World

New fee for US citizens travelling to UK from 2025

The new fee will come into force on January 8 next year

The workers carry out immigration controls and passport checks at Heathrow
Americans travelling to the UK will have to pay a fee of around $13.23 (£10) in advance of travelling to the country after January 8, 2025. (Peter Powell/PA)
By Mark Robinson

Americans travelling to the UK will have to pay a fee to enter the country from next year onwards.

The British government recently announced the commencement date for the new Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) fee, which will come into force on January 8, 2025.

US citizens hoping to enter the country will have to pay $13.23 (£10) which will then be digitally applied to their passports.

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The UK government said that the new fee will apply to all visitors to the country who do not require a visa, with the exception of British and Irish citizens.

A scheme requiring people visiting the UK without a visa to pay £10 will be expanded to include travellers from most countries from November, Home Secretary Yvette Cooper has announced
Each individual travelling to the UK will be required to have an ETA in advance of arriving in the country, including children. (Liam McBurney/PA)

Americans planning to travel to the country from January 8 onwards can start applying for an ETA on November 27, 2024, through the ‘UK ETA’ app or online.

Applicants can expect a response within at least three business days and each traveller is required to have their own ETA linked to their passport – including children.

The government said that an ETA will permit “multiple journeys to the UK for stays of up to 6 months at a time over 2 years or until the holder’s passport expires – whichever is sooner”.

Seema Malhotra, the British Minister for Migration and Citizenship, Seema Malhotra, welcomed the expansion of the ETA system, which is currently in use for a handful of countries including Saudi Arabia and Qatar.

“Digitisation enables a smooth experience for the millions of people who pass through the border every year, including the visitors we warmly welcome to the UK who are predicted to contribute over £32 billion to our tourism economy this year,” she said.

“The worldwide expansion of the ETA demonstrates our commitment to enhance security through new technology and embedding a modern immigration system.”

The expansion will bring all other non-European countries, including the US, Canada and Mexico, under the ETA system.

European countries will be included in the system from April 2025.

The UK government says that the ETA system is “in line with the approach many other countries have taken to border security, including the US and Australia.”