All European nationals need an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) to enter the UK as of Wednesday, April 2, 2025, however many tourists are falling victims of an online scam when trying to apply

As of Wednesday, April 2 2025, all European nationals are required to have an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) to enter the UK for tourism, business, or study purposes for up to six months.

An ETA is a digital permission that authorises travel to the UK. It’s not a visa and doesn’t grant the right to live in the UK, but it does allow a person to travel to the UK for a limited period.

While ETAs aren’t new, European nationals have previously been able to enter the UK without needing one or a visa. The implementation of ETAs aims to bolster border security by helping to prevent those who pose a threat to the UK from entering.

Currently, an ETA costs £10 per traveller and allows multiple trips to the UK for stays of up to six months at a time over two years or until the passport of the holder expires – whichever comes first. However, the price will increase to £16 from April 9.

To apply for an ETA, travellers can either download the official app or visit the UK government website to begin the process. But it hasn’t been as straightforward as it should be.

Several individuals have taken to social media platforms like Facebook to caution others after being scammed out of hundreds of pounds for mistakenly using the wrong website.

Australian traveller Michelle Jones issued a warning to fellow globetrotters in a Facebook travel group after a close call with a scam involving the new UK ETA. She recounted her experience: “If visiting the UK as part of your European holiday be very careful as I just got scammed by the new UK ETA. Luckily the bank stopped it, but I filled in the form with a photo of my passport.”

She detailed the incident further: “When I went to pay it said $20.66 but they tried to take $132 out of my account. Unfortunately for me I tried to pay with my credit card and debit card. Both cards need replacing 1.5 weeks before we leave. You can’t trust anything anymore.”

Another victim, Laura De Marco, also shared her husband’s misfortune in Rick Steve’s Europe Group on Facebook: “Can someone help me with an ETA for UK. Looks like my husband has been scammed he paid 140$ for it. Others say it’s only $20 Aust.”

Commenters were swift to advise that the most reliable way to avoid scams is to ensure usage of the official “gov.uk” website or to download the UK ETA app directly onto one’s phone or tablet.

One commenter pointed out: “There are private companies that will do this for you. Most are probably legit, but they are for-profit businesses, so you’ll pay more. Always try to go through the country’s official mobile App or official government website, whenever possible.”

Lorena McCracken Hiep added to the cautionary tales by posting in the same travel group, demonstrating how a ‘scam’ website appeared at the top of Google search results when looking for the ETA application form.

She warned: “If you google ‘UK ETA’, iVisa comes up first. It is a scam. Only use the gov.uk website, which will direct you to the correct app.”

The Home Office advises that the simplest route to obtain an ETA is via the ‘UK ETA app’, available at no cost from Google Play or the Apple App Store. Alternatively, applications can be made through a computer on GOV.UK. Results typically arrive within hours, but applicants are recommended to allow up to three working days for their application to be processed.