Australians hoping to travel to popular destinations such as London and Edinburgh will be forced to fork out under a new visa scheme.
For years, Australians have been able to enter the United Kingdom without pre-applying for a visa and instead receiving one on arrival.
That scheme, which benefited countless Australians travelling to the UK every year, will now be scrapped in favour of an electronic pass.
Travellers from more than 50 countries will soon be expected to apply for an Electronic Travel Authorisation before travelling to the UK.
The pass – which is progressively being rolled out – will apply to all travellers, even those transiting through the UK, the ETA website states.
“The visa waiver is expected to allow travellers to spend a maximum of six months in the UK and visit any part of the country,” the site said.
“It will permit visitors to experience the UK’s cultural heritage, visit family, or to spend time in Britain for a number of other purposes.”
The ETA will also come at a cost of cost £10 – which is about $18, and will allow for multiple visits to the UK in a two-year period.
According to the ETA website, travellers can expect to receive a reply about their pass from the UK government within three days.
The date it will apply to Australians is yet to be announced.
The final list of countries impacted by the new scheme is not known, but is expected to include countries such as the US, Japan, and Spain.
The official UK guidance as of June 6 states residents of Qatar will be first to have to apply for an ETA pass from November 15.
The other Gulf states, including UK trade partners Saudi Arabia and the UAE, will follow suit beginning February 2024.
The UK government hopes the rules will allow it to better screen people arriving in the UK, and comes after rules were overhauled post-Brexit.
Featuring security and personal questions, the pass is similar to the USA’s ESTA scheme and the upcoming EU ETIAS visa waiver scheme.