U.K. pre-travel entry scheme opens to Europeans

European nationals can apply for a digital travel permit to enter the U.K. starting March 5, 2025, as Britain digitizes borders.

European nationals can apply for a digital travel permit to enter the U.K. starting Wednesday (March 5, 2025), in the latest step taken by Britain to digitise its borders.

The Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) scheme — similar to the ESTA system in the United States — will be mandatory for European visitors starting April, following its roll-out for U.S., Canadian and other visa-exempt nationals in January.

Starting from 1000 GMT on Wednesday (March 5, 2025), European nationals can apply for the pre-travel pass for short visits to Britain, which left the European Union in 2020.

They will need an ETA from April 2, 2025, in the last phase of the U.K.’s rollout of digital travel checks.

The scheme was first launched in 2023 for Qatar, before being extended to five regional Gulf neighbours.

In January, it was expanded to require nationals of around 50 more countries and territories, including Argentina, South Korea and New Zealand to obtain an ETA, after opening applications for them in November 2024.

Almost 1.1 million visitors were issued with ETAs before the end of 2024, according to the U.K. Home Office.