In the wake of Brexit, the British government wants to tighten up its border controls. As a result, from April 2025, Europeans wishing to visit the UK will first have to obtain a fee-based digital authorization called an ETA.
The perfidious Albion has struck again.
Not content with extracting itself from the European Union on October 1, 2021, thus consummating the Brexit, now our British neighbor is becoming Americanized, tightening the conditions for entry to its territory, out of concern for security.
On Wednesday, September 11, the British Home Office announced that it would be extending the requirement for paid digital authorization to 86 countries.
From April 2, 2025, tourists, European business travelers (and fans of The Crown) will need to carry the precious sesame if they hope to approach Big Ben, the National Gallery, Harry Potter Studios, Madame Tussauds and other sobritish treasures…
On this date, only British and Republic of Ireland passport holders will be exempt.
Admission at 12 euros
If Europeans did not have to comply with the same constraints as Qataris, who were the first to experiment with the ETA (“Electronic Travel Authorisation”) “visa” in November 2023, all tourists will soon be on the same footing. After the Gulf States (notably Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates) last February, the United States and Canada will have to comply, just before Europeans.
Tourists from the other side of the Atlantic will nevertheless be able to carry out their Christmas shopping as usual, as their application will only be accepted from November 25, and will be effective from January 8, 2025.
But for those of you who are not so sure: Europeans, including the French, will be the last to be affected by this measure, and will therefore be able to take advantage of Selfridges’ biggest-ever pop-up store for the festive season.
From April 2, 2025, French nationals will be required to havean ETA “visa” to travel to the UK. Applications for this document will be accepted from March 5, 2025.
Like the ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorization) valid in the United States for short-term entry into its territory, you will have to pay £10 (12 euros) to obtain the famous pass.
A brake on tourism?
The scheme is aimed at visitors who “do not require a visa to enter the UK for short stays, or who do not have British immigration status prior to their trip”, explains Visit Britain.
This includes tourists and business travelers, children, babies and travelers, including those in transit.
The British government is reassuring, however, and insists on the simplicity and speed of issuing the famous sesame: maximum 72 hours.
The process can be carried out “quickly and easily” on the “UK ETA App” mobile application, available on smartphone application catalogs or even directly online on the British government website. Several items of information will be requested, in particular those present on the passport, and others relating to the stay.
The Home Office believes that digitizing the process can only “help to speed up the legitimacy of stays in the UK”.
Like the American ESTA, the ETA is valid for two years from the date of issue. It will allow repeated travel to the UK for stays not exceeding 6 months.
Although it’s too early to say, the new measure could discourage tourism to the UK. The country’s tourist flows have already been on a downward trend for four years. Indeed, while 40.9 million tourists visited England, Scotland or Wales in 2019, by 2023 this figure had fallen to 38 million.
Not to mention that the post-Brexit withdrawal of tax-free shopping for non-European travelers has dealt a blow to its luxury goods shopping in recent years, to the benefit of other countries.
The Center For Economics and Business Research estimates this drop in visitor numbers as a loss of £2.8 billion (€3.3 billion) by 2024.
A desire for security or a response to the EU?
TheETA – which, despite appearances, is not a visa in the strict sense of the term– is closely modelled on the American ESTA, introduced by the US Department of Homeland Security to enable nationals of certain countries to travel to Uncle Sam without a visa for a period of up to 90 consecutive days.
For the British government, the justification for introducing the ETA procedure is to “enhance [homeland] security through new technology and modernize the immigration system”.
But behind the UK’s desire to digitize all its borders by the end of 2025 is also a response to the European ETIAS.
Indeed, from spring 2025, the European Union intends to require all Britons wishing to cross the Schengen area to carry an Etias (“European Travel Information and Authorisation System”).
Less expensive than the British ETA, it will cost 7 euros and be valid for three years.
Read also > Italy’s government targets the ultra-rich
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