TORONTO — VisitBritain is reminding travel advisors of an upcoming change to entry requirements that will affect Canadian travellers beginning later this month.

As of Feb. 25, 2026, nationalities – including Canadians – who do not require a visa for short stays of up to six months will be required to obtain an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) to travel to the UK. 

Under the updated rules, eligible visitors who do not have a valid ETA will be denied boarding and will not be permitted to travel to the UK. 

Dual British or Irish citizens are not eligible to apply for an ETA and instead will be required to travel to the UK with either a valid British or Irish passport, or a passport with a Certificate of Entitlement.

VisitBritain notes that while policy and operational processes related to the ETA fall under the responsibility of the UK Home Office, the organization is actively relaying questions and concerns raised by industry partners and travellers to government officials.

Travel advisors are encouraged to consult official UK government resources when advising clients, as these materials will reflect the most current information and updates related to the ETA rollout.

To apply for an ETA, go to https://www.gov.uk/eta/apply. 

To check for British citizenship, click here. For specific advice for dual citizens, click here. For individual enquiries, click here. And for all other ETA-related information, go to https://www.gov.uk/eta.