The Electronic Travel Authorisation forms cost 10 British pounds each and are also mandatory for overseas transfer passengers.

Starting in April, the United Kingdom will require travellers from nearly every country in the world, including Finland, to fill out an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) form in order to enter the country — or to transfer to another flight abroad.

The UK updated its guidance on the matter this week. A government website listed the countries affected by the new rules — as well as when they go into effect.

Each ETA application costs 10 British pounds and the documents are required of all affected passengers, regardless of age.

The website listed an extensive list of countries which are subject to the rules. It states that nationals from European countries, including Finland, can begin applying for ETAs from 5 March 2025, and that they will be able to travel to the UK with the documents on 2 April.

The rules will go into effect for dozens of other countries — including the US, Mexico, Brazil, Hong Kong, Australia, Japan and many more — in January of next year.

The site states that travellers from six Presian Gulf countries should already apply for ETAs now. They include Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

Paper: Could be costly for UK

The rules also apply to overseas transit passengers.

UK newspaper the Independent has reported there are concerns the new regulation could cause up to four million passengers to choose other hub airports to avoid the bureaucracy.

The newspaper said the UK’s biggest airport, London Heathrow, saw a clear decline in overseas transfer passengers since the rules started going into effect in the summer.

It said that already around 90,000 potential passengers from the first six affected countries had switched their layovers to other airports since the requirements were introduced.

The paper estimated that the ETA requirements for transit passengers could cost the UK economy between 2.5 and six billion euros in annual losses, due to airlines’ lost revenue and decreased airport shop spending.

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