Be it for London, an iconic metropolis famous for its red telephone boxes, double-decker buses, and lush parks, or the quaint, medieval Edinburgh, with its cobbled alleys and imposing medieval castle, the United Kingdom is an incredibly popular destination among Americans.
For many years now, they have been welcomed to Britain with open arms, and more recently, even without the usual border formalities, since the country started allowing U.S. travelers to use eGates and just breeze through passport control.
From now on, however, British authorities will be tightening entry rules for Americans, requiring them to apply for a travel permit only to fly to the country:
Do NOT Fly To England From 2025 Unless You’ve Got Clearance!
Earlier this year, the United Kingdom announced all foreign nationals who do not currently require visas to enter would need a new electronic travel permit, and they even set out an official start date.
From January 8, 2025, citizens of 48 countries, including the United States and Canada, will be subject to a new Entry Travel Authorization (ETA) requirement, which means boarding U.K. bound flights and vessels will no longer be permitted unless pre-clearance has been obtained.
In other words, unless you have an ETA to your name, you are not eligible to travel to the United Kingdom, even if you have a valid passport––unless, of course, you are also a resident of said country, a citizen of Britain or Ireland, or you fit a select exemption criteria.
Spoiler alert: regular U.S. tourists don’t.
For starters, what is an ETA, why is the United Kingdom imposing it on Americans, and most importantly, how difficult is it to get one?
What Is A U.K. ETA?
As the name states, an Electronic Travel Authorization is a permit issued by a Government allowing you to travel to a country, similar to a visa, except it’s far easier to obtain and without all the bureaucratic hurdles those usually imply.
While a visa application would see you commute to and from consulates, maybe more than a single time, to file documents, submit an application, and schedule an interview (sometimes months in advance), an ETA can be requested online from the comfort of your home, with minimal documentation.
All you need is a valid passport, to which the ETA will be linked, access to an email, and a credit card, debit card, Apple Pay, or Google Pay. Yes, ETAs are (usually) not free, but unlike formal visas, they’re far cheaper to get.
Why Is The U.K. Imposing This On Americans?
Though many Americans are not aware of this, the United States has introduced a similar system, alternatively called ESTA, as early as 2008! For 16 years now, many international visitors have been subject to applying for an online permit before entering America.
Some may claim this is a tit-for-tat move on Britain’s part, but if that were the case, we’d say that’s a long-delayed one––in reality, this is merely the United Kingdom falling in line with the new international standard, which sees ETAs becoming the norm.
Several destinations have imposed already, or will be imposing their own in the near future, from Europe’s 29-country-strong Schengen Area, to Thailand and South Korea, and for years, countries like Australia and New Zealand have had ETAs in place.
What can we say? We’re not fans of the additional bureaucracy ourselves, but there’s just no getting around it.
How Hard Is It To Get A U.K. ETA?
Short answer: not hard at all, but you’ll need to be careful filling out your information.
As for the long answer…
Upload A Photo Of Your Passport
During your application process, which can be done via the official app (available on both Google Store and App Store), you’ll be take a photo of your passport, showing all 4 corners of the details page visible, the machine-readable zone (called MRZ), and your photo.
Once your passport is added, the app may automatically fill in the contact and passport information for you, so double check it is 100% correct before you click through to the next step.
Upload A Digital Photo
You will also be requested to upload, or take a digital picture: selfies are accepted, so long as your face is clearly visible; either way, the app will let you know whether the photo fits the criteria or not, and you’ll be able to retake them if necessary.
If uploading a picture, it must not be over a month old, as per digital photo rules.
Answer The Questionnaire
Then, there comes the questionnaire: these are a series of ‘yes or no’ questions pertaining to your character, such as whether you have been convicted of crimes previously or not, ever been refused into the United Kingdom, or if you’ve been charged with terrorism.
To put it simply, so long as you’re a law-abiding U.S. citizen who has never broken domestic or U.K. law, and you’re an exemplary international traveler, you have nothing to fear and you will instantly qualify for the travel permit.
You are advised to answer questions truthfully and carefully, as any lies can easily be picked up by immigration authorities, and should you tick the wrong box––i.e. you’ve been convicted under terrorism charges––you can be deemed ineligible to travel to the U.K.
Pay The Fee
Once all the relevant boxes have been ticked and you’ve reviewed them thoroughly, it’s time to pay for your ETA.
Currently, the cost of the British ETA is £10 (in British pounds), or roughly $13, and it can be paid with a credit or debit card, or contactless payment systems like Google or Apple Pay; once payment goes through, this means your application has been submitted.
How Long Until You Get Your Approval?
It can take up to 3 full days for the U.K. Home Office to review your application, and some may take even longer, so if you’re flying on or after January 8, 2025, you’ll want to apply in advance––the good news is, Americans can start applying as early as November 27, 2024.
Most U.S. citizens should expect to get a favorable response from British authorities, but in the very unlikely event they get a refusal––this usually happens when there are serious safety-related concerns––you’ll need to apply for a visa at a British Consulate.
How Long Is The U.K. ETA Valid For?
U.K. ETAs have a 2-year validity from issue, and they can be used on multiple trips during that period, or if the associated passport is expiring sooner, until the passport’s expiry date.
It is important to remind applicants an ETA does not grant you a 2-year leave to enter the United Kingdom: on each visit, you can only stay up to 6 months at a time.
Additionally, if you renew your passport while your ETA is still valid, you will need a new ETA.
What Can You Do With A U.K. ETA
An ETA is valid for traveling to all 4 constituent parts of the United Kingdom:
- England
- Northern Ireland
- Scotland
- Wales
It also grants you permission to travel to the British dependency islands off the U.K. mainland, such as the idyllic Channel Islands, between England and France (Alderney, Guernsey, Jersey and Sark), and the Isle of Man, between the islands of Great Britain and Ireland.
A U.K. ETA does not grant you permission to live or work in the United Kingdom.
Authorities have not yet clarified whether ETAs will be required of travelers entering Gibraltar, an overseas territory in the south of Spain, Akrotiri and Dhekelia, on the island of Cyprus, the Falkland Islands, off the coast of Argentina, or other British-administered lands around the world.
Once again, Americans will start being subject to ETA rules from January 8, 2025, but they can apply as early as November 27, 2024 if they plan on flying to Britain in the New Year––the same applies to Canadians, Australians, New Zealand citizens, and others.
Interestingly, most European nationals (citizens of the European Union, as well as the European Economic Area and European micro states) will only be required to present ETAs a little later, from March 5, 2025.
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