by Lacey Pfalz
Last updated: 8:40 AM ET, Wed February 25, 2026
The United Kingdom’s new Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) is now mandatory for most international visitors, including those from the United States, as of February 25, 2026.
The new ETA requirement is valid for visa-free visitors from 85 countries, including the United States, Canada and France. According to the U.K.’s government website, the program helps digitize immigration and customs.
“ETAs give us greater power to stop those who pose a threat from setting foot in the country and gives us a fuller picture of immigration,” said Minister for Migration and Citizenship, Mike Tapp in an official release. “ETAs are also better for travellers. Digitising the immigration system ensures the millions of people we welcome to the UK every year enjoy a more seamless travel experience.”
How the New UK Travel Requirement Will Work
Travelers will be contacted by their air carriers ahead of their travel to fill out the ETA, which costs 16 British pounds and can be completed online or through the UK ETA app. Travelers will need to fill in their passport information, an email address, a payment method and photos of all applicants.
Travelers will receive a decision by email from UK Visas and Immigration about their travel, usually within a day. Travelers approved to visit the U.K. will receive a 16-digit ETA reference number, linked to their passport, which, when scanned upon arrival at a U.K. airport, will allow easy entry.
Those who haven’t received an email from UKVI within three days of application should contact them for assistance.
Most importantly: travelers who try to enter the U.K. without an ETA will not be allowed to enter the United Kingdom.
The ETA program lasts for two years or until the traveler’s passport expires, whichever happens sooner. Travelers can visit the U.K. as many times as they like following ETA approval. Travelers transiting through the U.K. to another destination are also required to get an ETA.
Travelers can fill out an ETA even if their travels are ahead of February 25 to streamline their entry experience; the U.K. has been trialing the system since October 2023, but it’s mandatory beginning February 25.
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