The UK has launched a new visa-waiver scheme for travelers from 50 nations.

The United Kingdom has expanded its visa-free entrance system, beginning Wednesday, to enable travelers from dozens of new nations, including the United States, Canada, and Australia.

The Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) system, which is similar to the ESTA program in the United States, now requires visa-exempt passengers to obtain prior authorization before entering the United Kingdom.
The scheme, which costs £10 ($12.50) and is eligible for numerous visits of up to six months each over a two-year period, was first introduced in 2023 in Qatar. It was later expanded to include five neighboring Gulf states last year.

This current phase extends eligibility to citizens of nearly 50 additional countries and territories, including Argentina, Brazil, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea, and numerous Caribbean nations. Eligible travelers have been allowed to request for an ETA since November 2023, and the requirement goes into force this week.

Designed to improve border security, the system will be expanded to include EU and European countries beginning April 2, with applications for those tourists opening on March 5. The ETA is digitally connected with the applicant's passport.

The UK government estimates that approximately six million visitors from the United States, Canada, and Australia arrive each year. Under the new requirements, all eligible travelers, including children and infants, must acquire an ETA even if they are transiting through the UK on their way to another location.

Heathrow Airport has opposed the project, claiming that it has lowered the number of transit passengers and harmed the UK's competitiveness and economic development.

The new entry rules do not apply to British or Irish nationals, passport holders from British overseas territories, or lawful residents of the United Kingdom. It also leaves visa regulations unchanged for citizens of China, Ecuador, and South Africa, who still require a visa to enter the UK.

Previously, most travelers from visa-exempt countries could enter the UK with just their passports, no need for prior authorization.

The UK's ETA system is similar to the planned European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS), which would require visa-free visitors to 30 European nations, including France and Germany, to get a travel permit. The European program, which will cost €7 ($7.40) and be valid for three years, is set to start later this year and will apply to people from approximately 60 countries, including the United States, Canada, Brazil, and the United Kingdom.