Cost of ETA for UK travel to rise by 25 percent

The cost of an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) for the UK will increase from 18 euros to 23 euros on April 8, 2026. Here’s what international travellers to the UK need to know:

ETA price hike to 23 euros

People travelling to the UK now require an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA), unless they are travelling on a UK or Irish passport. 

When the ETA system was first rolled out in January 2025, only non-EU citizens were required to purchase the visa waiver before travel, at a cost of 10 pounds (11,95 euros). In April 2025, it was extended to include EU citizens and the price was increased to 16 pounds (around 18,45 euros).

From April 8, the price will rise again, and all international travellers will have to pay 20 pounds (around 23 euros) for an ETA. Once purchased, the ETA is valid for two years with unlimited entries, provided you have the same passport. You can apply for an ETA via the official app or online.

Little clarification on ETAs for UK dual nationals

When the ETA policy was first introduced, there was a “transitional tolerance period” during which all travellers could purchase an ETA, but the visa waiver was only mandatory for some travellers entering at some ports. This “tolerance period” ended on February 25, 2026.

Ahead of the tolerance period ending, the UK government announced that UK dual nationals would only be able to enter the UK with a valid UK passport or a “certificate of entitlement”, which costs 589 pounds (around 675 euros).

The UK government explained that UK dual nationals travelling on an EU passport may be refused entry. Previously, these people could use their EU passports to enter the UK without a visa waiver or a “certificate of entitlement”.

The announcement sparked widespread frustration and confusion among UK dual nationals. Unlike US citizens, who are required to present a US passport when entering the US, UK citizens are not legally required to present a UK passport when entering the UK. Many questioned whether the Home Office could legally require them to do so.

As a “short-term transitional measure”, the UK Home Office issued guidance to airlines and other carriers that they could accept alternative documentation from British dual nationals, such as an expired British passport issued in 1989 or later, or a valid passport of a non-visa-required country, if the biographic details match. But the transitional measure has not resolved the issue, and it is currently unclear how long it will apply.

According to the UK government’s latest advice, issued on March 20, the “onus is on the individual to establish their status and apply for the appropriate permission”. The government claims a “compassionate and pragmatic approach to travellers who experience genuine difficulty while this process settles”.

UK Minister for Migration and Citizenship, Mike Tapp, said the “enforcement of the ETA requirement will not result in dual citizens who arrive with incorrect documentation being detained or families being separated at the border.”

You can read the full, updated advice on the House of Commons Library website.