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Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) Requirement Rollout for European Nationals

Validated finding · five-country-2010-20260922-v118-evidence-presentation-fix

CountryUnited Kingdom
Operative dateApril 2, 2025
CategoryBorder control
Policy toolElectronic travel authorisation / entry requirement
Affected groupNationals set out at immigration rules appendix eta national list etanl 1.1(d) seeking to travel to the uk on or after 2 april 2025

Policy effect

An Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) application process opens on 5 March 2025 for nationals set out at Immigration Rules Appendix ETA National List ETANL 1.1(d) who intend to travel to the UK on or after 2 April 2025. Applications must be made via the UK ETA mobile app or specified online form, provide an email address, pay the required fee, provide a national passport establishing identity and nationality, and provide a digital facial image. Applicants must be seeking permission to enter as a Visitor (excluding Marriage/Civil Partnership) for up to 6 months, as a Creative Worker under CRV 3.2, or making a local journey from the Republic of Ireland having entered outside the common travel area or with expired leave (and not as an S2 Healthcare Visitor). Exemptions apply for those lawfully resident in the Republic of Ireland travelling from elsewhere in the CTA, British Overseas Territory Citizens, British Nationals (Overseas), and certain school pupils from France or Germany aged 19 or under in organized school parties of 5 or more. An ETA is valid for 2 years or until passport expiry, whichever is sooner, and allows multiple journeys.

Conditions and exceptions

Validated condition or limit: An Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) application process opens on 5 March 2025 for nationals set out at Immigration Rules Appendix ETA National List ETANL 1.1(d) who intend to travel to the UK on or after 2 April 2025.; Applications must be made via the UK ETA mobile app or specified online form, provide an email address, pay the required fee, provide a national passport establishing identity and nationality, and provide a digital facial image.; Applicants must be seeking permission to enter as a Visitor (excluding Marriage/Civil Partnership) for up to 6 months, as a Creative Worker under CRV 3.2, or making a local journey from the Republic of Ireland having entered outside the common travel area or with expired leave (and not as an S2 Healthcare Visitor).; An ETA is valid for 2 years or until passport expiry, whichever is sooner, and allows multiple journeys.

Official source excerpt

Quoted verbatim from the official source below. Ellipses indicate omitted text.

The holder of an ETA will need to obtain permission to enter on arrival in the UK but can be refused entry if they require an ETA and do not have one. … The ETA application process will then open on 5 March 2025 for nationals set out at Immigration Rules Appendix ETA National List ETANL 1.1(d) who intend to travel to the UK on or after 2 April 2025. … ETA 1.1. An application for an ETA must meet the following requirements: (a) the application must be made in accordance with the application process on the gov.uk website using either the mobile application ‘UK ETA’ or the specified online form: ‘Apply for an ETA to come to the UK’; and (b) the applicant must provide an email address which can be used by the Home Office to contact them; and (c) the required fee must be paid; and (d) the applicant must provide, in accordance with the application process, a national passport which satisfactorily establishes their identity and nationality as a national included at ETANL 1.1 Appendix ETA National List; and (e) the applicant must provide a facial image in accordance with the application process and which complies with the rules for digital photos on ‘https://www.gov.uk/photos-for-passports’; and (f) the applicant must be either: (i) seeking permission to enter the UK as a Visitor (other than a Marriage/Civil Partnership Visitor), staying in the UK for up to 6 months; or (ii) seeking permission to enter the UK as a Creative Worker who is seeking entry to the UK pursuant to paragraph Appendix Temporary Work - Creative Worker at CRV 3.2; or (iii) a person making a local journey from the Republic of Ireland having entered that Republic from a place outside the common travel area, or having left the UK whilst having a limited leave to enter or remain there which has since expired, who is not a S2 Healthcare Visitor. … ETA 1.3. An applicant who is lawfully resident in the Republic of Ireland and is travelling to the UK from elsewhere in the Common Travel Area does not need to obtain an ETA. … ETA 1.7. A person who is a British Overseas Territory Citizen or a British National (Overseas) does not require an ETA. … ETA 1.9. ETA Nationals who are aged 18 or under, studying at a school or educational institution in France registered with the French Ministry of Education and seeking to enter the UK as part of a school party of 5 or more pupils organised by that school or institution, do not require an ETA before they travel to the UK as a Visitor. … ETA 1.10. ETA Nationals who are aged 19 or under, studying at a school or educational institution in Germany, the existence of which is confirmed by the relevant German municipal or competent authority, and seeking to enter the UK as part of a school party of 5 or more organised by that school or institution, do not require an ETA before they travel to the UK as a Visitor. … ETA 4.1. An ETA will be valid for 2 years from the date of grant or until the expiry of the holder’s passport used in the ETA application, whichever is sooner. … ETA 4.2. A person holding a valid ETA may make multiple journeys to the UK, for the purpose of seeking permission to enter on arrival as either: (a) a Visitor, seeking entry for up to 6 months on each occasion; or (b) a Creative Worker who is seeking entry to the UK pursuant to Appendix Temporary Work – Creative Worker at CRV 3.2.
Home Office / UK Visas and ImmigrationUK Visas and Immigration and Home Office, Europeans can now apply for an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) to travel to the UK and will need one from 2 April 2025, GOV.UK (published 5 March 2025).Open official source
Retrieved from https://www.gov.uk/guidance/immigration-rules/immigration-rules-appendix-electronic-travel-authorisation

Review method

Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite extraction with independent Gemini 3.8 Flash verification

Automated source validation is not independent human legal review. The finding should not be treated as legal advice. Record fcp3-588c2881c9b16627118c. Something wrong? Flag this record.

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