People arriving in Britain from 85 countries will from today have to obtain an electronic permit before their travel or they will be refused entry to the UK, Reuters reported, citing the British Home Office, BTA reported.
The electronic travel permit scheme requires all visitors who do not need a visa to enter Britain to buy a travel permit online for 16 British pounds ($21.57).
The system was introduced in 2023 and in April last year covered travelers from Europe, but was not strictly enforced.
From today, however, visitors to Britain will be required to have an electronic permit, to enter the country.
This means that airlines will not allow passengers on board their planes who do not have an electronic permit, electronic visa or other valid document, the British Home Office said.
British and Irish citizens, including dual nationals and those who have the right to live in the UK, are exempt from this requirement.
In October last year, the EU began introducing its long-delayed post-Brexit border security checks for British citizens entering the bloc. The UK officially left the EU in 2020.
The EU's Entry/Exit System removes the requirement to manually stamp passports at the EU's external borders and instead creates digital records.
However, passengers have complained that the introduction of the new system has caused delays at some airports, and industry leaders have expressed concerns that its full rollout over Easter could lead to widespread disruption to flight and train schedules.