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The UK’s Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) is set to launch in October 2023, with travellers from Qatar the first to access online applications for the pre-travel requirement.
Visitors and transit passengers who do not currently need a visa for short stays in the UK will soon be required to obtain an ETA prior to travel “as an additional security measure”.
Similar to pre-travel checks required to enter the US, the ETA will be electronically linked to travellers’ passports and applications can be made online or via a dedicated app.
According to the UK Home Office, the cost of an ETA will be “in line with similar international schemes” and individuals can make multiple visits over a two-year validity period.
After the initial launch for Qatar, visitors from Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia and the UAE will be able to apply from 22 February 2024, followed by a wider rollout throughout 2024.
In a statement, immigration minister Robert Jenrick, said: “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, with those visiting from Gulf Cooperation Council states being among the first to benefit,” he added.
The new scheme will entirely replace the current Electronic Visa Waiver (EVW) Scheme which requires visitors from the Gulf Cooperation Council states to pay a higher cost for a single-use visit.
By the end of 2024, the Home Office expects ETAs will be a requirement for all visitors who currently do not need a visa for short stays, including those from Europe.
British and Irish nationals will not need an ETA to travel to the UK, however travellers arriving into the UK via Ireland will be subject to UK immigration requirements, including the ETA.
The introduction of the ETA scheme comes ahead of the European Union’s European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) for non-EU visitors, which has experienced several rollout delays and is now expected to “be operational” in 2024.
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