This article covers the key facts air carriers need to know about the UK ETA at the start of 2025.
Carrier obligations vs passenger obligations
The UK’s Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) is part of a broader scheme called Universal Permission to Travel. The scheme places some obligations on passengers and carriers, at different stages of the process.
| PASSENGER |
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Passengers must apply for ETA themselves. ETA can be used for:
In other cases, a visa may be required instead. The application costs £10. The decision is usually issued within 3 working days. ETA is valid for 2 years (unless the passport expires earlier). NOTE: ETA does not guarantee entry to the UK. Passengers are still subject to border control at arrival. Online application: https://apply-for-an-eta.homeoffice.gov.uk/how-to-apply UK ETA mobile app: |
| CARRIER |
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Carriers must check if their passenger has a valid permission to travel. This involves:
Carriers have to submit passenger data to the UK more than 2 hours before the flight. Based on the PAX status returned automatically by the UK system, the carrier:
NOTE: Carriers must still check passengers' identity and travel documents prior to boarding. The new ETA checks do not affect this procedure. |
Which nationalities need the UK ETA
The UK ETA is being rolled out in stages. Below are some drop-down lists of nationals for whom carriers must check the ETA status, now and in the upcoming months:
NOW: most Gulf nationals
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Bahrain
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Kuwait
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Oman
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Qatar
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Saudi Arabia
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United Arab Emirates
From 8 January 2025: all eligible non-European travellers
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Antigua and Barbuda
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Argentina
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Australia
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The Bahamas
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Barbados
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Belize
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Botswana
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Brazil
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Brunei
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Canada
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Chile
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Costa Rica
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Grenada
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Guatemala
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Guyana
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Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (including British national overseas)
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Israel
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Japan
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Kiribati
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Macao Special Administrative Region
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Malaysia
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Maldives
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Marshall Islands
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Mauritius
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Mexico
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Federated States of Micronesia
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Nauru
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New Zealand
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Nicaragua
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Palau
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Panama
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Papua New Guinea
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Paraguay
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Peru
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Samoa
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Seychelles
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Singapore
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Solomon Islands
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South Korea
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St Kitts and Nevis
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St Lucia
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St Vincent and the Grenadines
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Taiwan (if they have a passport issued by Taiwan that includes in it the number of the identification card issued by the competent authority in Taiwan)
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Tonga
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Trinidad and Tobago
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Tuvalu
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United States
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Uruguay
From 2 April 2025: all eligible European travellers
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Andorra
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Austria
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Belgium
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Bulgaria
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Croatia
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Cyprus
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Czechia
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Denmark
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Estonia
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Finland
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France
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Germany
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Greece
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Hungary
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Iceland
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Italy
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Latvia
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Liechtenstein
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Lithuania
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Luxembourg
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Malta
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Monaco
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Netherlands
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Norway
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Poland
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Portugal
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Romania
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San Marino
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Slovakia
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Slovenia
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Spain
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Sweden
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Switzerland
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Vatican City
(*) Exempt from ETA
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British or Irish passport holders
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Individuals with permission to live, work, or study in the UK
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People with a visa to enter the UK (check who requires a visa)
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Diplomats
Non-Irish citizens living in Ireland are exempt only if they meet all three conditions below:
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They are legally resident in Ireland;
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They do not need a visa to enter the UK;
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AND they enter the UK via the Common Travel Area.
Automated UK checks for carriers with PnrGo
PnrGo has developed a solution that automates the digital travel permission checks for air carriers. Our system is connected directly to the new Home Office system and submits passenger data on the carrier's behalf. The required data can be extracted directly from a flight management system or obtained through a semi-automated XLS integration. The passenger status (issued by the UK system) is transferred back to the FMS or delivered to the user’s mailbox. It can also be checked via the PnrGo platform.
If the carrier updates or enters data less than 2 hours before departure, PnrGo handles any required resubmissions. The user is also alerted that the flight should be delayed according to official government guidelines.
This service simplifies compliance with the new obligations imposed on air carriers by the UK.
If you are interested in switching from the manual ETA checks to automated PAX validation, feel free to schedule a call with our team.
