LONDON – From next year, citizens of the 27 European Union Member States who are planning to travel to the United Kingdom will need to apply for an electronic travel authorization (ETA).
The cost of this ETA will be around €12 (£10) and the UK Visas and Immigration Department recently announced that the ETA will be valid for two years; if the passport expires within two years, the visitors will need to obtain a new ETA.
While the exact dates for when EU nationals will be required to obtain their ETAs are still unknown, it has been confirmed that Qatari nationals will need to obtain an ETA starting from November 15, 2023.
Furthermore, nationals from several other Arab states in the Persian Gulf, including Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates, will be included in the scheme from February 22, 2024.
EU nationals, as well as travelers from countries like the United States, Australia, and New Zealand, who can currently enter the UK without a visa for tourism and business purposes, will also need to apply for an ETA. The specific dates for these applications will be announced in the coming months.
It’s important to note that Ireland will not be affected by this new travel authorization scheme. Additionally, citizens of visa-free countries who have permission to live, work, or study in the UK will not need to apply for an ETA. Similarly, those coming from countries that require a visa to enter the UK will still need to apply for a tourist or business visa.
The introduction of this travel authorization system in the UK is in response to the country’s famous or some say infamous departure from the EU under Brexit.
The European Union has also implemented a similar scheme called the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS), which will also come into effect next year. UK citizens will also be required to apply for an ETIAS, and this obligation will apply to nationals of all visa-free countries in the EU at the same time. The cost of the EU travel authorization will be around €7, and it will be valid for three years.
