U.K. to begin enforcing new travel scheme that will impact Canadian visitors

People line up before entering the security zone at Pearson International Airport in Toronto on Friday, Aug. 5, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette

The U.K. will soon start enforcing an electronic travel scheme it rolled out last year, which requires Canadian visitors to obtain digital authorization prior to entering the country.

As of Feb. 25, 2026, travellers to Britain from 85 countries including Canada, the U.S. and France will no longer be able to legally enter the U.K. without an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA), the British government said in a Monday press release.

“This is a significant step towards digitising the immigration system and paves the way for a contactless U.K. border in the future,” it read.

“Enforcing will mean that everyone who wants to come to the U.K. must have digital permission through either an ETA or an eVisa. Carriers will be checking people before they travel.”

ETAs are required for people who do not need a visa to visit the U.K. and are valid for two years from the date of approval. Travellers using an ETA can enter the U.K. as many times as they’d like during that span and can remain in the country for up to six months at a time.

The system was first rolled out for Canadians in January of this year, but it has not been strictly enforced to allow travellers time to adjust to the new requirements, according to the release.

Each ETA costs £16, or roughly C$30, and can be applied for and purchased online or through a dedicated ETA app.

The release noted that those with British or Irish dual citizenship are exempt from ETA requirements, but dual citizens are strongly advised to ensure their British or Irish passports and travel documents are up to date in order to avoid issues like being denied boarding as of Feb. 25.

“ETAs give us greater power to stop those who pose a threat from setting foot in the country and gives us a fuller picture of immigration,” Britain’s Minister for Migration and Citizenship Mike Tapp said in the release.

“ETAs are also better for travellers. Digitising the immigration system ensures the millions of people we welcome to the U.K. every year enjoy a more seamless travel experience.”