Canadians travelling to the United Kingdom will now need to apply and pay for a travel permit — not a visa — before entering the country.
The U.K.’s Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA), which rolled out on Wednesday, is required for short-term visits of up to six months for all foreign travellers who do not need a visa to enter the country
The ETA will be an emailed confirmation as opposed to a visa, which is usually stamped or glued inside a passport.
The ETA costs roughly $18 and allows travellers to stay in the U.K. for a maximum of six months at a time.
It can be obtained online and permits multiple visits over a two-year period.
“ETAs are digitally linked to a traveller’s passport and ensure more robust security checks are carried out before people begin their journey to the UK, helping to prevent abuse of our immigration system,” the U.K. government states on its website.
The pre-authorization “is in line with the approach many other countries have taken to border security, including the US and Australia,” the U.K. says.
Canadian passport holders do not need a tourist visa for stays up to six months in the U.K., but a business visa or work permit or a student visa is required.
