I think the British Government just scammed me. Well, wait—that’s a bit harsh. It’ll make sense in a minute.
Applying for a UK ETA
Since we’re planning a trip where we’ll be entering the United Kingdom, as U.S. passport holders who don’t need a visa, we now have to apply for an ETA (Electronic Travel Authorisation).
I downloaded the official UK ETA app to my phone and went to apply for both of us. The fee is £16 to apply online or through the app. Just FYI, there are no refunds after you apply, and the ETA is good for 2 years or until you get a new passport.
Paying in U.S. Dollars?
When I reached the payment screen, I assumed I’d be charged in GBP, so I used a card with no foreign transaction fees. But when I went to pay, the app told me that since I was in the United States, I needed to pay $22.39 USD.
That’s exactly what showed up on both of the cards I tested—one payment with my Chase Sapphire Preferred, the other with my Capital One Venture X. I wanted to see how the charge would be categorized.
Since it was coded as a government fee, I didn’t get any bonus travel points on the Sapphire. But I did get 2X with the Venture X, so that’s the better card for this charge if you’re keeping track.
But What About the Exchange Rate?
As of today, £16 equals around $22.00 USD.
However, $22.39 is equivalent to approximately £16.28 at today’s exchange rate, according to XE.com.
So did the British Government sneak in a Dynamic Currency Conversion fee? There was no option to pay in GBP, and since I was applying for an official government document, I wasn’t about to use a VPN and lie about my location, especially to save 39 cents.
And it doesn’t look like either charge showed up as being from outside the country. This payment method might actually be better for people who would otherwise incur an international transaction fee on their credit card. So I’m not mad about it.
Final Thought
I guess compared to the ridiculous fees I’m already paying to fly out of London, this is small potatoes. However, it was still a little odd that the only option to pay for my UK ETA was in U.S. dollars, at a rate that slightly inflated the price.
Want to comment on this post? Great! Read this first to help ensure it gets approved.
Want to sponsor a post, write something for Your Mileage May Vary, or put ads on our site? Click here for more info.
Like this post? Please share it! We have plenty more just like it and would love it if you decided to hang around and sign up to get emailed notifications of when we post.
Whether you’ve read our articles before or this is the first time you’re stopping by, we’re really glad you’re here and hope you come back to visit again!
This post first appeared on Your Mileage May Vary
Join our mailing list to receive the latest news and updates from our team.