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As of January 8th, US citizens and visitors are required to apply in advance and pay a fee to enter the UK. This includes short visits, tourism, business, and surprisingly also was applied to those just transiting UK airports. While I’m not a fan of the fee in general, it’s thankfully changing course on the transit fee.
When this was announced many travelers groaned at having to simply connect. Travelers headed to England, Scotland, and Wales still need to apply for entry in advance of their flights through the Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) system. An ETA will cost £10 (which is around $12.75). ETAs are tied to a passenger’s passport number so after one is approved there is no additional documentation needed upon arrival. At least now this is for actually visiting the UK.
The fee wasn’t only an issue with passengers. Airport authorities and airlines also expressed concern that this could negatively impact their businesses if frustrated travelers decided not to book flights that connected in the UK. If the fee would have remained unchanged, the UK would have been the only country in Europe to charge a fee to transit passengers.
In April, citizens of all nations entering the UK (except Ireland) will need an ETA. The UK government is reportedly thinking about raising the fee to around £16 or $20 (this is likely to make up for cash lost on transit passengers). This has not yet been confirmed, but Upgraded Points recently noted this possibility.
The good news is that the process is simple. It might take up to three business days for approval, but once an ETA is secured it’s valid for the length of the passport or a period of two years (whichever is shorter). Specific travel details (flights, hotels, etc.) do not need to be provided.
The online application can be found here. You’ll need to upload a photo of your passport as well as a photo of yourself. Some basic security questions need to be answered and then you’re all set. If your approval does not come prior to arrival, don’t worry. You’ll still be granted access to the UK as long as you apply in advance of travel. Additional details can be found here.
Anthony’s Take: I thought it was ridiculous that this would be levied on transit passengers and I’m glad that it is being rescinded. These fees are not great for tourism, but are becoming the new norm in Europe and elsewhere.
(Image Credits: UK Government and Lucas Davies via Unsplash.)
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Advertiser & Editorial Disclosure: The Bulkhead Seat earns an affiliate commission for anyone approved through the links above This compensation may impact how and where links appear on this site. We work to provide the best publicly available offers to our readers. We frequently update them, but this site does not include all available offers. Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed, or approved by any of these entities.
