Visitors to the UK from dozens of countries, including the United States, Canada and Australia, must now pay to enter Britain after a new visa-waiver entry system took effect today Wednesday.

The Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) scheme — similar to the ESTA system in the United States aimed at tightening border security, requires visitors who do not need a visa to enter Britain to acquire pre-travel authorisation.

Costing £10 and allowing stays of up to six months at a time over two years, it first launched in 2023, with Qatar, before being extended last year to five regional Gulf neighbours.

Now, it has been expanded to include citizens of around 50 more countries and territories, from Argentina, Brazil and New Zealand to Japan, South Korea and Caribbean nations.

The scheme will next be extended to dozens of EU and European countries and territories on April 2.

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