A digital permit will now cost £6 more for visitors to the UK. The Home Office announced plans to increase the existing £10 maximum cost of an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) to £16.

The change's implementing legislation was presented to Parliament on Thursday and is pending approval.

This is expected to earn an extra £269 million annually when combined with price increases for other immigration and nationality products and services, such as sponsorship and naturalisation as a British citizen.

When price increases might be introduced is unknown.

The Home Office also announced it has agreed for transit passengers who remain airside to be exempt from the ETA scheme.

Heathrow and Manchester airports are the only locations in the UK which offer a transit facility.

The Home Office described the change as a “temporary exemption” and said it will “be kept under review”.

Heathrow previously claimed the fee for transit passengers was “devastating for our hub competitiveness”.

Following the announcement of the exemption, Heathrow chief executive Thomas Woldbye said: “The removal of airside transit passengers from the ETA scheme is the right decision and we welcome it.

“This is a critical move to ensure Heathrow and the aviation industry as a whole can continue to deliver for everyone who depends on our world-leading connectivity.

“It shows that the Government is listening to industry concerns and is willing to make the necessary changes to strengthen the UK’s competitiveness and drive economic growth.”

The ETA system was first introduced in November 2023.

An ETA – which is a digital permission to travel – is currently required for all non-Europeans entering the UK without legal residence rights or a visa.

They will become a requirement for Europeans from April 2

Applications for an ETA can be made through the UK ETA app or the gov.uk website.

ETAs are digitally linked to a traveller’s passport.

The Home Office says they ensure “more robust security checks are carried out before people begin their journey to the UK”, which helps prevent “abuse of our immigration system”.

Each ETA permits multiple journeys to the UK for stays of up to six months at a time over two years, or until the holder’s passport expires if that is sooner.