Well, here we go again. Just when you think travel couldn’t get any more complicated, Westminster rolls out another wee gem. From February 25, 2026, if you’re planning a trip to Scotland from one of 85 countries, including places like the United States, Canada, or France, you’ll need an Electronic Travel Authorisation, an ETA, before you even set foot on the plane or ferry.
I’m talking about people who, until now, could just hop on a flight without a visa, ready to explore our bonnie land. Now, they’ll need digital approval, a kind of pre-permission slip, which costs £16 a pop. It feels like a step backward, doesn’t it, for a country that prides itself on its welcome?
Minister for Migration and Citizenship, Mike Tapp, said: “ETAs give us greater power to stop those who pose a threat from setting foot in the country and give us a fuller picture of immigration.” Fair enough, security is important, I’ll grant him that. But he also claimed: “ETAs are also better for travellers. Digitising the immigration system ensures the millions of people we welcome to the UK every year enjoy a more seamless travel experience.”
Now, I don’t know about you, but adding a mandatory, paid application process that takes up to three working days to clear, doesn’t exactly scream ‘seamless’ to me. It sounds like another hoop to jump through, another bit of bureaucracy to handle before you can even think about enjoying a dram or visiting Glasgow’s West End.
The government’s official line is “no permission, no travel.” It’s a stark phrase, isn’t it? It conjures images of turnstiles and checkpoints, rather than the open arms we usually extend to our visitors. It’s meant to be “quick and simple” using an app, but I’ve heard that before with government apps. And what about those who aren’t digitally savvy? Or those who make last-minute travel plans?
For Scotland, tourism is the lifeblood of many communities. Think of the Americans coming over for the Edinburgh Fringe, or the Canadians tracing their ancestry in the Highlands, or the French exploring the whisky trails. They’ve always been able to arrive with relative ease. Now, they’ve got homework before their holiday even begins.
This new system has been running in a grace period since October 2023, with over 13.3 million successful applications. That’s a lot of people, and it shows the scale of this change. But just because other countries, like the United States and Canada, have similar systems, doesn’t mean it’s the right fit for us, or that it won’t impact our appeal as a destination.
I worry about the message this sends. Are we truly saying “come and visit” when we’re also saying “fill out this form, pay this fee, and wait for our permission”? It feels less like a welcome and more like a vetting process for everyone, regardless of their intentions.
The cost, £16, might seem like a small amount in the grand scheme of a holiday, but it’s an extra expense that wasn’t there before. For a family of four, that’s an additional £64 before they’ve even booked a flight or considered a weekend in the Borders. Every penny counts, especially in the current climate.
And let’s not forget the parallel regulations set to affect an estimated 1.2 million dual British citizens worldwide. While British and Irish citizens are exempt, this means many with strong ties to the UK will also face new hurdles. It feels like a subtle erosion of the ease of travel for even those with a legitimate claim to a connection here.
This isn’t just about security, it’s about perception. It’s about how Scotland, as part of the UK, is seen on the global stage. Are we an open, welcoming country, or one that’s increasingly putting up barriers? I believe we should be making it easier, not harder, for people to experience the magic of our country. New Scottish Travel Rules should be about clarity, not complexity.
You can find more detailed information on the official UK government guidance on the ETA scheme here. I just hope this doesn’t make travellers think twice about coming to see us. We’ve got so much to offer, and I’d hate to see unnecessary bureaucracy dim our light.
Source: Glasgow Live
