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- Between March 2024 and March 2025, approximately 5.4 million ETAs were granted to visa‑exempt travellers from around the world Reddit+15GOV.UK+15Home Office Media+15Henley & Partners+4Visas News+4GOV.UK+4.
- These include non-European nationals initially covered since late 2023 and European nationals from early 2025 (ETA mandatory from April 2, 2025) GOV.UKGOV.UK.
Notable Metrics:
- UK recorded 133.4 million total arrivals in the year ending March 2025—a 7% increase from previous year GOV.UK+5GOV.UK+5Visas News+5.
- 5.4 million ETAs issued account for a substantial share of those arrivals (visitors from visa‑exempt countries) Reddit+15GOV.UK+15Visas News+15.
🧳 Other Visa & eVisa Statistics for Year Ending March 2025
- Visitor visas (traditional pre‑entry visas): ~2.2 million granted Reddit+2GOV.UK+2Reddit+2.
- Transit visas: ~17,000 granted Reddit+3GOV.UK+3News.com.au+3.
- Non‑visit visas (for work, study, family, humanitarian use): ~875,000 granted Reddit+4GOV.UK+4GOV.UK+4.
- eVisa adoption: Over 4 million people created a UKVI account to access eVisa, with an estimated 600,000 BRP/EUSS holders yet to do so as of February 27 2025 GOV.UK+3GOV.UK+3University of Liverpool+3.
📊 Quick Summary Table (Year Ending March 2025)
| Category | Completed in 2025 (by Mar 2025) |
|---|---|
| ETA approvals overall (since ETA launch) | ~5.4 million |
| Visitor visas (traditional processed) | ~2.2 million |
| Transit visas | ~17,000 |
| Other entry‑clearance visas (e.g., work, study) | ~875,000 |
| UKVI account creations for eVisa | ~4 million (≈600,000 remaining) |
📝 Why It Matters
- With ETA mandatory for Europeans from April 2, 2025, the number of ETAs will continue rising throughout 2025.
- The ETA application fee increased from £10 to £16 on April 9, 2025 Visas News+4Home Office Media+4travelobiz+4GOV.UK+5travelobiz+5GOV.UK+5Reddit+7Reddit+7Reddit+7GOV.UK+2GOV.UK+2Reddit+2GOV.UKNews.com.au+2GOV.UK+2Visas News+2.
- ETAs are digitally linked to the applicant’s passport and valid for two years or until passport expiry.
- While most applications are processed within minutes, authorities request allowing up to three working days for cases needing manual review News.com.au+5GOV.UK+5The Times+5.
✅ To Check Your Own Status
- Use GOV.UK or the UK ETA App to confirm your ETA reference and validity.
- eVisa status can be accessed through your UKVI account—make sure your account is up-to-date, especially if you hold an expired BRP or EUSS card (grace period extended to June 1, 2025)
