The United Kingdom’s long-signalled Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) program moved from soft-launch to strict enforcement on February 25. Airlines have been ordered to deny boarding to citizens of 85 visa-exempt countries—including Canada—who have not secured the £16 digital permit before arrival.
Canadian travellers had previously been able to buy the ETA on arrival during a grace period, but carriers will now receive fines for transporting non-compliant passengers. The Home Office says the measure is a ‘vital plank’ in digitising border security and mirrors Canada’s own eTA and the U.S. ESTA systems.
![UK begins strict enforcement of Electronic Travel Authorisation—Canadians now need pre-travel permit]()
Travellers who would rather not navigate the new ETA process alone can turn to VisaHQ’s Canada portal (https://www.visahq.com/canada/), which offers an intuitive, step-by-step application wizard, document verification, and real-time status alerts for a wide range of visas and travel authorisations—including the UK ETA—helping ensure there are no unpleasant surprises at the boarding gate.
For global mobility teams, the change adds a mandatory step for all short-term business and tourist travel to the UK, including same-day Eurostar train trips from continental Europe. Processing times are typically “within minutes,” but authorities advise applying at least 72 hours in advance to avoid system outages. The ETA is valid for two years or until passport expiry and allows multiple entries of up to six months each.
Failure to hold a valid ETA will invalidate otherwise confirmed flight or rail tickets, creating potential delays for assignees connecting via London hubs. Travel managers should update booking checklists and incorporate automated ETA reminders into their online booking tools.
Canadian travellers had previously been able to buy the ETA on arrival during a grace period, but carriers will now receive fines for transporting non-compliant passengers. The Home Office says the measure is a ‘vital plank’ in digitising border security and mirrors Canada’s own eTA and the U.S. ESTA systems.
Travellers who would rather not navigate the new ETA process alone can turn to VisaHQ’s Canada portal (https://www.visahq.com/canada/), which offers an intuitive, step-by-step application wizard, document verification, and real-time status alerts for a wide range of visas and travel authorisations—including the UK ETA—helping ensure there are no unpleasant surprises at the boarding gate.
For global mobility teams, the change adds a mandatory step for all short-term business and tourist travel to the UK, including same-day Eurostar train trips from continental Europe. Processing times are typically “within minutes,” but authorities advise applying at least 72 hours in advance to avoid system outages. The ETA is valid for two years or until passport expiry and allows multiple entries of up to six months each.
Failure to hold a valid ETA will invalidate otherwise confirmed flight or rail tickets, creating potential delays for assignees connecting via London hubs. Travel managers should update booking checklists and incorporate automated ETA reminders into their online booking tools.
