The UK Electronic Travel Authorisation (UK ETA), the United Kingdom’s new entry requirement for Canadians, has been in effect for 1 year now. At least… in theory! In practice, it wasn’t even being enforced yet. But the government officially announced it will be in February 2026.
I noticed this when I passed through London this summer to save on my flights (with the self-transfer trick; the most important one to know).
Checking country entry rules is very basic, because not doing so can cost you dearly. Flytrippers helps you travel for less through our 3 types of content, namely flight deals, travel rewards, and tips/inspiration/news.
Here’s the update about the UK Electronic Travel Authorisation.
What is the UK ETA?
The United Kingdom (England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland) added this requirement for Canadians in January 2025. We explained all the details in our guide to the UK Electronic Travel Authorisation (UK ETA).
An electronic travel authorization is essentially an electronic visa requirement (just a bit less complex). It needs to be done before the trip.
We remind you that this will also be required by 30+ European countries starting this year; we’ll send you all the details about the ETIAS as soon as they’re known if you join the 150,000+ savvy Canadian travelers who receive our free newsletter.
Like for pretty much all entry requirements worldwide, it’s the airlines that were supposed to enforce the UK rules. So you need to get the UK ETA before boarding your flight.
I had shared my experience applying for the UK ETA. I wrote that before my trip, so I couldn’t mention that I found it strange that the airline didn’t verify it at all.
Indeed, it’s that the UK ETA wasn’t even really being enforced yet: the UK was giving travelers the chance to fill it out once they arrived.
This grace period will end very soon.
When will the UK ETA requirement actually be enforced?
The UK government announced that the electronic travel authorization will be mandatory starting February 25, 2026.
So, airlines will require you to show it before boarding your flight. They could even require it for departures on the evening of February 24 on this side of the Atlantic (as they land on the 25th).
In my case, the approval for my UK ETA was instant, as the UK government promises for the vast majority of people.
But they also explicitly say it can take a few days, so for sure it’s not very savvy to wait until the last minute and risk not being able to board your plane.
Checking country entry rules is literally the only mandatory step for all trips.
And filling out the UK ETA is extremely simple, like pretty much all similar requirements. You just need to know how to read, and then fill out the simple form. And not fall for the so-common scam of using the non-official website, like so many travelers sadly do.
You can read all the details in our guide to the UK electronic travel authorization (UK ETA), including the step-by-step process to fill out the form.
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Summary
The British government published an update regarding its new entry requirement for Canadians, the UK electronic travel authorization (UK ETA). It’s not yet mandatory to do it before your flight, unlike requirements everywhere else. But it will become mandatory on February 25, 2026.
What would you like to know about the United Kingdom’s travel authorization update? Tell us in the comments below.
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Featured image: Edinburgh, UK (photo credit: Georgi Kalaydzhiev)
