The UK Home Office has moved the Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) programme from pilot to full enforcement. From 25 February 2026, nationals of 85 visa-waiver countries must hold an approved ETA before boarding any carrier bound for the UK. British and Irish citizens remain exempt, but dual nationals must travel on a British passport or hold a digital Certificate of Entitlement, which is being rolled out from 26 February and replaces the previous paper vignette. (whatson.ae)
The £16 permission—valid for multiple trips over two years—mirrors the US ESTA and Canada’s eTA schemes. Airlines face fines for carrying non-compliant passengers, so check-in systems have been updated to verify ETA status. Business travellers transiting through UK airports as part of onward journeys will also need an ETA if they pass border control.
![UK ETA now mandatory—digital certificates replace paper proof from 26 February]()
For Ireland-based corporates, the change affects non-EU assignees who frequently hop across the Irish Sea for meetings. Mobility teams should audit travel patterns and ensure staff with third-country passports download the ETA app and apply at least 72 hours before departure.
VisaHQ can streamline this transition: through our Ireland portal (https://www.visahq.com/ireland/) employers can outsource ETA submissions, monitor approval status in real time, and bundle UK authorisations with visa requirements for onward destinations—saving mobility teams time and reducing the risk of last-minute travel snags.
Travel consultants report five-minute average approval times but recommend a buffer while the system scales. Carriers expect some initial disruption similar to the 2021 launch of France’s vaccine pass. HR should also brief dual British-Irish citizens that a British passport (or new digital certificate) is now the only acceptable document—presentation of an Irish passport alone could lead to denied boarding. (whatson.ae)
The £16 permission—valid for multiple trips over two years—mirrors the US ESTA and Canada’s eTA schemes. Airlines face fines for carrying non-compliant passengers, so check-in systems have been updated to verify ETA status. Business travellers transiting through UK airports as part of onward journeys will also need an ETA if they pass border control.
For Ireland-based corporates, the change affects non-EU assignees who frequently hop across the Irish Sea for meetings. Mobility teams should audit travel patterns and ensure staff with third-country passports download the ETA app and apply at least 72 hours before departure.
VisaHQ can streamline this transition: through our Ireland portal (https://www.visahq.com/ireland/) employers can outsource ETA submissions, monitor approval status in real time, and bundle UK authorisations with visa requirements for onward destinations—saving mobility teams time and reducing the risk of last-minute travel snags.
Travel consultants report five-minute average approval times but recommend a buffer while the system scales. Carriers expect some initial disruption similar to the 2021 launch of France’s vaccine pass. HR should also brief dual British-Irish citizens that a British passport (or new digital certificate) is now the only acceptable document—presentation of an Irish passport alone could lead to denied boarding. (whatson.ae)
