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Travelers heading to the United Kingdom next year will have to pay a fee to enter as the country prepares to implement its long-anticipated electronic travel authorization (ETA) fee.
The ETA will go into effect for visitors from most countries, including from the United States, on Jan. 8, 2025, according to the UK government. Eligible non-European travelers can apply for the authorization starting Nov. 27.
Once secured, the ETA will be digitally linked to a traveler’s passport. The authorization will cost £10 ($13.05) and be valid for multiple trips over two years (or until the traveler’s passport expires) for stays of up to 6 months at a time.
“The worldwide expansion of the ETA demonstrates our commitment to enhance security through new technology and embedding a modern immigration system,” Seema Malhotra, the UK’s minister for migration and citizenship, said in a statement.
The UK first introduced the ETA last year, rolling out the new system for visitors from several Gulf countries, including from Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. Travelers from those countries can currently apply using the UK ETA app or online.
Each traveler must have their own ETA, including children of any age. Applicants should typically expect a response within at least three business days.
In addition to the U.S., the UK will also expand the ETA to dozens of other countries and territories on Jan. 8, including Canada, Australia, Japan, Mexico, and more. Then on April 2, 2025, the ETA will be extended to travelers from other European countries.
The decision to roll out an online ETA is part of the U.K.’s effort to fully digitize its borders by 2025.
Beyond the UK, Europe plans to implement a similar pre-authorization next year called the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (or ETIAS). The travel authorization fee is expected to go into effect no earlier than mid-2025.
That fee will cost €7 ($7.71) and will be required for travelers from visa-exempt countries, including the U.S., to enter 30 different European countries.