The days of Americans traveling to the UK after simply booking a flight and arriving with a valid passport were consigned to history on April 2, 2025, when it became a legal requirement to have an electronic travel authorisation (ETA).
However, this week, a new layer of enforcement began.
Previously, the compliance check was carried out at the UK border. But from this week, February 25, 2026, it became mandatory for U.S. airlines to verify passengers’ ETA status before departure and deny boarding to those without one.
The ETA costs £16 ($21.50) for adults and £10 ($13) for children and infants, and can be bought from the UK Government website.
It’s valid for two years, or until your passport expires, and permits stays per trip of up to six months, and multiple visits over those two years.
It does not allow Americans to work for a UK employer, live in the UK, or undertake long-term study. Getting married on UK soil is not covered by the ETA, either.
The permit is required by any foreign visitor (except an Irish national) who was previously entitled to travel to the UK without a visa.
Other countries in the ETA scheme include Canada, all EU member states, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Qatar, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman, Jordan and Israel.
The new system has thrown up an issue for British citizens living abroad with dual nationality.
Previously, they were allowed to enter the UK on a passport issued by their country of residence, but this rule has been scrapped, and they’re not eligible for an ETA.
They must now prove that they’re British, either by buying and showing a British passport or purchasing the expensive “certificate showing right of abode.”
