“As with all our fees, the ETA cost is regularly reviewed, and we intend to increase the ETA to £20 in the future,” the Home Office said. Last year, the UK increased the ETA fee by 60 percent, from £10 to £16.

ETA system applies to visa-free travellers

The electronic pre-travel entry authorisation system, first introduced in 2023, is mandatory for travellers from countries that do not require a visa to enter the United Kingdom, including citizens of European Union member states, as well as visitors from the United States, Australia, Hong Kong and Singapore.

The ETA allows multiple entries into the UK for stays of up to six months over a two-year period. The UK government said that 19.6 million ETAs were granted in the first two years of the system.

From 25 February 2026, eligible visitors who do not hold an ETA will no longer be permitted to board transport bound for the United Kingdom. Travellers making connecting flights through British airports must also hold an ETA if they pass through UK passport control, except when transiting through London Heathrow or Manchester airports without crossing the UK border.

Industry warns higher costs could deter visitors

In addition, the UK government plans to increase the cost of a two-year visitor visa from £475 to £506 for travellers who do not qualify for the ETA.

Tourism industry representatives have raised concerns about the impact of higher entry costs. Joss Croft, chief executive of the tourism association UKinbound, warned that the increase in risk “pulls the tourism economy in the wrong direction and hinders its growth”.

“International visitors have a choice, and the UK already has some of the highest entry costs in the world,” Croft said. “Making visits even more expensive compromises our competitiveness and puts valuable export revenue at risk.”

The move follows a similar increase in the United States’ ESTA system, where the fee almost doubled from $21 to $40 in September 2025.