Eta Travel Permit rollout puts dual nationals and short‑stay visitors first in line as UK enforces digital permission

The immediate impact falls on travellers and particularly on dual nationals who must prove the right to live in the UK before boarding. The eta travel permit requirement affects citizens from 85 countries and gives airlines new authority to refuse boarding — leaving some honeymooners, family‑emergency travellers and others scrambling for passports or costly certificates.

Eta Travel Permit: who is affected and how entry checks change

Here’s the part that matters: visitors from a defined group of countries who until now travelled visa‑free will need digital permission to travel. The new system creates an additional pre‑flight hurdle — airlines will prevent passengers boarding if they do not hold an ETA, an eVisa or other valid documentation — and border checks on arrival remain in place.

How the new digital permission works (embedded details)

The digital permission is described as an electronic travel authorisation that permits multiple journeys, allows stays of up to six months and lasts for two years or until the holder’s passport expires, whichever is sooner. The requirement applies to nationals of 85 countries, with examples listed among them including the United States, Australia, Canada and France. Transit passengers who do not pass through border control at airports do not need the authorisation; longer trips or visits for work and extended study still require a visa.

Documentation pressures on dual nationals and real‑life disruptions

Dual British nationals face a separate boarding test: they must present a valid British passport or a Certificate of Entitlement before boarding a plane, ferry or train. An alternative exists but costs significantly more — a stated fee of £589 for the certificate. The rollout prompted parliamentary concern as MPs described cases of honeymooners fearing they could be stranded and at least one British Australian who said the rules prevented him from attending his father’s funeral because passport renewal from overseas would take weeks.

Costs, validity and international comparisons

An ETA currently costs £16, with plans signalled to rise to £20 in the future. Authorities have positioned that fee as competitive: the US ESTA is cited at $40 and the EU’s ETIAS is expected to cost €20 when implemented. The ETA permits multiple short visits within its two‑year or passport‑limited lifespan; nationals who normally need a visa are unaffected by the ETA rule and must continue to obtain a visa as before.

• Passengers still go through passport control on arrival; digital permission is an additional pre‑departure requirement.
• Carriers may at their discretion accept some expired British passports as alternative documentation.
• Non‑visa nationals attempting to enter without the required digital permission risk being barred from entry.
• Emergency travel documents and consular services are indicated as options for urgent cases; passport turnaround times were cited as typically weeks but can be shorter in some situations.

Political pushback and official defence

In parliamentary exchanges a minister dismissed criticism of the rollout as "absurd" and said planning had spanned years. MPs pressed for better communication and for a grace period; the minister rejected calls for a blanket pause but offered a drop‑in session with MPs to discuss individual cases. Critics called the communications plan insufficient and highlighted the human consequences for those who only learned of the change at short notice.

The immediate logistical signals to watch for are practical: airlines enforcing boarding rules, the availability of emergency travel documents for urgent returns, and any follow‑up concessions in how carriers treat expired British passports. The real question now is whether operational pressures — passenger disruption, consular demand and parliamentary pressure — will prompt short‑term adjustments.

Micro timeline: the ETA scheme was launched in October 2023 but not strictly enforced initially to give visitors time to adjust; it became mandatory from 25 February; ministerial follow‑ups include a planned drop‑in session for MPs the week after enforcement began.

It’s easy to overlook, but the change shifts a pre‑flight responsibility onto travellers and carriers in equal measure; that redistribution is why documented proof of right of abode and fast passport renewals have become immediate priorities for some households.

Writer's aside: the human stories — missed funerals, honeymoon uncertainty — are a clear signal that operational rollout and public communication did not sync fully for everyone, and those gaps are what officials are now being pressed to close.