U.S. Citizens Will Pay $13 To Cross the U.K.’s Borders in 2025, and Applications Are Open

The U.K. government is clamping down on its borders.

By April 2025, the U.K. will have a system in place that requires all international visitors, even those just transiting through the country, to be pre-approved for travel. According to the U.K. Government’s website, the move is being introduced to “prevent abuse of [the U.K.’s] immigration system.”

While the new system will be fully implemented in early April, American citizens, in addition to other non-European nationals, will need the eVisa to travel to the U.K. in early January. And applications are now live.

Here are the details you need to know.

The U.K.’s New $13 Entrance Fee

Similar to what foreign citizens are required to do when traveling to the U.S., the U.K. has been slowly rolling out a system whereby an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) or eVisa is required to enter the island nation.

Nationals from countries including Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia, and the U.A.E already need to apply for the ETA.

However, as of January 8, 2025, non-European nationals (which includes U.S. citizens) will be required to be approved for and possess an ETA in order to enter the U.K. In April of next year, citizens of all nations outside the U.K. — except Ireland — will need the ETA to enter the country.

To apply for your ETA, you’ll need to download a mobile app found on this page.

“Everyone wishing to travel to the UK — except British and Irish citizens — will need permission to travel in advance of coming here. This can be either through an Electronic Travel Authorisation or an eVisa,” said the U.K. government in a statement.

The cost of the ETA is £10 (roughly $13), which is a couple of dollars cheaper than what the U.S. Department of Homeland Security charges travelers to the U.S. for an ESTA — the name of its similar system.

Once travel has been approved, the ETA is valid for multiple entries for 2 years — or until the expiration date of the traveler’s passport, if that comes sooner.

It’s also worth pointing out that new border control procedures are coming for the European Union, though the requirement for travel authorization shouldn’t apply to U.S. citizens until 2026.

The U.K. will be the only nation in Europe to charge such a fee, which applies to transit passengers as well. That’s right, you’ll need this ETA even if you’re only transiting the U.K. while flying from the U.S. to another country.

In theory, this could deter U.S.-based travelers from choosing to fly U.K. carriers like British Airways or Virgin Atlantic, opting instead to fly with other options such as Air France via its Paris (CDG) hub or Lufthansa via its hubs in Frankfurt (FRA) and Munich (MUC).

Some would even consider this move as potentially damaging to airport and airline finances in the U.K.

“Taxing transit is tantamount to failure,” Paul Charles, director of the PC Agency, told The Independent. “If other airports offer free transit, then they will pick up market share.”

Final Thoughts

Even if takes some getting used to, the introduction of an electronic visa system is nothing out of the ordinary. What remains to be seen is the impact this could have on transiting passengers.

U.S. citizens can now apply for pre-approval to cross U.K. borders. If you have an upcoming trip to or through Great Britain after January 8, 2025, using this new system is mandatory.