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From April 2, 2025, travelers from the EU will need an electronic entry permit for Great Britain. Germans are also affected.
So far, EUCitizens can easily enter the UK with their identity card. But that is about to change: The Home Office in London announced that EU citizens will have to apply for an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) from April 2, 2025, as the German Press Agency reported. This measure affects all travelers from countries who were previously able to enter without a visa and is intended to improve security checks upon entry. For other nationalities, the new regulation will come into force on January 8.
EU citizens will need an electronic entry permit from 2025
In future, a trip to London will require an electronic entry permit. © Nadia Isakova/Imago
The ETA will cost 10 British pounds, which is about 11.85 euros, and is valid for two years. It allows multiple entries into England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales and stays of up to six months. The application is made online, where personal data must be entered and questions about the trip must be answered, such as the ADAC writes. Processing takes up to 72 hours and the permit is sent by email. According to the Interior Ministry’s announcement, the electronic entry permit should also be able to be digitally linked to the passport.
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Children also need the ADAC According to the report, each person needs their own ETA, which parents should take into account when planning their trip. EU citizens with permanent residency under the Brexit agreement and Irish citizens are exempt from the obligation to apply for an ETA.
Similar systems already exist in the USA and Canada. In both countries, travelers from visa-free countries must apply for an electronic travel authorization. The EU is also planning a similar system, the ETIAS, which is to be introduced in the first half of 2025. This will be mandatory for travelers from third countries who are allowed to enter the EU without a visa.
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Heathrow Airport fears for its status as a hub
London Heathrow Airport expects to be at a disadvantage in competition with other transfer hubs due to the introduction of the ETA. Travellers from certain Middle Eastern countries have required an ETA since November 2023, which has led to a decline in transit passengers. Heathrow has lost 90,000 transfer passengers since the introduction of the ETA for these countries, according to a report in the British newspaper The Guardian announced.
