Overview
- Under a draft proposal, the two-year visitor visa would rise from £475 to £506 and the ETA from £16 to £20, with any change subject to parliamentary approval and a potential start by April 2026.
- A Home Office spokesperson confirmed the department intends to increase the ETA fee to £20.
- From February 25, eligible travelers without an approved ETA will be refused boarding for UK-bound journeys, with limited transit exemptions at Heathrow and Manchester when the UK border is not crossed.
- The ETA applies to visa‑exempt nationals for multiple trips of up to six months over two years or until passport expiry, and 19.6 million authorisations were granted in the scheme’s first two years.
- Tourism groups warn higher entry costs could curb demand and harm local economies, as the EU prepares a €20 ETIAS and the US raised ESTA to $40 in 2025.