Full Analysis Summary
UK ETA requirement
From 25 February 2026 the UK made its Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) mandatory for travellers from 85 visa‑exempt countries.
The change extended pre‑travel digital screening to millions and requires a valid ETA or appropriate visa before departure.
The measure, first introduced in October 2023 and now strictly enforced after a grace period, applies to visitors from countries including the US, Canada, Australia and many EU states, and carriers are legally required to verify ETAs and may refuse boarding when no ETA is found.
Coverage Differences
Emphasis
Some outlets emphasise the enforcement and carrier responsibility (legal requirement to refuse boarding), while others foreground the scope of affected countries and the end of the grace period.
Tone
Some sources present the rollout mainly as administrative and security-focused, whereas others stress practical disruption and confusion for travellers.
ETA application overview
The ETA is a digital permission linked to a traveller’s passport rather than a visa.
Approved ETAs are valid for up to two years, or until the passport expires, and allow multiple short stays of up to six months.
Applicants submit passport details, a digital photo and security and eligibility answers via the official app or GOV.UK.
Most decisions are automated and issued within minutes, though the government advises applying at least three business days before departure in case manual checks are needed.
Coverage Differences
Definition
Some outlets explicitly state the ETA is 'not a visa' and strictly describe its technical limits, while others focus on practical application steps and advice for travellers.
Practical guidance
Some sources emphasise the official channels and warnings against third‑party services and recommend applying several days ahead.
ETA rollout complications
The rollout has produced notable complications for dual nationals and long‑term residents.
People holding both a UK and another passport cannot use the ETA on their non‑British passport and must either present a British passport or obtain a digital Certificate of Entitlement.
Neither option is issued automatically and both can be costly and time‑consuming to secure.
Reports detail costs of roughly £100 for an adult British passport and £589 for the certificate.
The reports warn that the timing can leave people caught short if they are abroad when the mandatory system begins.
Coverage Differences
Impact focus
EasternEye and Travel And Tour World emphasise practical and financial burdens on dual nationals and the risk of denied boarding, while other outlets note confusion but focus on the policy's security rationale.
Policy vs consequence
Some sources foreground the government's stated aims (security and efficiency) while others prioritise reporting the real‑world consequences for diaspora communities.
ETA enforcement and appeals
Enforcement and appeal mechanics vary in how they are reported.
Carriers are described as legally obliged to check permission to travel and to refuse boarding without an ETA.
Transit passengers who pass through UK border control are said to need an ETA.
At least one outlet notes there is no appeal if an ETA is refused and that applicants must seek a visa instead.
Coverage Differences
Enforcement details
Travel And Tour World and privatetherapyclinics emphasise carriers' legal obligations and refused‑boarding risk, while Evrim Ağacı and SSBCrack outline transit rules and exemptions; EasternEye uniquely reports there is no appeal after refusal.
Exemptions
Multiple sources list exemptions (British/Irish citizens, settled‑status holders, some transit cases), but the exact groups and examples vary by outlet.
Travel advice and reactions
Coverage combines caution with practical travel tips.
Diaspora communities and long-term residents are reported as anxious or confused.
Outlets offering guidance warn travellers to use only the official portal or app.
They advise applying well before departure.
Guidance says to expect a fee currently set at £16, with the government signalling a possible rise to £20.
Coverage Differences
Reaction tone
EasternEye and crispng highlight confusion and hardship among diaspora/dual nationals, while Travel And Tour World and Evrim Ağacı deliver practical guidance and frame the scheme as modernisation aligned with international equivalents.
Guidance detail
Some outlets emphasise avoiding third‑party sites and matching passport details; others focus more on the socio‑economic impacts of the change.