Global citizens will not be allowed to enter the UK unless they follow the new travel regulations. The UK has introduced new travel regulations that will affect thousands of global travellers as well as citizens from visa-exempt countries, including British dual nationals. From 25 February 2026, visitors without an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) will not be able to board their transport and will not be permitted to travel to the UK, unless they are exempt.
An ETA is a digital permission to travel – it is not a visa or a tax, and does not permit entry into the UK – it authorises a person to travel to the UK.
ETA is now a fundamental part of travel, including for visitors who take connecting flights and go through UK passport control. Everyone who wants to come to the UK must have digital permission through either an ETA or an eVisa. Carriers will be checking people before they travel.
Eligible visitors who take connecting flights (transiting) and go through UK passport control need an ETA. Those transiting through Heathrow and Manchester airports who do not go through UK passport control do not currently need an ETA.
As per the Home Office February update, British and Irish citizens do not need an ETA, including dual citizens. Dual British citizens are exempt from needing an ETA, but from 25 February 2026, are expected to present either a valid British passport or Certificate of Entitlement when travelling to the UK.
From 25 February, British dual nationals will no longer be allowed to enter the UK using only a foreign passport. To board a plane, they will need a valid British passport or a ’Certificate of Entitlement’, costing £589.
Visitors from 85 countries, including the United States, Canada, and France, who do not require a visa, will be unable to legally enter the UK without an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) beginning February 25, 2026. British and Irish citizens, including dual citizens, are exempt from needing an ETA.
The UK government strongly advises dual British citizens to make sure they have a valid British passport or certificate of entitlement, to avoid problems like being denied boarding when travelling to the UK starting 25 February 2026. The Home Office says airlines can accept expired UK passports at their own discretion, but there’s no legal guarantee you won’t be turned away at the airport gate.
ETA February Update
If you are making a new application for permission to come to the UK on or after 25 February 2026, you may not get a visa sticker if you make a successful application for a visit visa or some other visa type on or after 25 February 2026. Instead, you will need to access your eVisa through your UKVI account to see the permission you have been granted before you travel to the UK.
From 12 January, most people who were granted a visit visa, and some other visa types, are being told that they will get an eVisa as well as a visa sticker. Most people with a valid UK visa sticker that was issued before 12 January will also be able to access their eVisa through their UKVI account.
Later in 2026, UKVI will stop issuing visa stickers. All successful applicants will only get an eVisa. International students and foreign workers entering the UK are already experiencing a change in the visa application procedure. Since July 15, the UK has introduced eVisas for student and skilled worker categories. In the new process, one will not receive a vignette when they apply for a work or study visa. eVisas allow applicants to submit biometrics and collect their passports on the same day, eliminating the need to return to the Visa Application Centre.
From 25 February 2026, visitors to the UK who need a visa will get an eVisa only. Once you have received your visa decision, create your UKVI account, view your eVisa and check the details whether they are correct or not. Applying for an ETA is quick and simple through the official UK ETA app.
An ETA currently costs £16 and permits multiple journeys to the UK for stays of up to six months at a time over two years or until the holder’s passport expires – whichever is sooner. Once granted, ETAs are digitally linked to a traveller’s passport and allow for stays of up to six months at a time – including both short trips and more extended stays.