The United Kingdom government has recently announced its intention to require Electronic Travel Approval (ETA) prior to the end of 2023. This is like ESTA/the visa waiver required to enter the US from many countries. This is part of the UK’s plan to fully digitize its border by the end of 2025.
US passport holders are included in the list of “visa exempt” countries listed below and therefore they will not be required to apply for a visa to travel to the UK for tourism purposes but will need to register travel in advance through the new ETA process. This new required application is less complicated than a visa application and should be approved quickly.
To apply, travelers will need to provide personal details, passport information, and security information. Applications will then be processed automatically and travelers should expect a response typically within 48 to 72 hours. There will be a fee.
The cost of the ETA/visa waiver application and the date from which it will be required have not yet been announced, but are scheduled to be in place prior to the end of 2023.
The following is a list of the countries that will need an approved ETA once the program becomes operational.
European Union (EU) countries:
Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden
Other European countries:
Andorra, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Norway, Switzerland, Vatican City
Other visa-exempt nations:
Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Bahamas, Bahrain, Barbados, Belize, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Dominica, East Timor, El Salvador, Grenada, Guatemala, Honduras, Hong Kong, Israel, Japan, Kiribati, Kuwait, Macau, Malaysia, Maldives, Marshall Islands, Mauritius, Mexico, Micronesia, Namibia, Nauru, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Oman, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Qatar, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Saudi Arabia, Seychelles, Singapore, Solomon Islands, South Korea, Taiwan, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tuvalu, United Arab Emirates, United States of America, Uruguay, Vanuatu