Esta-style visa system planned for UK visitors

Home secretary Priti Patel outlined the plans in a virtual speech but did not say how much travellers would pay.

She said: “This year, we will end the use of insecure ID cards for people to enter our country and we will apply tougher UK criminality rules.

“We are working on further reforms, including Electronic Travel Authorisations, as part of a simpler and more secure, universal permissions to travel requirement.”

She said the plan would make it easier to identify potential threats “before they reach the border”.

“Our new, fully digital border will provide the ability to count people in and count people out of the country.

“We will have a far clearer picture of who is here and whether they should be – and will act when they are not.”