The UK to visitors from 48 countries

Starting today, travelers from 48 countries, whether headed to Birmingham to meet the Peaky Blinders or London to visit the queen, need to secure an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) prior to entering the UK.

What’s an ETA? A digital pre-authorization for short-term travelers from countries where the UK doesn’t require visas, including the US, Canada, Australia, and Mexico.

How to get it: Travelers can secure an ETA online, or via the iPhone or Android ETA app. It costs ~$12.50 and takes 10-20 minutes to apply.

If approved – a decision is normally levied within three days – the ETA is good for two years and, like an all-you-can-eat buffet, allows for as many trips as the heart desires (though immigration will still need to be cleared each time).

Fun fact: Six million travelers from the US, Canada, and Australia enter the UK each year.

🌍 Zoom out: Digital pre-authorization requirements are becoming more common around the globe. The US offers a similar program, the ESTA (est: 2009), which applies to visitors from the EU, UK, and others. The EU is also planning this year to roll out its ETIAS visa waiver, a program mandating non-EU citizens traveling from outside the Schengen zone fill out a ~$7.57 application to enter.