The UK has proposed a 60 percent increase to its Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) cost, which is already in place for non-EU Travellers but set to be rolled out for all EU arrivals in April.
The move to hike the ETA fee from £10 to £16 was announced by the home office on Friday and has sparked criticism from the travel and business sectors.
Although in better news the UK has agreed to relax one of the controversial rules on the ETA visa waiver for passengers transiting the UK.
The ETA – Electronic Travel Authorisation – is a visa waiver that must be applied for online in advance of travel to the UK.
Introduced in late 2023, the ETA system currently applies to visitors from over 50 countries and will extend to European travellers on April 2nd, 2025.
Since January 8th it has been compulsory for all non-EU citizens arriving in the UK (with the obvious exception of UK nationals). There is no exemption for non-EU nationals who live in an EU country – so for example Americans in France now need it for a weekend trip to London.
The fee was originally £10 but if the Home Office proposal is given the green light it will rise to £16.
Travel industry chiefs argued the fee hike risked deterring vital business travellers and positioning the UK unfavourably compared to the European Union’s €7 fee for its planned European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS).
They did however welcome the move to scrap the ETA for passengers transiting through the UK on a connecting flight, for example for someone flying from Berlin to the US via London Heathrow.
In a statement, the government said: “Following feedback from the aviation industry, the government has agreed a temporary exemption for passengers who transit airside, and therefore do not pass through UK border control.”
While the Home Office insists “the exemption will be kept under review,” few in the aviation industry believe that the demand for an online permit for connecting travelers will ever be brought back.
The requirement for transit passengers was a particular source of fury for Heathrow Airport, which is a major hub for transit flights, and which estimated the change would cost it 4 million passengers a year.
The rest of the requirements for ETA remain in place – the visa waiver must be applied for online in advance, and passengers who have not completed one will be denied boarding to their plane/train/ferry.
The scheme will be extended to all EU citizens from April, with the exception of Irish nationals.
The ETA – which lasts for two years – is required for all travelers, including children and babies travelling with their parents and anyone with a UK spouse.
Source: https://search. App/dbs3X1GNSXAFkBrm8
