Great news!!! you will not need to pay for eVisa if you only make stopover in UK
March 5 will trigger, for all Europeans heading to the UK, the need to apply for ETA, or the [...]
On March 5, the need to apply for ETAs will be triggered for all Europeans heading to the U.K., which is the electronic visa costing 10 pounds. Instead, this obligation has already been triggered for all other travelers in early January. Now, however, there is big news for all travelers, greeted with loud jubilation by UK companies: you will not need to apply for an ETA if you will only have a stopover in London or Manchester with a destination of an airport outside King Charles Island.
In this article:
It really seemed an absurd situation that passengers aboard British Airways or Virgin Atlantic, but also all the other carriers, were forced to pay the levy only because a transit was being made through the airport and without setting foot on British soil.
No ETA if you make transit to England
When the British government had announced the rules of the new ETA there was immediate heavy criticism from carriers about the unfairness of applying the levy to transit passengers as well, sure we are talking about only 10 pounds, but for a family this would still have meant a noticeable increase to the cost of the ticket, with no return.
It is not just a cost, but a procedure to be filled out and most importantly the risk of not having the ETA issued, for whatever reason, and then having to change travel plans.
"The removal of airside transit passengers from the ETA scheme is the right decision and we welcome it. This is a key move to ensure that Heathrow and the aviation industry as a whole can continue to provide services to all those who depend on our world-leading connectivity. It shows that the government is listening to the concerns of the industry and is willing to make the necessary changes to strengthen the UK's competitiveness and stimulate economic growth."
So the number 1 at Heathrow Airport who saw himself, in spite of himself, the most affected by this government decision and who can now smile again, even if the suspension at the moment is only temporary.
How the ETA works for going to the UK
All non-British citizens without a visa will be forced to apply for the ETA and pay £10, although there are rumors that a 50% may come up as early as very soon. The authorization will be valid for two years and can be applied for either from the site or from the official government app, beware that these authorizations automatically expire if you change your passport, even if they still have residual validity.
