European Travelers to Pay Entry Fee to Visit the UK Starting in 2025

Starting in 2025, European travelers visiting the UK without a visa will be required to pay a £10 (around $13) waiver fee under the UK’s new electronic travel authorization (ETA) system. This system, already in place for select countries, will soon apply to travelers from all European Union nations and other countries outside the UK.

UK Home Secretary Yvette Cooper announced that the non-refundable fee will apply to all visitors, including babies and children, who do not have a visa or permission to live, work, or study in the UK. Irish citizens are exempt from the new requirement.

Initially introduced for Qatar nationals, the ETA system already applies to travelers from Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE. By November 2024, it will be extended to US citizens, and by spring 2025, it will cover most European nationals.

The UK government aims to use the ETA system to gain better oversight of travelers entering the country. “For the first time, we will have a comprehensive understanding of those traveling to the UK,” said Cooper.

This move aligns the UK with similar visa waiver programs worldwide, such as the US ESTA system, which costs $21 and lasts for two years, and the European Union’s upcoming ETIAS system, which will cost 7 euros ($7.50) and be valid for three years when it launches in 2025.