UK to require e-permit for EU tourists from April 2025

Starting next April 2, 2025 All EU tourists travelling to the UK will need to apply for an electronic entry permit in advance. This will be called an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA).

The pass will cost about 12 euros and will be similar to the one already required by the United States. In a statement, the British Executive details that “Europeans who meet the requirements will be able to apply for it from March 5, 2025 and will need it to travel from April 2, 2025.”

For non-Europeans, however, the requirement will come a few months earlier. It will be from November 27, 2024 when non-europeans who meet the requirements will be able to apply for an ETA. They will need one to travel from the January 8th of 2025″.

Authorities will be digitally linked to the traveller’s passport and ensure stricter security checks are carried out before people begin their journey, authorities claim. The aim? “Help prevent abuse of our immigration system”says the Government.

The ETA will allow multiple trips to the UK for stays up to six months at a time for two years. If the traveler’s passport expires, he or she will have to restart the authorization process.

The British Government has assured that the application process will be simple.