United Kingdom: £10 entry fee for certain travelers from November

Entry fee to enter British soil? It will soon become a reality. The United Kingdom is gradually introducing an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) to allow them to travel to their territory without a visa.

Like ESTA, which has been in place in the US since 2009, concerned travelers must pay a fee of 10 pounds (about 11.6 euros) to obtain this ETA, which is digitally attached to a passport. ETA will be requested for all tourist, professional or student stays of less than 6 months, specify UK Government website It describes the measurement.

Only for Middle Eastern citizens for now

From 15 November, Qatari nationals will need an ETA to enter British soil. They can claim this recognition from October 25, underlines the government. It is valid for 2 years or until the passport of the concerned traveler expires, whichever is earlier.

A new measure will be introduced from February 22, 2024, as the obligation to issue an ETA will be extended to citizens of six additional countries: Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman and the United Arab Emirates.

No other countries are currently concerned, but the British government notes on its site that “other nationalities will be added later”. It was not specified whether European countries could be targeted. Only British or Irish passport holders and visa holders are excluded.

A similar system in the European Union

But the United Kingdom isn’t the only one putting the measure in place: the European Union wants to do the same. From 2024, travelers from around 60 countries will be required to carry a document issued by the European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS) when arriving on European soil.

It costs 7 euros and is valid for three years, or until the passport it is attached to expires, whichever comes first. A map has been published by EU officials to identify the countries concerned: travelers from the United Kingdom, the United States, Brazil, Australia or Canada are on the list.