Travel to the UK Just Got Easier: New ETA Requirement for 85 Countries Starting

Published on November 26, 2025

The United Kingdom’s new travel policy starting February 25, 2026, involves visitors from 85 countries who previously did not require visas. These visitors will be introduced and required to obtain an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) to enter the United Kingdom. This initiative is a part of the United Kingdom’s digital immigration strategy to simplify the country’s entry process and to provide an enhanced digital border experience.

The immigration process will now be faster, safer, and more efficient with the new system, and authorities will be able to regulate entry to the United Kingdom more closely. This new policy will affect travelers from the United States, Australia, Canada, Japan, and various countries in Europe, as the ETA is expected to impact border security, and, consequently, travel and tourism.

The Electronic Travel Authorisation ETA System.

Visa-exempt travelers from 85 nations, including many whose citizens can previously visit the UK for short periods, including business and tourism, will now be required to obtain an ETA. This new system will make it quicker and easier for border officials to confirm that travelers have the required authorization to board flights to the UK.

Travelers will be required to provide basic biographical and travel-related information to answer questions pertaining to their background, which will be processed via an automated system. Most applications will receive an answer almost instantaneously, but it is advisable to allow for sufficient time for automated systems to process your request. The approved ETA will be linked to your passport electronically. There will be no physical documents issued, nor will there be a stamp issued in your passport on entry to the UK.

Effects on UK’s Tourism and Visitor Numbers

There is an expected impact on the UK tourism industry. Although the ETA system is easy and quick, visa-exempt travelers are likely to experience slow and inefficient travel and this system may impact short-term travel from affected nations, as travelers will be required to obtain authorization before traveling.

Overall, the ETA system will likely save travelers time. ETA implementation will contribute to the UK’s immigration modernization initiatives, which include advanced passenger information exchanges and biometric immigration control. A greater degree of efficiency and security will likely entice greater tourism to the UK but also allow the UK to exercise tight control over the people who gain entry to the UK.An ETA will sway the UK’s tourism and hospitality industry positively and negatively. More international travelers may visit the UK due to the accelerated and secure border controls. On the contrary, border controls may discourage travelers to the UK who are unfamiliar with the pre-application requirements, and who may be financially constrained to delay schedules due to border control uncertainty.

Impacts on Business Travel

Business travel to the UK may be constrained more than previously described. Business travelers coming from impacted countries like the US and Australia are frequent visitors to the UK for its meetings, conferences, and other events. Travel plans may need to be revised to allow for ETA travel document procurement. On the other hand, the ETA is automated and may facilitate travel for business personnel to the UK, allowing for authorization application ease before they participate in business meetings or other corporate events.

Similar to the other components of travel offering goods and services, the digitalisation of immigration processes will facilitate business travel more than any other travel. The government of Canada largely continues to make digital border processes as designed and developed by immigration Canada. This fits with the ongoing border digitalisation by other countries.

UK’s Move Towards a Contactless Border

We will put the ETA into operations as part of the UK’s digitalisation policy. The UK government has been fully committed to exploring and implementing contactless and automated border processes to enable faster entry whilst enhancing security. In addition to the ETA, the UK has also been investing in other forms of biometric border control, such as facial recognition, to speed up the control process. ETA allows the UK to further automate entry processes to provide a more streamlined and secure entry.

UK government fully expect ETA will increase the number of international advised. The UK will have removed several key border position, ie immigration delay, high border congestion. This will speed advised processing in travel delay border control points, and improve the overall border control experience.

Instructions for Applying for an ETA

Travelers from the 85 affected countries are able to submit their ETA application using an online portal. The application process requires the submission of simple personal information, travel information, and some background queries that should be easily answered. The ETA gets linked electronically to the traveler’s passport and no physical documentation will be needed subsequently from the airport. To ensure a smooth and hassle-free arrival, travelers should also be able to apply for this ETA before the scheduled date of the trip.

ETA arrangements should be ready to go by the date of the 2026 travel season and will provide travelers adequate provisions to meet the new conditions. The UK government will also be assisting travelers by providing step by step help so that the travelers can smoothly adjust to the new rules.

Conclusion

The introduction of the Electronic Travel Authorisation from 85 countries is a considerable change from the United Kingdom’s immigration controls. Although this may cause some disruption to tourist and business travellers in the short term, the advantages of a digitally integrated and streamlined border process will certainly benefit the UK. The ETA will improve the UK’s travel services and tourist industry while retaining security. The UK is modernising border controls. The ETA will improve the travel experience modernisation for travellers from all nations.