UK Raises Visitor Permit Fee to £16, Temporarily Exempts Transit Passengers
The Home Office announces a price hike for electronic travel authorisations while suspending fees for airside transit passengers at Heathrow and Manchester airports.
- The UK Home Office plans to increase the cost of electronic travel authorisations (ETAs) from £10 to £16, pending parliamentary approval.
- ETAs are required for non-European visitors entering the UK without a visa and will be mandatory for European travelers starting April 2, 2025.
- Transit passengers who remain airside at Heathrow and Manchester airports are temporarily exempt from the ETA requirement following industry backlash.
- Heathrow Airport had warned that the ETA policy for transit passengers could lead to a loss of millions of travelers annually, citing competitiveness concerns.
- The Home Office estimates the fee increases across travel and citizenship services will generate an additional £269 million annually, but the timeline for implementation remains unclear.
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The Independent 
The Telegraph 