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sGAR: UK Set to enforce ETA Scheme from 25 February 2026 |
From February 2026, visitors will not be able to travel to the UK without advance permission. Electronic Travel Authorisation strengthens border security by screening people before they set foot in the UK.
Applying is quick and simple via the UK ETA app, costs £16, and covers multiple trips.
Visitors from 85 nationalities who do not need a visa will be unable to legally travel to the UK without an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) from 25 February 2026. The full list of nationalities that can apply for an ETA, can be found here.
Enforcing will mean that everyone, (except British and Irish nationals), who wants to come to the UK must have digital permission through either an ETA or an eVisa.
Whilst ETA was being rolled out, it was not strictly enforced to give visitors ample time to adjust to the new requirement. This is the same approach other countries such as the United States and Canada took for their travel schemes.
British and Irish citizens, including dual citizens, are exempt from needing an ETA. The UK Government strongly advises dual British citizens to make sure they have a valid British passport or Certificate of Entitlement, to avoid problems when travelling to the UK from 25 February 2026.
Introduction of the ‘No Record of Valid Permission’ Message
The introduction of the ‘No Record of Valid Permission to travel’ response will be delivered in two phases, as part of a global switch-on for all UK inbound flights. This will be the 28th January 2026 for visa nationals and 25th February 2026 for non-visa nationals which is when the UK ETA will become enforced.
Introduction of the ‘System Time Out’ Message
Along with our intentions for the introduction of the ‘No Record of Valid Permission to Travel’ response for visa nationals on 28th January 2026, we will also be introducing the ‘System Time Out’ message. This response will be sent when Home Office systems are taking longer than expected to respond to a permission check request.
Next steps
We appreciate this will be a large change, and we aim to minimise any disruption to you, by providing advance notice to allow you to prepare for a smooth transition.
We will continue to keep you informed and have provided further information in our sGAR Knowledge Hub. This includes:
- An updated sGAR Information Pack
- A link to our ETA/eVisa Partner Pack
- Invitations to Online Webinars (To take place from January 2026)
What currently stays the same?
As we prepare for the upcoming changes, please continue to follow the current guidelines outlined below:
You will receive an automated ’Valid Permission to Travel’ message when the Home Office is able to confirm a valid digital permission (either an ETA or an eVisa) for a passenger. You should rely on this message as satisfactory evidence that the passenger has a valid UK immigration permission, and no further immigration checks are necessary to establish the passenger’s permission to travel. However, you should continue to check that all passengers are in possession of a valid passport, and that all documents are genuine and held by the rightful holder.
During the ETA pre-enforcement period (until 25th February 2026), non-visa nationals should not be refused carriage solely for failure to hold an ETA.
Where a ‘Valid Permission to Travel’ message is not received, the passenger may still have a valid immigration status, and you will need to perform alternative checks to satisfy themselves that the individual has a permission to travel to the UK. If you need clarification on your passenger’s immigration status, please contact the 24/7 UK Border Force Carrier Support Hub on +44 300 369 0610 or +44 204 619 6020.
For British and Irish citizens, you can expect to receive an ‘Authority to Carry Granted’ message as you do today.