Are you going to the UK? This is what will be different starting on February 25, 2026.
Starting on February 25, when the Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) goes into effect, everyone travelling to the UK must have the right documentation and permission. If they don’t, they may not be permitted to go. Below, we’ll talk about how to make sure that the changes don’t mess with your trip to the UK.
The UK government puts tourists to the UK into three primary groups:
(1) People from Britain and Ireland;
(2) visa nations who, of course, need a visa to go to the UK for any reason (for visits or longer stays), and;
(3) non-visa nationals who don’t require a visa to visit but do need one to come to the UK for job, study, or any other reason.
As many people know, the UK has put in place an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) for some passengers travelling to the UK. ETA only applies to people who don’t have a visa and are simply going to the UK for a visit. However, the effects of ETA affect other groups as well. So, everyone should read this update to know what to expect when they go to the UK. When we talk about carriers in this article, we mean organisations that convey people to the UK. This includes aeroplanes, ferry companies, and Eurostar.
When the ETA goes into full effect on February 25, 2026, the easiest approach to think about going to the UK is as a two-step process:
The check the carrier does before I leave for the UK
The inspection at the UK border when I get there
You need the right document (like a valid passport) and the right permit (like an ETA, a visa, etc.) for both parts of the process. Below is a list of the documents and permissions that each group needs:
Visa holders
Visa nationals are, in a way, the easiest group to understand because they have always had to show carriers proof of their visa approval for both short- and long-term stays in the UK. Visa approval for this reason involves getting a visa outside of the UK or immigration permission (such indefinite leave to remain) usually given inside the UK. So, on the one hand, the way they deal with this group hasn’t altered. But it’s still very vital for persons with an eVisa (which is most people these days) to make sure that their UK Visa and Immigration Account (UKVI Account) has their current passport on file so that carriers can verify that they have permission to fly back to the UK. Border Force personnel will examine their visa when they get to the UK.
People who don’t need a visa
This is the group that is most affected by the introduction of ETA. Non-visa national visitors can no longer merely come to the UK on their passports and get authorisation to visit at the border. Instead, they need to get an ETA (for both adults and children) before they fly so that the carriers can make sure they have the right permission before they start their trip to the UK. If they don’t acquire an ETA before they depart, they won’t be allowed to board (the carrier won’t let them travel).
You may get an ETA for £16 through the Home Office app or online. Some businesses will charge you to help you apply for an ETA, but keep in mind that they can’t get you an ETA any faster than if you apply for one yourself on gov.uk, the official website of the UK government. If your ETA application is denied, it means that something went wrong with it (such the payment didn’t go through or the digital photo wasn’t good enough) and you can apply again. If your ETA application is turned down (which is very rare), you will probably need to get legal help if you still want to go to the UK.
People who are not visa nationals but have an eVisa because they are not just visiting the UK, like students or workers, must keep their UKVI Account up to date with their current passport (or national ID card if they are EU/EEA/Swiss citizens with pre-settled or settled status). Some non-visa nationalities can use the eGates to enter the UK when they get there (assuming they are available). assuming not, they will have to go through an immigration desk, where visitors need to be granted permission to enter and visa holders will have their visa status confirmed.
People from the UK and Ireland
British and Irish citizens who only have one nationality will keep travelling the same way they always have, using a British or Irish passport (or Irish passport card) that carriers will check before the trip to the UK starts. If they are available, they can use the eGates to get into the UK. If not, they will have to go through an immigration desk.
In the past, people who were British and had another nationality that didn’t require a visa may use their non-British passport to come to the UK. Now, however, carriers will need to see either a British passport or a non-British passport with a Certificate of Entitlement, which costs £589 and is much more expensive than a British passport. The carrier will probably not let the dual national board if they can’t show either of these documents.