Canadians won’t be able to legally enter the UK with out a journey allow beginning subsequent February, or face being denied boarding.
The British authorities says Canadian travellers might want to apply and pay for an digital journey authorization (eTA) to go to the European nation as of Feb. 25, 2026.
These eTA obligations for Canadians initially got here into place earlier this 12 months, however the U.Okay. authorities says the foundations weren’t “strictly enforced, to provide guests ample time to regulate to the brand new requirement.”
ETAs are usually not journey visas, however are for passport holders who don’t want a U.Okay. journey visa. The eTAs will permit guests to journey to the U.Okay. on a short-term foundation for as much as six months.
These digital permissions prices £16 (roughly $30 CAD), and Canadians can apply on-line or by way of the U.Okay. eTA app. Journey specialists have instructed World Information that Canadians ought to apply for an eTA by an official authorities web site to keep away from on-line scams.
“ETAs are additionally higher for travellers. Digitizing the immigration system ensures the tens of millions of individuals we welcome to the U.Okay. yearly take pleasure in a extra seamless journey expertise,” British Migration and Citizenship Minister Mike Tapp mentioned in an announcement.
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Whereas the federal government says most individuals get a choice “mechanically in minutes,” they advocate candidates permit three enterprise days for eTA purposes to be processed. However as soon as an eTA is authorised, travellers can go to the U.Okay. as many instances they need inside two years or till a passport expires.
Regardless of all of this, the U.Okay. authorities nonetheless warns that an “eTA doesn’t assure entry.”
Different international locations, together with Canada, the U.S., and the E.U., have comparable digital journey authorization schemes of their very own in place.
Totally different guidelines for twin residents
Nonetheless, these eTA guidelines don’t apply for Canadians with twin British citizenship. The U.Okay. authorities says Canadian-British twin residents might be required to have a present British passport or a “certificates of entitlement” to keep away from entry issues.
Given these necessities, the British Excessive Fee in Canada recommends twin residents with expired U.Okay. passports renew their journey paperwork as quickly as they will.
Air travellers with layovers within the U.Okay., who don’t cross by customs, will even not have to use for an eTA.
Canadian passport holders don’t want a vacationer visa for stays as much as six months within the U.Okay., however a enterprise visa or work allow or a pupil visa is required.
The U.Okay. scheme is just like the European Journey Data and Authorisation System (ETIAS), which is predicted to launch a while late subsequent 12 months.
Below the ETIAS, Canadian passport holders and different visa-exempt nationals travelling to any of those 30 European international locations for as much as 90 days have to use for a allow.
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