If you are planning a trip to England, Scotland, Northern Ireland, or Wales in 2025, then you need to be aware of the Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA).

This major change to border controls was announced by the British government in October 2023 and is part of their wider plans to digitize and fortify the UK’s immigration and border system. It has also been designed to offer eligible visitors a more hassle-free and streamlined travel entry experience overall.

Although citizens of many nationalities who don’t need a specific visa to visit the United Kingdom must get one now, it will be a mandatory requirement for everyone after April 2025.

If you’ve not heard about the introduction of the UK ETA, this post will tell you what you need to know about it.

For good measure, we’ll also provide some recommendations about where you can visit once this new travel permission has been issued to you.

What is the UK ETA?

The UK ETA is an electronic travel permission that has replaced the old Visa Waiver Program.

Previously, eligible citizens from many countries could travel to the UK visa-free for a period of six months. However, holding this digital permit will soon become a compulsory entry requirement for anyone who wants to visit England, Scotland, Northern Ireland, and Wales for a short stay and does not have UK immigration status.

What does the UK ETA entitle you to?

The ETA is not a visa, but if they have been granted one, it does allow people to visit all UK countries for the following purposes:

• Tourism, visiting friends and family, short-term study or business purposes (for up to 6 months).
• Visiting the United Kingdom for an allowed paid engagement.
• Traveling to the United Kingdom on the Creative Worker visa concession (valid for a maximum of 3 months).
• Transiting through these countries, even if you are not passing through the UK’s border control.

What you can’t do with a UK ETA

If you are successfully approved for a UK ETA, you should be aware that there are some things it does not entitle you to do.

You can’t, for instance, stay in the United Kingdom for longer than 6 months at a time, and you are not permitted to use it for the purposes of essentially living permanently in the UK through regular or successive visits.

If you have been granted a UK ETA visa, you also are not permitted to get married or register a civil partnership. (You will have to apply for a Marriage Visitor visa if you want to do this).

Additionally, you must not perform any paid or unpaid work for any business in the UK (if you don’t have a Creative Worker visa concession) and cannot claim any type of public benefits or funding.

What are the Main Benefits of the UK ETA

The great thing about the ETA is that, if their application is approved, it makes it much easier for people to travel to the United Kingdom if they don’t need a visa.

Thanks to these changes, the process of applying for a UK ETA visa is very quick and easy – you just need to answer a few simple questions and submit some documentation.

You can apply for the ETA, and it shouldn’t take you more than just a few minutes to complete. However, you must have a valid biometric passport to do so.

The UK ETA is a lot cheaper than other visa types, such as the UK Ancestry, Youth Mobility Scheme, and Skilled Worker Dependent visas. It also has multi-entry validity, which means you can visit the UK as many times as you want within a two-year period, so long as your passport remains valid, although only for a maximum of six months on each occasion.

Unlike some of the visas you can apply for, the UK ETA is approved within three business days. Additionally, you also only need to fill out one application for your separate visits.

Who Needs the UK ETA?

The short answer to this question is everyone. Although not quite just yet.

At the time of writing, the ETA is currently mandatory for all members of the Gulf Cooperation Council, i.e., Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and UAE, and has been since 25 October 2023.

From 8 January 2025, it will become compulsory for all visa-exempt non-EU/EEA countries, including citizens of Australia, New Zealand, the USA, Canada, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Singapore. All European visa-exempt nationalities will be required to have one from 2 April 2025, and they can apply for one from 5 March 2025 for more information about who needs the uk eta you can read more on this uk eta website.

What are the Eligibility Criteria for UK ETA

To receive approval for a UK ETA, all applicants must satisfy the following eligibility criteria.

• Be a national of an eligible country
• Have a valid biometric passport with at least six months of validity
• Not have UK immigration status before traveling
• Not be a British or Irish citizen
• Not be a dual citizen with British or Irish citizenship
• Not have a criminal record that has resulted in you spending more than a year in jail
• Provide biographic and biometric data, including a facial image
• Respond to a set of suitability questions

Exploring the UK with Your ETA

If your ETA is approved, you will be free to travel through all the countries that make up the United Kingdom. Here are some of the main sites and attractions you can visit in each of them if you are coming for the purposes of tourism.

England
 

If you are planning on visiting England, particularly for the first time, you’ll have so many options available to you. Its capital city, London, is somewhere you’ll want to spend lots of time, given that it is home to iconic landmarks like the Tower of London, Buckingham Palace, and the British Museum.

But beyond the capital, you should explore the historic city of Bath, which is famous for its Roman baths, and enjoy the medieval charm of York, which will captivate you with its captivating Minster and cobbled streets.

Elsewhere, The Lake District, Peak District, and Cotswolds will blow you away with breathtaking landscapes of rolling hills and picturesque villages. At the same time, the mysterious prehistoric monument of Stonehenge, Shakespeare’s birthplace of Stratford-upon-Avon, and the outstanding natural beauty of Cornwall and the White Cliffs of Dover should also be on your radar.

Scotland
 

Bonnie Scotland is a place that will forever reside in your heart. Arguably one of the most beautiful countries on earth, areas like The Highlands and islands like Skye, Oban, and Arran, are defined by their wild and rugged landscapes, which provide spectacular views.

The country is renowned for its idyllic lochs, including the famous Loch Ness, and for its hundreds of castles, the most famous of which is Edinburgh.

Talking of the country’s capital city, it is home to the historic Royal Mile and the annual Edinburgh Festival, while its chief rival, Glasgow, offers world-class museums like the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and the expansive Pollok Country Park.

If you are into history, pencil Stirling Castle and Bannockburn into your itinerary. Meanwhile, whisky lovers can tour the famous distilleries of Speyside, and thalasophiles can visit Calgary Bay, Yellowcraig Beach, and St Andrews West Sands.

Northern Ireland
 

Northern Ireland is the least visited of all the countries in the United Kingdom, but in The Giant’s Causeway, it has one of its most compelling sites.

Boasting the Mourne Mountains, Lough Neagh, the Fermanagh’s lakes, and Marble Arch Caves, it is not short of impressive landscapes, and filming locations like the Dark Hedges should keep Game of Thrones fans intrigued.

Its capital city, Belfast, is home to Titanic Belfast, an iconic museum celebrating the city’s shipbuilding legacy, and Derry and Londonderry are other notable places you can visit.

Wales

Wales will surprise and delight you in equal measure. Like Scotland, it is brimming with natural beauty, which is perhaps best illustrated at Snowdonia National Park (home to Mount Snowdon) and the Brecon Beacons.

Its capital, Cardiff, is a world-class city centered around a bustling waterfront. The National Museum, Cardiff Castle, and the Millennium Stadium are among its many highlights, and it has a terrific cafe and restaurant scene.

Elsewhere, Conwy Castle and Caernarfon Castle are prominent parts of Wales' UNESCO World Heritage sites. The Pembrokeshire Coast National Park and the quaint town of Tenby are notable for showcasing magnificent coastal scenery.