For travel to the U.S. that does not require a visa, visitors have been required to pay an electronic travel authorization fee (ESTA) for more than a decade—$21 for a two-year waiver. The European Union will begin collecting a three-year, $7.50 visa waiver (ETIAS) starting in 2024. Now the U.K. has announced its own scheme: a two-year ETA that will cost £10, about $12.50. Visa-free travelers, including those from the U.S., will be required to pay this fee starting at the end of 2024.
So what does this mean? All visitors traveling to England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland will need to obtain permission and pay a fee before entering. According to a government fact sheet, the ETA “will permit multiple journeys and be valid for two years or until the holder’s passport expires—whichever is sooner.”
While the fee isn’t much, the application process will add an extra step in your U.K. travel plans. Applications (which will ask for basic personal info, travel details, passport data, email address and some security information) will be processed within 48 to 72 hours and will be electronically linked to your passport. Once given digital permission to enter, you’ll be allowed to spend up to six months in the U.K. and visit any part of the country.