One of the perks of being a US citizen is that you often don’t require visas to visit countries. The process of getting a visa is both complicated and expensive and can take super long to arrive. Ain’t nobody got time for that.
At present, those with American citizenship can visit the United Kingdom without a visa for a period of 6 months. But a new policy being rolled out by the UK may soon make that a bit trickier.
Great Britain plans to fully digitalize its borders by 2025 and is rolling out an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) system that will require all non-visa foreign visitors (including those from the United States) to apply online in advance of coming.
“Our number one priority is the security of the UK border and by launching ETAs we can ensure that everyone wishing to travel to the UK has permission to do so in advance of travel and refuse those who pose a threat,” stated the UK’s Home Secretary, Priti Patel.
So what can potential visitors expect?
Travelers will have to provide personal details, passport information, and security information in order to apply, and can expect a response within 48-72 hours. It has not yet been confirmed how much the process will cost.
The ETA is set to go into effect later this year.