UK ETA System Outage Causes Travel Disruptions for U.S. Visitors
Travelers to the United Kingdom are experiencing disruptions due to an ongoing outage of the electronic travel authorization (ETA) system. The technical issues have left some travelers unable to obtain the necessary authorization to board flights, trains, and ferries to the UK. Reports indicate that some applications are stuck in processing, while others encounter error messages during submission. The UK Home Office is aware of the problem and is working to resolve it. The ETA, required for visa-exempt visitors, costs £20 and is valid for two years, allowing multiple visits. Travelers are advised to apply well in advance of their departure to avoid complications.