In a shake-up of long-standing travel rules, European nationals heading to the UK will from Wednesday need a mandatory entry permit, which the British government says will strengthen border security.
The Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) can be bought online in the next few days for £10 (12 euros), but the price is rising swiftly from April 9 to £16.
It is similar to the ESTA system in operation in the United States and will be mandatory for all European visitors to Britain from April 2, following its roll-out for US, Canadian and other visa-exempt nationals in January.
“By digitising the immigration system we are paving the way for a contactless UK border,” Migration Minister Seema Malhotra said earlier this month when the website was opened for the first applications.
“Expanding ETA worldwide cements our commitment to enhance security through technology and innovation.”
The permit allows visits of up to six …