In an ironic twist of fate, Australians entering the UK will now need to pay £10 ($20) upon entry, following a change in travel conditions.
The UK ETA (Electronic Travel Authorisation) will come into effect on the 8th of January. Simply put, the ETA is the UK’s answer to America’s ESTA. Australians entering the UK will now need to pay a £10 visa waiver fee. Up until now, Australians could enjoy 3 months of visa-free travel in the UK.
The £10 fee will make some Australians chuckle, as it is the same amount many first-generation immigrants had to pay to move to Australia after WWII. Launched in 1945, the Assisted Passage Migration Scheme allowed British migrants a reduced passage fee of £10 to Australia, in exchange for staying in the country for at least two years.
Australian citizens can now register for a UK ETA. Along with the ETA, Aussies will also need to apply for the ETIAS (European Travel Information and Authorisation System) visa waiver to enter Europe in early 2025.
The ETA will be approved within 72 hours of application; however, travellers are advised to apply well before their intended date of departure.
Natalie Ball, managing director for Comparetravelinsurance.com.au, warned that Aussies could be denied access to the UK if they don’t have an ETA.
“By January 8th, 2025, travellers to or through the UK will need an ETA. ETIAS, on the other hand, is still waiting for its official debut but will also launch in 2025. While there may be a grace period, Aussies without the necessary travel permits risk being denied boarding or entry.”
“Airlines typically won’t refund or credit you if you neglected to get the right travel documents,” Ball cautioned. “Make sure your visas are sorted and double-check your passport’s validity before packing your bags!”
Ball says that when it comes to travel insurance, cover usually applies to unforeseen and unpredictable scenarios, not those which you could have reasonably avoided.
“Travel insurance exists to cover you for unforeseen issues, for instance, if you miss your flight due to bad weather for instance, or you are ill and unable to travel. However, if you fail to secure an ETA, or any required paperwork or documentation for your trip, you would be likely not be covered.”
The UK is a very popular destination for Australians. Data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics,showed that the UK was the third most popular destination residents were returning from in September. It followed Indonesia and New Zealand.
Australians can obtain an ETA using the UK ETA app or by going online.
Feature image: Using img2go
