If you’re planning on flying abroad in 2025, you’ll want to double check you have what you need before making the trek to the airport.
Beginning January 2025, anyone from the United States, Canada and Australia must apply for permission to enter the United Kingdom with an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA).
The ETA costs about $12.34 and is nonrefundable, according to the UK’s government website.
“You will usually get a decision within 3 working days,” the website states. “… Occasionally, it may take longer than 3 working days.”
Countries you’ll need an ETA to travel to include England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Island.
Travelers going to the UK’s overseas territories — such as Bermuda, the British Virgin Islands, Anguilla, Turks and Caicos and the Cayman Islands — will also need an ETA.
“An ETA does not guarantee entry to the UK,” the government’s website warns. You will still need to either see a Border Force officer or use an ePassport gate if you are eligible.
The United Kingdom isn’t the only country that now requires more than a passport to travel there internationally.
Other European countries — including Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, and Italy — require travelers to apply for ETAs through the European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS).
The ETIAS application is valid for up to three years or until your passport expires — whichever comes first.
The ETIAS application fee — which is a little more than $7 — is expected to cost Americans up to $180 million a year, according to Travel and Tour World reports.
