. wants to fully digitize its borders by 2025, so the choice to use an online ETA is part of that plan.
To apply, visitors will need to use the soon-to-be-released U.K. ETA app or gov.uk. Every tourist, even children of any age, must have their own ETA. Most of the time, applicants should hear back within at least three business days.
The ETA will then be linked to a traveler’s passport online.
The ETA is being put into place at the same time that the European Union is planning for a new European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS) to be put in place next year. This permission will cost €7 and is for people from other countries who are 18 to 70 years old.
Before entering the U.S., visitors must also ask for a similar authorization. Through the Visa Waiver Program, visitors can use the Electronic System for Travel Authorization, or ESTA. It costs $21 to apply for ESTA.
