Planning to travel in 2025? Here's your guide to every new travel requirement Aussies need to know

If you're booking a holiday, business trip, or seeing overseas family in 2025, there are a slew of new requirements for Aussie travellers that came into effect recently that might affect you.Read on to find out about the new UK visa requirements, changes to travel in China and South Korea, tourist fees and more.READ MORE: I did a weekend getaway in an off-grid tiny house - here's what it was likeHigher fees at popular Japanese siteOne of the most popular sites in Japan is charging travellers more in 2025 to help combat overtourism numbers.Local officials have announced there will be a fee of ¥4,000 (around $43) to hike the iconic mountain during this year's climbing season, scheduled from July to September, The Japan Times reports.This is an increase from last year's fee of ¥2,000 ($21) and applies not only to the Yoshida Trail in Yamanashi prefecture, but also all three of Shizuoka prefecture's trails, which were previously free.New UK visaIn 2023, the United Kingdom saw 1.2 million visits from Australians, making it one of the top travel destinations for Aussies in the past few years.However, starting from January 8, 2025, Australian citizens - along with other eligible citizens from non-European countries - will require an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) to visit England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland.This applies for tourism, business, and family visits, as well as transits through the UK.READ MORE: Qantas narrowly misses top spot as 'world's safest' airlines for 2025 announcedAn ETA costs £10 per application, or around $20 AUD, permits multiple journeys, and is valid for two years or until the holder's passport expires - whichever is sooner.This visa allows you to visit the UK for up to six months - if you do intend to stay for that long, there's no longer any need to apply for the old six-month visa.You can check when to get your ETA on the UK government's website.Those who are EU, EEA, and Swiss nationals are not required to get an ETA, and more information on your travel requirements can be found here.China visa extendedAustralian passport holders are now permitted to visit China for business, tourism, family visits, transit, and exchange purposes for 30 days visa-free, a trial introduced on November 30, 2024 that will run through to the end of 2025.This change only applies to mainland China, where the visa was previously in place. Speak to a travel professional if you intend to visit for longer than 30 days, as it may be difficult to acquire a permit to stay.READ MORE: Why sailing from New York City beats Sydney HarbourSouth Korea visa extended Australian passport holders can travel to South Korea for up to 90 days without applying for a K-ETA until December 31, 2025.You can visit the K-ETA website for more information.US Global Entry open to AussiesStarting from January 2025, 1,000 Australians will be eligible for the 'Phase 1' trial of the Global Entry program, allowing them to skip long immigration lines at US airports and use a self-service passport kiosk.Currently, Aussies must apply for US travel authorisation online, which has a total fee of $21 USD or around $34 AUD.Although the Global Entry program is more expensive, coming in at around $160 AUD, it provides 5-year stress-free entry to the US.READ MORE: The kind of suitcase that's more likely to get lost, airline worker warnsTo be eligible for the Global Entry program, you must:Be an Australian citizen who has travelled to the US at least 5 times in the past 12 monthsSatisfy Global Entry's strict eligibility requirements, including: no criminal convictions or pending charges, no violations of customs, immigration, or agriculture regulations, and no ongoing investigations by law enforcement agencies.You can apply for the program through the US Customs and Border Protection (USCBP) website.READ MORE: Crucial reason you shouldn't wear shorts on a plane, airline worker explainsPassport fee increases As of January 1, 2025, Australia's passport price went up for children and adults, making the most expensive passport in the world even more expensive.A new passport for an adult costs $412, up from $39 and a five-year children's passport costs $208. Replacement passports now also cost $259.This, of course, is only relevant if you are applying for a new passport in 2025.