I recall back a few years when I tired to do a tour at Buckingham Palace, I had a free morning, I was triple searched. Afterall I am Irish, by ancestry, and also by citizenship. Now as the NY Times notes, besides your passport you need a new approval. Specifically:
Travelers from the United States, Canada and dozens of other countries who do not require visas to enter the United Kingdom will soon need to apply for digital authorization in order to visit or transit through the country. The electronic travel authorization, called ETA and linked to a traveler’s passport, costs 10 pounds, or around $13, and lasts two years. The requirement was introduced about a year ago for nationals of Qatar, Saudi Arabia and four other Gulf nations and will extend to more than 40 visa-exempt countries starting Jan. 8. It will eventually apply to all visa-exempt travelers wishing to visit the United Kingdom, including those from the European Union.
Many times I transited London. I really never liked the UK, and I suspect I would dislike it even more today. But this added issue makes it unbearable. I ended up transiting via Frankfurt, the Germans are more efficient and much less abusive, if one can image such. Paris is great but transit is tough. Copenhagen is nice but small.
One wonders why they did this. In the US I could see, we have already too many rules and Government employees. Perhaps it may get a bit better.
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