Eta Travel Permit rule sparks last-minute passport scramble as ministers defend rollout
The new eta travel permit system for visitors to the UK came into force on 25 February, and ministers say it will strengthen border security even as dual nationals have been scrambling to secure British passports and certificates to meet the new requirements.
Eta Travel Permit required for visitors from 85 countries from 25 February
From 25 February, most people who previously travelled to the UK visa-free must hold an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) before arrival. The rule applies to visitors of 85 nationalities, including citizens of the United States, Canada, France and Australia. An ETA costs £16, permits multiple journeys, and lasts for two years or until the holder’s passport expires, whichever comes sooner. Once approved, an ETA allows a stay in the UK of up to six months and covers visits for tourism, business or short-term study.
How the digital permission to travel works and who is exempt
The ETA is a digital permission to travel. Airlines will prevent passengers from boarding if they do not hold an ETA, an eVisa or other valid documentation. People who normally need a visa to enter the UK will still need a visa and will not have to apply for an ETA as well. Transit passengers who do not pass through border control at UK airports will not need an ETA. British and Irish citizens are exempt from needing an ETA, but travellers must present a valid British passport or an entitlement document when travelling to the UK; carriers may at their discretion accept some expired British passports as alternative documentation.
Dual nationals face passport or £589 certificate requirement
British dual nationals must present a valid or expired British passport, or a £589 certificate of entitlement, to prove their right of abode before boarding a plane, ferry or train to the UK. That change has left some dual nationals racing to renew passports or arrange certificates while already abroad.
Ministers defend rollout in heated parliamentary session
Home Office minister Mike Tapp rejected calls for a grace period and dismissed criticism of the rollout as "absurd". In a parliamentary session he suggested that recent media coverage of the changes reflected the department’s efforts to publicise them, saying: "I’m going to let him into a little secret here – perhaps that media coverage is as a result of the Home Office’s efforts to get this information out there as widely as we possibly can. " He later said: "I find the framing of this absolutely absurd – it is nonsense. There have been years in planning from the officials and ministers. This has been in the public domain for some years. "
Complaints from MPs and travellers, and emergency options
Labour backbencher Kerry McCarthy described two constituents who feared being stranded on their honeymoon because of the new requirements. The former cabinet minister David Davis said three constituents had only learned about the changes through media coverage. Press coverage prompted letters from anxious dual nationals abroad, and hundreds more people contacted the paper saying they were unaware of the rule change until they saw that coverage. An anonymous British Australian man said the rules had prevented him from attending his father’s funeral and added: "I can’t see my grieving relatives or bury my father for six weeks, " referring to the time it would take to renew a passport from overseas.
What ministers say will help travellers and what comes next
Tapp rejected calls for a grace period but offered practical steps: he said he would host a drop-in session with MPs next Monday to discuss individual cases, consular services were available overseas to help travellers, and dual nationals could obtain a passport within four weeks — and in some cases in nine days. The minister for Migration and Citizenship described the ETA scheme as "a vital part of our work to strengthen the UK’s border security, helping to deliver a more efficient and modern service that works for both visitors and the British public, " and urged travellers to ensure they have the right permission to make their journey smoother.
The ETA fee is currently £16 and officials plan to increase it to £20 in future. The government notes the cost is competitive with other systems, citing the US ESTA fee of $40 and the EU’s ETIAS fee expected to be €20 when it is introduced. The ETA scheme was launched in October 2023 and was initially not strictly enforced to give visitors time to adjust; in November it was announced that ETAs would be mandatory from 25 February.
Several MPs urged improvement to communications. Conservative MP Alicia Kearns said the communications plan had been insufficient and called for improvements, while the Liberal Democrats’ immigration spokesperson Will Forster described the rollout as a "lack of planning and haphazard communication. " The Home Office said it could not comment on individual cases.
The immediate practical effect is that travellers from the 85 listed nationalities must secure an eta travel permit or other valid documentation before they attempt to board transport to the UK, and carriers will refuse boarding to those without it. The next scheduled step publicised by ministers is the drop-in session with MPs on Monday to address individual cases and queries.
