Effective date, price… everything you need to know about the electronic visa which will now be mandatory for travelling to the United Kingdom

It was expected, it is now official: a visa will now be mandatory for French tourists wishing to travel to the United Kingdom.

The new measure will come into force from April 2025. An electronic visa will be mandatory for all foreign visitors wishing to travel to the United Kingdom. This electronic visa will cost 10 pounds sterling, or around a dozen euros, announces BFMTV. Minors will also need one to set foot on British soil, including babies.

While travellers from Kuwait, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Oman and Bahrain were already subject to this requirement, many other countries are now targeted from 2 April 2025, including France.

Fluider traffic

This paper, called Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA), closely resembles the American ESTA. It should be valid for two years. With this one, several trips will be authorized, but with a maximum duration of six months.

One of the main purposes of this document is to make entries into the country more fluid because, thanks to it, the traveler will not have to show a passport at the border. This visa is also a guarantee of security because it includes, among other things, the personal and biometric data of travelers, such as fingerprints.