Having a passport from a country in the European Union opens the possibility of traveling around the area without the need for a visa and only by presenting your ID. However, since Brexit happened in 2020, when the United Kingdom When you leave the European Community, the rules and controls have changed for some tourists. For this reason, those travelers who have an EU passport and want to enter Great Britain, must present an electronic permit.
The measure will begin to apply Since April 2, 2025, and will not be required to enter Ireland. The permit is called Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) and according to the Government It is not a tourist visa although it will be the Ministry of the Interior of That country will authorize or not the entrywhich makes them very similar. In addition, it is a regulation that equalises the conditions that the EU will impose on Britons next summer who want to enter its member countries.
What will the electronic permit to enter the United Kingdom be like?
The electronic permit that the United Kingdom will request from EU citizens will begin to be requested from April 2, 2025. It will be a visa, which can be managed online, similar to the one you do when you travel to the United States. This will cost 10 pounds, that is, about 12 euros.
For its part, the British Home Office claims that ETA will be digitally linked to the traveler’s passport and that will guarantee the realization of security checks“The global expansion of ETA demonstrates our commitment to improving security through new technologies and the implementation of a modern immigration system.”
What is the purpose of the permit for tourists?
First of all, this electronic permit has the function of allow entry into the United Kingdom. That is to say, if it is not managed and authorized by that country, entry will be denied. But once it is obtained, it allows travelers stay up to six months for a period of two years or until the passport expires.
How to manage permission
People who have to travel to the United Kingdom next year, and do so after April 2, will have to process the electronic permit. The procedure can be done through the portal Home Officewhich will have the service available from March 2025. It will basically be a rfill out an online form with questions such as: reason for the trip, address of the place where you are staying, etc.
To register, you must have a valid passport on hand, which must have the chip with biometric data. It is also important to note down the contact details of the person who will be travelling. The cost, which as mentioned, is approximately 12 euros, can be paid by credit or debit card.
Once this is complete, you will have to wait for the British Home Office to approve or reject the visa. You have a maximum of 4 days to do so.
