Lib Dems demand urgent pause to UK border rules that could strand British dual citizens
Reform UK vows ‘visa freeze’ on nations that refuse to take back deportees
UK Foreign Office warns tourists as cartel violence shuts Puerto Vallarta airport
Latest News
UK Electronic Travel Authorisation fee rises to £20 ahead of full enforcement
An industry bulletin dated 22 February confirms the ETA charge will climb from £16 to £20 when the system becomes compulsory on 25 February 2026. Businesses must update travel policies quickly, as airlines will refuse boarding to passengers without a paid ETA.
France moves to mandatory online visa appointments and biometrics—UK travellers face longer lead-times
Effective 22 February, France scrapped walk-in visa submissions and now requires all applicants—including UK-based third-country nationals—to pre-book online and provide biometrics. The change is intended to improve security but will lengthen lead-times for last-minute business travel.
UK introduces mandatory Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) for all visa-exempt visitors from 25 February 2026
From 25 February 2026 the UK will require citizens of *all* previously visa-free countries to secure an Electronic Travel Authorisation before departure. Carriers must verify ETA status or face fines, and travellers without approval will be denied boarding. The move aligns the UK with comparable schemes such as the US ESTA and has immediate budgeting and compliance implications for corporate travel programmes.
Biometric EES, ETIAS and UK ETA: what the 2026 border shake-up means for British holiday-makers and business travellers
On 21 February experts warned that three new digital schemes—the EU’s biometric Entry/Exit System, the ETIAS travel authorisation and the UK’s ETA for inbound visitors—will converge in 2026. UK residents heading to Europe will submit fingerprints at the border and, later in the year, pay €20 for an ETIAS. Businesses face a triple compliance burden: longer airport dwell times, added fees and more complex document checks for flights both to and from the UK.
UK scraps physical visa stickers for Indian nationals in favour of fully digital e-Visas
Visitor visas issued to Indian nationals after 25 February 2026 will be entirely digital, the Home Office said on 21 February. Airlines will verify e-Visas through UKVI systems, cutting processing time but requiring travellers to keep passport details up to date. The pilot is expected to pave the way for fully digital work and study permissions, reinforcing UK-India talent mobility.
Dual UK-Irish citizens in Australia scramble as airlines prepare to enforce ‘UK passport only’ rule
ABC News reports that from 25 February 2026 airlines will deny boarding to dual UK-Irish citizens who attempt to travel to Britain on a non-UK passport. The sudden realisation has triggered a rush for emergency passport renewals in Australia and raised duty-of-care challenges for employers moving staff to the UK.