Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes, it's a visa waiver or a visa depending on your nationality and length of stay. Please don't complain because the US has been requiring this for decades!!!

I think it's all annoying and stupid. It's especially dumb for people just transiting between countries on connecting flights and I avoid those connections. Also sort of ridiculous for the UK to ask Europeans to do this. It feels like a step backwards in international travel.

You don't need it if only transiting the UK, and the EU one will be the same way, since if you are transiting the EU (say stopping in Paris on your way to the middle east), you don't enter the EU at all.

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/next-steps-for-a-more-efficient-immigration-system

And re: the bolded, the UK has been shooting themselves in the face ever since the Brexit vote, this is all tied to that.

Anonymous wrote:Yes, it's a visa waiver or a visa depending on your nationality and length of stay. Please don't complain because the US has been requiring this for decades!!!

I think it's all annoying and stupid. It's especially dumb for people just transiting between countries on connecting flights and I avoid those connections. Also sort of ridiculous for the UK to ask Europeans to do this. It feels like a step backwards in international travel.

Yes, its been in place since January. I've been twice since then with no problems - easy to apply, it cost $13 and lasts 2 years. Make sure you use the government site, not the processor sites.

I believe they changed it so you no longer need it if you are just changing planes in the UK, initially it was required even for that.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And yes it's new in 2025. The EU is doing a similar system that in theory starts in 2026.

But not needed this summer?

Nope- the ETIAS protocol was supposed to be in place this year, but because it requires new machinery at all EU airports, it hasn't been "turned on" yet.

https://travel-europe.europa.eu/etias/news-corner/revised-timeline-ees-and-etias-2025-04-14_en

It has been delayed multiple times. I'll bet it doesn't actually start until probably just before the summer 2027 season if they are currently projecting end of 2026.

Yes, it's a visa waiver or a visa depending on your nationality and length of stay. Please don't complain because the US has been requiring this for decades!!!

Anonymous wrote:And yes it's new in 2025. The EU is doing a similar system that in theory starts in 2026.

But not needed this summer?

Money grab

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes. Mine came back in under a week. You’re fine.

I got my response in ten seconds.

Many countries have this, it's a pre=arrival thing to do. That way you move faster thru immigration/customs because they already have your information. In Singapore, you fill it out, but then just walk thru and only get stopped if they cannot read your biometrics (or they have reason to flag you). It really speeds the process up--in Singapore we never had to even show our passports to enter the country, because you have uploaded everything already.

Anonymous wrote:Yes. Mine came back in under a week. You’re fine.

I got my response in ten seconds.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes. Mine came back in under a week. You’re fine.

We just had one rejected (scheduled to be a panelist at a healthcare conference)

dp.. why?

I did mine online. Was super easy and quick. It should only cost you like $20 or so (they seemed to have just raised prices).

FYI - there are a lot of "scam" websites out there that will charge $100 for it. I was super busy and did it in a hurry (flight was leaving in a few days - last minute business trip). I googled uk visa, and the clicked on the first link, which was not the UK gov link but a private company that was charging $100.

Make sure to use the UK government site.

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/apply-for-an-electronic-travel-authorisation-eta

Anonymous wrote:Yes. Mine came back in under a week. You’re fine.

We just had one rejected (scheduled to be a panelist at a healthcare conference)

Yes. Mine came back in under a week. You’re fine.

And yes it's new in 2025. The EU is doing a similar system that in theory starts in 2026.

It's not a visa. It's basically a pre-registration for your arrival. Pretty common now, Australia has had it for a long time. The US also has it, and has for over 15 years. Almost exactly the same cost.

https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/esta

This is new right?