Applications for non-Europeans will open on 27 November, with an ETA needed to travel from 8 January 2025.
ETAs will then extend to eligible Europeans from 5 March 2025, with ETAs needed to travel from 2 April 2025.
The ETA will cost £10 and permit multiple journeys to the UK for stays of up to six months at a time over two years, or until the holder’s passport expires, whichever comes first.
It will be needed by anyone who is not a British or Irish citizen who does not need a visa and must be purchased in advance of travel.
ETAs are digitally linked to a traveller’s passport and are already in force for visitors to the UK from some Middle East countries including Qatar and Saudi Arabia.
The Home Office said the introduction of ETAs was in line with many other countries, including the US – which has its Esta regime – and Australia.
Migration and citizenship minister Seema Malhotra said: “The worldwide expansion of the ETA demonstrates our commitment to enhance security through new technology and embedding a modern immigration system.”
The Home Office added it “continues to work closely with global airline, maritime and rail carriers, who are crucial to ensuring smooth implementation of our digitisation programme”.
The European Union plans to introduce its own European Travel Authorisation and Information System (Etias) from 2025. Etias, which was originally approved in 2016 and has no confirmed start date yet, will cost €7 and be needed for all UK travellers to the EU.
Meanwhile, the EU’s Entry-Exit System (EES), which involves fingerprint and biometric facial registration for UK travellers at EU entry points, comes into force on 10 November, with talk of a week’s dispensation for those entering at border points that do not have the necessary technology.
