With less than eight weeks to go before the UK activates its new Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) regime, the Home Office has launched a high-visibility information campaign targeting airlines, ferry companies, rail operators and future visitors. From 25 February 2026, citizens of 85 visa-exempt countries — including the United States, Canada, Australia, Japan and all EU member states — will need to have an approved ETA (or e-Visa) before they can board any transport to the UK. British and Irish citizens are exempt, as are travellers who already hold another type of British visa or an e-Visa linked to their passport.
Transport companies will be legally obliged to verify the ETA status of each passenger through a government API, in the same way that they currently validate passport details. Failure to comply with this rule could result in civil penalties of up to £50,000 per flight or ferry journey. Industry sources indicate that the tight deadline is forcing some operators to accelerate technological integrations that were planned for later in the year, while smaller ferry lines are urgently seeking external providers that can connect to the Home Office’s Border Control system.
The ETA is not a visa, but a digital pre-authorisation that costs £16 and is valid for two years (or until the traveller’s passport expires). Most applications are processed automatically within minutes, although the authorities recommend allowing up to three working days in case a manual review is required. Children need their own ETA, and travellers will need to reapply if they renew their passport.
For travellers and corporate mobility teams seeking greater security, the VisaHQ platform can simplify the entire ETA process, offering step-by-step guidance, automatic error checks and live support for individual or bulk applications. Visit https://www.visahq.com/united-kingdom/ to start an application or learn how VisaHQ can integrate with your company’s travel policies.
From a corporate mobility perspective, the most significant operational change lies in the liability model for transport companies. Multinationals that manage group travel or use self-booking tools must ensure that travellers obtain their ETA well in advance, or risk denied boarding and costly last-minute rescheduling. Travel managers are updating pre-trip approval flows to include ETA verification and reminding dual British nationals to travel with a valid British passport to avoid unnecessary charges.
In the long term, the government sees this system as the basis for a “contactless border” strategy that will eventually allow biometric gates to recognise travellers before they reach immigration controls. In the short term, however, businesses should anticipate a learning curve and advise their staff and assignees to apply for their ETA in advance to avoid disruption.