US Couple Realize Crucial Thing They Didn't Do As Take-Off on London Flight

An American couple faced a last-minute scramble to get into the United Kingdom after realizing—just moments before boarding a flight from Portugal to London—that they were missing a newly required travel document.

The ordeal was captured in a TikTok video posted on July 4 by @mollyinbrooklyn, which has since garnered more than 583,000 views.

Text overlaid on the viral video reads: "Just two American idiots who didn't know we needed the new U.K. visa to fly into London...just applied before take-off, fingers-crossed we get approved before we go through customs!!!"

The couple, who were on their way to London to attend a Lana Del Rey concert at Wembley Stadium, had no idea they needed an electronic travel authorization (ETA) until checking in for their flight from Portugal. "We were absolutely unaware we needed a visa," the TikToker told Newsweek. "I was just in London over New Year's and it wasn't in effect then."

The incident highlights the importance of staying current on changing travel regulations—especially in a year when global tourism continues to rebound strongly. According to the United Nations World Tourism Organization, around 300 million tourists traveled internationally in the first quarter of 2025—14 million more than the same period in 2024.

The new requirement, which took effect on January 8, mandates that all United States citizens traveling to the U.K. for short stays—including tourism, family visits, and business meetings—must apply for an ETA before arrival, notes the U.S. Department of State. Applications for the ETA opened on November 27, 2024.

An ETA is not technically a visa, but it is a required clearance for most non-visa visitors from countries such as the U.S., Canada, Australia and several others. It costs £16 (approximately $21) and allows entry for up to six months for eligible activities. "An ETA does not guarantee entry to the U.K.," the U.K. government notes, and each traveler—including children—must have one.

"We realized we needed it upon checking in at the gate for our flight," the TikToker explained. "We booked this flight through our credit card, so I assume that's why we never heard anything from the airline about needing it. Luckily, the attendant at the gate let us go through and told us to just apply before take-off."

They were able to apply for the ETA using the U.K. ETA app and received approval within minutes. "It cost $21 per person and we didn't have to pay any extra fees," the wife said. "We had no issues going through customs in London."

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