The United Kingdom changes the entry rules of tourists, adopting the obligation of a travel authorization to land in the country, a sort of point of view that will cost about 12 euros, and which will be mandatory for everyone, also the Europeans and therefore the Italians. Starting from April 2 from now on, to travel to Great Britain, it will be necessary to apply for the Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA), an electronic travel authorization similar to that adopted by the United States of America. This is just one of the many effects of Brexit.
Starting from April 2nd
The British Embassy has launched a public campaign to inform as many citizens as possible about this new requirement, underlining that from today (March 5) it is already possible to apply.
🇮🇹✈️🇬🇧 New rules for traveling in the United Kingdom from next April 2: Italian citizens who are not resident here and intend to visit the country for short stays will have to request the age before leaving.
🔗 https://t.co/Gtyo5cp3hx pic.twitter.com/63Gibutsha– Italy in London (@italyinldn) Febration 12, 2025
As the spokesman Pierluigi Puglia pointed out, “we want as many citizens as possible to be aware of this important novelty, which is why we launch a multi -channel information campaign today. The hope is that no one should be in the situation of traveling to the United Kingdom without the necessary electronic authorization starting next April 2”. The risk is to be postponed back.
The age is “in line with the approach adopted by many other countries for the safety of borders, including the United States and Australia” and has the aim of “helping to prevent the arrival of subjects that represent a threat to the United Kingdom”, added Puglia, recalling the information spread by the home office in London.
How the age is required
As the British embassy explains, the age is a permit to travel in digital format. It is not a visa, but authorizes a person to enter the United Kingdom. The age at the moment costs 10 pounds (about 12 euros) and allows you to go several times in the United Kingdom for stays up to six consecutive months, over two years or until the expiry of the owner’s passport, depending on which of these two conditions it occurred first.
Requesting an age is simple but visitors will have to request it in advance (here all the practical information). The easiest way to request it is through the “UK ETA app” application, which can be downloaded from Google Play or Apple App Store. If you don’t have access to a smartphone, you can request it online. Most applicants should get an automatic response in a few minutes. Visitors will still have to request in advance, so it is advisable to predict an wait of three days.
To request an age, it is necessary: pay a rate, provide your contact details and passport data, provide a valid photograph and answer a series of questions. If the request is refused, the interested party will not be able to appeal, and if he still wants to obtain permission to travel in the United Kingdom, he will have to request a visa.
