Australians headed to the UK from January 2025 can now apply for the country’s new Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) ahead of their trip.

The ETA is a digital visa-waiver program similar to the USA’s ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorisation) and the forthcoming equivalents for Europe, Thailand and Japan, and is intended primarily for tourism and business purposes (so it doesn’t replace a conventional visa).

Travellers from most countries outside Europe will need an ETA to visit the UK from 8 January 2025, unless they are travelling on an eVisa.

That long list includes Australia, New Zealand, Canada, the USA, Hong Kong, Singapore, Japan and South Korea.

Citizens of most European countries will need an ETA to visit the UK as of 2 April 2025.

Australians can register for the ETA from today through the UK Government website or the UK ETA app on their Apple or Android smartphone.

The ETA costs £10 (A$20), payable via a credit or debit card at the time of your online application, which involves:

• providing contact and passport details 
• uploading a valid digital photo
• answering a set of questions
• and of course, paying that £10 fee with your credit or debit card

Once issued, the ETA is valid for two years or until your passport expires, and allows multiple journeys to the UK for stays of up to six months at a time.

Most importantly, that ETA must be approved before you step onto your flight to the UK, and this is not something you should leave until the very last minute.

“Most applicants will receive a response within three working days”, the UK government advises, “with many receiving a result sooner.”

And if you turn up for your flight having forgotten to get an ETA in advance, don’t expect to be able to apply on your smartphone and get near-instant approval, as is sometimes the case with the US ESTA.

Click here for more information on the UK Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) visa waiver scheme.

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