“Unlocking a New Era: Navigating the Changed Travel Rules to the UK and Europe!”

New regulations for traveling to the UK

As of January 8, 2025, all U.S. residents transiting through the UK or visiting the UK for purposes such as tourism, family gatherings, business engagements, conferences, or brief studies lasting 6 months or less will need to obtain an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) before their journey.

An ETA permits multiple entries within a 2-year period. Every individual traveling, including infants and minors, must acquire an ETA. The application fee for an ETA is €10, roughly $15, and it typically takes about 15 minutes to complete. Processing times may range from 3 to 5 business days.

Prior to applying for an ETA, you will need:

· the actual passport intended for travel – not a photocopy or a digital version

· access to your email

· a credit card, debit card, Apple Pay, or Google Pay

You will also be required to upload or take photographs of the:

· passport

· individual applying

To submit your ETA application:

– download and utilize the UK ETA app from the App Store; or

– click HERE and select Continue to initiate your application; or

– click HERE to access CIBT, a reliable third-party visa provider.

For additional information concerning this policy update, please visit The U.S. Embassy & Consulates in the United Kingdom.

New regulations for traveling to Europe

Commencing in May 2025, a special travel authorization known as ETIAS, which stands for the European Travel Information and Authorization System, will be mandatory. Once the program is launched, travelers from the U.S. and other nations will need ETIAS to access 30 European nations. The cost of this document will be €7, which is approximately $7.50. Travelers under the age of 18 or above the age of 70 will not be subject to the fee. The ETIAS travel permit will be valid for a period of 3 consecutive years.

Currently, ETIAS is not operational and no applications are being accepted at this time. It is set to commence 6 months following the implementation of the new Entry/Exit System (EES). The EES is an automated technology system utilized to register non-EU citizens traveling for a short duration each time they cross the external borders of any of the following European nations using the system: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland.

For further details about this policy shift, please visit European Union ETIAS website.

To assist you in organizing and preparing for your journey, please refer to the College’s International Travel | Ithaca College page.