From 25 February 2026, the UK will fully enforce its Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) requirement for visitors from 85 visa-free nationalities, including the United States, Canada and France. This UK Home Office initiative is a key part of modernising the immigration system and moving towards a digital, contactless UK border, with airlines and carriers required to confirm that travellers have permission to travel before departure.

The Government of Bermuda is pleased to confirm that British Overseas Territories Citizens (BOTCs) are exempt from the ETA requirement, in the same way as British Citizens. Bermudians travelling to the UK may continue to do so without an ETA, provided they travel using either a BOTC passport or a British Citizen passport, as is currently the case.

The ETA scheme was launched in October 2023 and is being implemented in phases on a nationality-by-nationality basis to ensure systems operate effectively. To date, more than 13.3 million travellers have successfully used the ETA, benefiting from faster and smoother journeys, including for those transiting through UK passport control. The scheme applies to travellers who do not require a visa for short stays and who do not already hold a valid UK immigration status.

To support enforcement, the UK Home Office is working closely with airlines to share Advance Passenger Information (API), allowing carriers to receive confirmation that a traveler has permission to travel. As the UK does not maintain a central register of BOTCs, confirmation for BOTC passport holders will be carried out on a case-by-case basis, rather than automatically.

For travellers who do require an ETA, applications are made through the official UK ETA app at a cost of £16, with most decisions issued within minutes (though travellers are advised to allow up to three working days).

Under existing UK law, BOTCs who are not British Citizens, or who cannot present evidence of British citizenship, remain subject to UK immigration control when seeking to live, work or study in the UK. BOTCs looking to live, wok, or study in the UK should hold a British passport to avoid delays or travel disruption.

More information can be found by accessing the following link: https://www.gov.uk/eta/when-not-need-eta