Travel turn: From April 2025, the ETA is mandatory for Great Britain!

Travel turn: From April 2025, the ETA is mandatory for Great Britain!

Vienna, Österreich - From April 2, 2025, entry into Great Britain for travelers from EU countries will necessarily be regulated by an electronic travel permit (ETA). This new regulation affects not only Germany, but also all other EU countries, for which there is no visa obligation to date. The conventional passport alone will no longer be enough to travel to the United Kingdom. As vienna.at , the introduction of the ETA as part of a more comprehensive digitization strategy in the British immigration and border control system is to be understood.

The fee for the ETA is initially 10 British pounds, which corresponds to about 12 euros. From April 9, this will be increased to £ 16 (around 20 euros). The application processing can take up to 72 hours, which is why it is recommended to make the application online at least three days before the planned trip to avoid any problems. If there is no valid ETA application, it may happen that travelers either do not promote airlines or are rejected when entering.

Details for applying for ETA

The application of the ETA is completely online and requires personal information as well as answering questions about the job and criminal past. In addition, two digital photos have to be uploaded: the passport photo and a current portrait photo. Registration can currently be carried out exclusively in English. ADAC also indicates that it is necessary that every traveler, regardless of the type of entry, applies for their own ETA. This applies to trips via aircraft, ferry or other means of transport. Children also need their own ETA without an age limit.

The approval is sent by email and applies to several trips within two years or until the passport has expired. Travelers can simply pay the ETA requested via the official government website, with credit cards or Google Pay being accepted; PayPal, on the other hand, is not available. There are also private websites that offer the application, but often at higher costs. It is therefore recommended to make the application on the official page.

digital travel grants in an international context

The introduction of the ETA is part of a global trend that aims at digitization of travel permits. The British government has announced that the ETA program will also be available for authorized non-Europeans from November 27, 2024. From January 8, 2025, it will be mandatory for these travelers. GOV.UK also describes that the ETA is linked to the passport, which improves the security checks and increases the efficiency of the travel process.

These measures are in the context of the broader European efforts to regulate entry for visitors from third countries. For example, the EU is also planning to introduce its own electronic travel permit for the first half of 2025, which will apply to non-EU visitors. These developments show how both the United Kingdom and the EU aim to establish modern and safe travel methods.