The Home Office has quietly signed off a further price increase for the UK’s Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA), pushing the charge from £16 to £20 just weeks before carriers must begin denying boarding to travellers who lack the digital permit. The hike, revealed in a specialist business-travel bulletin, will apply to all new ETA applications once secondary legislation is laid – expected “in the coming days”. (travellingforbusiness.co.uk)
From 25 February 2026 airlines, ferry companies and Eurostar services face fines if they transport visa-exempt passengers without a valid ETA or e-Visa, bringing UK rules into line with the US ESTA and forthcoming EU ETIAS systems. More than 13 million ETAs have been issued since pilot launches began in 2023, but compliance rates remain patchy among infrequent travellers and dual nationals, prompting carriers such as Emirates and United to pre-emptively block check-in where authorisation is missing.
To streamline compliance, organisations may find it easier to outsource applications: VisaHQ’s platform (https://www.visahq.com/united-kingdom/) allows travellers or mobility teams to file UK ETA requests in minutes, track approvals and set reminders for renewals, reducing admin while ensuring nobody is turned away at check-in.
![Government confirms ETA fee will rise to £20 ahead of 25 February enforcement deadline]()
Corporate travel managers should alert employees, contractors and dependants who travel on non-British passports. While £4 per trip is unlikely to blow budgets, high-frequency visitors – auditors, project engineers, sales staff – will feel the cumulative effect. Mobility teams may wish to bulk-reimburse ETAs through expense systems or consider switching key staff to UK visas with multi-entry rights if travel volume is high.
The fee increase has drawn criticism from the International Air Transport Association (IATA), which argues it undermines UK competitiveness against EU destinations whose ETIAS will cost €7 and last three years. The Home Office counters that the extra revenue will fund cyber-security upgrades and expanded watch-list screening ahead of full digital-border roll-out in 2027.
Importantly, the price rise does **not** affect British or Irish citizens, who remain ETA-exempt, nor travellers transiting air-side without entering the UK. However, Border Force will run ‘live-environment’ compliance checks during Easter peak, so early adoption is strongly advised.
From 25 February 2026 airlines, ferry companies and Eurostar services face fines if they transport visa-exempt passengers without a valid ETA or e-Visa, bringing UK rules into line with the US ESTA and forthcoming EU ETIAS systems. More than 13 million ETAs have been issued since pilot launches began in 2023, but compliance rates remain patchy among infrequent travellers and dual nationals, prompting carriers such as Emirates and United to pre-emptively block check-in where authorisation is missing.
To streamline compliance, organisations may find it easier to outsource applications: VisaHQ’s platform (https://www.visahq.com/united-kingdom/) allows travellers or mobility teams to file UK ETA requests in minutes, track approvals and set reminders for renewals, reducing admin while ensuring nobody is turned away at check-in.
Corporate travel managers should alert employees, contractors and dependants who travel on non-British passports. While £4 per trip is unlikely to blow budgets, high-frequency visitors – auditors, project engineers, sales staff – will feel the cumulative effect. Mobility teams may wish to bulk-reimburse ETAs through expense systems or consider switching key staff to UK visas with multi-entry rights if travel volume is high.
The fee increase has drawn criticism from the International Air Transport Association (IATA), which argues it undermines UK competitiveness against EU destinations whose ETIAS will cost €7 and last three years. The Home Office counters that the extra revenue will fund cyber-security upgrades and expanded watch-list screening ahead of full digital-border roll-out in 2027.
Importantly, the price rise does **not** affect British or Irish citizens, who remain ETA-exempt, nor travellers transiting air-side without entering the UK. However, Border Force will run ‘live-environment’ compliance checks during Easter peak, so early adoption is strongly advised.
