Highlights
- UK's Electronic Travel Authorisation system becomes mandatory from today for visitors from 85 countries.
- An ETA costs £16, is valid for two years and allows multiple trips to the UK of up to six months .
- Dual nationals cannot apply for an ETA and must obtain a British passport or certificate of entitlement to enter the UK.
Citizens who previously travelled to the UK visa-free will now need an ETA for tourism, business or short-term study visits. Those who already require a visa will not need an ETA in addition.
British and Irish citizens are exempt, as are those with settled status. The scheme was launched in October 2023 but was not strictly enforced to give visitors time to adjust, before becoming mandatory this week.
Dual nationals struggle
The new rules have created significant problems for dual nationals those who hold citizenship of both the UK and another country.
Dual nationals cannot apply for an ETA and must instead present either a British passport or a new digital certificate of entitlement to enter the UK.
Neither document is automatically issued, meaning some dual nationals who have lived in the UK for decades have never applied for one.
A British passport costs around £100 for an adult, while the certificate of entitlement costs £589 and both take several weeks to obtain.
Several British dual nationals have told the BBC they have not had enough time to adjust to the changes, particularly those who have been outside the country since the rule change was announced.
How it works
Applicants can download the ETA app from Google Play or the Apple App Store, providing passport details, a photo and answers to a set of questions.
Most applicants receive an automatic decision within minutes, though the government recommends applying at least three working days before travel.
An ETA is digitally linked to a passport, meaning no paper copy is needed at the border. However, having a valid ETA does not guarantee entry travellers must still pass through passport control and could be turned away if other issues arise.
If an application is refused, there is no right of appeal and the applicant must instead apply for a visa. The government has said it plans to increase the ETA fee from £16 to £20 in the future.
