The UK government has revealed more about its Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) – described as “a new requirement for people who do not need a visa to come to the UK”.
The government says: “By the end of 2024, ETAs will be a requirement worldwide for visitors who do not need a visa for short stays.”
The ETA will be rolled out from November 2023. Citizens of Qatar will be the first to need one. Shortly afterwards it will be extended to other citizens of the Gulf region plus Jordan.
The immigration minister, Robert Jenrick, says: “ETAs will enhance our border security by increasing our knowledge about those seeking to come to the UK and preventing the arrival of those who pose a threat. It will also improve travel for legitimate visitors.”
The government says: “By applying for an ETA in advance, visitors will benefit from smooth and efficient travel. The application process will be quick, light touch and entirely digital with most visitors applying via a mobile app and receiving a swift decision on their application.”
For British travellers there will be no direct impact. But travel industry figures say rules attached to the ETA will disadvantage UK airlines and tourism, particularly to Northern Ireland.
These are the key questions and answers.
What is planned?
Most visitors to the UK do not need to go through the complex and expensive business of applying for a British visa; they simply turn up with their passport and apply for entry.
But the new online permit, the Electronic Travel Authorisation, will soon be mandatory.
The ETA is loosely modelled on the US Esta and is electronically linked to the traveller’s passport. It does not apply to UK and Irish citizens. The cost is £10. The permit will be valid for repeated journeys within two years or until the passport expires, whichever is sooner.
It will begin to be rolled out for travellers to the UK from Qatar – the chosen trial location – on 15 November 2023. The programme will be extended on 22 February 2024 to nationals of Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia and the UAE, ahead of a global roll-out by the end of next year.
How do travellers obtain an ETA?
Online through a UK government website or via an ETA app. The government says: “Individuals will need to provide biometric details and answer a set of suitability questions. This will ensure we have…
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