No more impromptu weekends in London, this new compulsory paid visa changes everything for entering English territory

Since Brexit, travelling to London is no longer as easy as it used to be. While a simple identity card was enough to enter the United Kingdom a few years ago, today a passport is required to cross the Channel. In 2025, a new rule could change the situation again for Europeans wishing to travel to the United Kingdom. As reported by The Figaro Travels from April 2, 2025, a paid travel authorization modeled on the American ESTA will be required for all EU nationals, including the French.

A visa required to go to the United Kingdom?

Initially planned for the end of 2024, ETA (for Electronic System for Travel Authorization), a sort of paid digital visa will be introduced in 2025 for all foreign travelers, with the exception of Irish nationals who benefit from the Common Travel Area, a free movement zone between the two territories. Like the ESTA, this document will be paid for and its price revealed by the British authorities has been set at 10 pounds, or around 12 euros.

To obtain the ETA, travelers will have to fill out a form online or via the UK ETA app from March 5, 2025, a few days before their departure. This form will require personal information from the passport as well as details of the intended stay. The processing of applications will take between 48 and 72 hours, so it is important to make sure to start with enough time to avoid being stuck at the station. The British authorization should be valid for two years.

Simplified formalities

Thanks to this travel authorization, the formalities upon arrival in the United Kingdom will also be simplified: it will be enough to scan your passport, all the necessary information being already linked to this identity document. According to the British authorities, this new regulation aims to “strengthening security through new technology and modernizing the immigration system”.

As with the ESTA, you will have to be careful of scams. Fake sites will inevitably appear to try to make you pay more for the document than its price. “We ask that those eligible for an ETA find information on how to apply on the official Gov.uk website. If anyone thinks they have been scammed, they should report it on Gov.uk.” warns the Home Office.