What changed at the UK border in 2026
Three changes landed in 2026: the ETA became mandatory to board on 25 February, eGates opened to children aged 8 and 9 from 8 July, and physical immigration documents were replaced by eVisas.
25 February 2026 — no permission, no boarding
The Home Office made the ETA a condition of boarding, not merely of entry. From that date airlines are required to stop passengers who hold neither an ETA, an eVisa, nor other valid permission. Eighty-five nationalities are covered, including the United States, Canada and France.
The practical change is where you get stopped. Before, a missing authorisation was a problem at the UK border. Now it is a problem at the check-in desk in your own country, with your luggage still at your feet and no refund from the airline.
A dated fee, and why it matters. The Home Office announcement of 24 February 2026 states that an ETA costs £16. That was correct when it was published. The fee is now £20, and GOV.UK's own ETA guidance says so today. News articles are not updated when a fee moves, and a great many pages still quote £16 — or £10, which was the launch price. Check the fee on the day you apply, not in the coverage.
8 July 2026 — eGates for children aged 8 and 9
Access to UK eGates was extended to children aged 8 and 9 who are at least 120cm tall and travelling with an adult. The Home Office put the number affected at roughly 1.5 million children a year, across more than 290 eGates at UK ports and at juxtaposed controls in Europe.
Before this, a family with an eight-year-old had to queue at a staffed desk even though the adults could have used the gates. That is the queue this removes.
Physical documents are gone: the eVisa
An eVisa is the digital record of your immigration status and its conditions — whether you may work or study, and until when. It has replaced physical immigration documents. Accessing it requires a free UKVI account, and you must add your passport details to that account before you travel.
There is no fee to set up a UKVI account or to view your eVisa. Anyone charging you for either is selling you something you can get for nothing.
What none of this changes
An ETA still does not guarantee entry — a Border Force officer makes that decision at the border. It still covers stays of up to six months. British and Irish citizens still cannot get one and do not need one.
Checked against the official sources below on 3 September 2026.