Electronic Travel Authorisation (United Kingdom)

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The United Kingdom Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) is an advance travel permission required from foreign nationals who intend to visit or transit the United Kingdom without a visa. [1]

Contents

The system, as part of the Nationality and Borders Act 2022, operates using an online application whose information is checked against security databases. If the system does not find adverse information about the applicant, the travel authorisation is granted automatically, otherwise the application is forwarded to an officer to decide whether to grant the authorisation. The system is expected to provide a response within three working days. [1]

A UK ETA is valid for multiple entries for two years or until the applicant's passport expires, whichever is sooner. [2] It may be used for temporary stays for tourism, visiting family and friends, business, study, certain types of work, or transit. Having an ETA does not guarantee entry into the UK. [3]

History

On 9 March 2023, the UK government announced plans for the Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) scheme, to replace the Electronic Visa Waiver scheme that was available for nationals of GCC countries. The government also planned to make the ETA available for nationals of Jordan during the initial stage, and later require the ETA from other foreign nationals travelling to the UK without a visa. [4]

On 6 June 2023, it was announced that the ETA would cost £10 per applicant. [5]

ETA applications opened for nationals of Qatar on 25 October 2023 for travel from 15 November 2023, and for nationals of other GCC countries and Jordan on 1 February 2024 for travel from 22 February 2024. [1] Jordanian passports were removed from the ETA program on 10 September 2024 due to "abuse and violations of the system" [6] (other source claims "misuse" [7] or "breaches of visitor rules").

Following the lifting of the visa regime in February 2024, there has been a significant increase in Jordanian nationals who have traveled to the UK for purposes that are not permitted under the visit and Electronic Authorization (ETA) provisions, such as to live, work or claim asylum in the UK.

— UK government statement [8] [7]

The Home Office announced that visa-free nationalities outside Europe will be able to apply for UK ETA starting 27 November 2024 and be able to use it to travel to the UK on 8 January 2025. European visa-free nationalities may apply for it on 5 March 2025 and may use it to travel to the UK on 2 April 2025. [9]

Required nationalities

As of 2024, a UK ETA is required from nationals of the following countries travelling to the UK without a visa: [3]

On 10 September 2024 the UK government announced the following ETA start dates for visa-free nationalities (except Ireland): [9]

Nationalities that may apply from 27 November 2024 to travel to the UK with an ETA from 8 January 2025:

Nationalities that may apply from 5 March 2025 to travel to the UK with an ETA from 2 April 2025:

An ETA may also be required from the following classes of British nationals, who hold British passports and may travel to the UK without a visa for short stays but do not have the automatic right to reside there:[ citation needed ]

Exemptions

The following classes of individuals do not need an ETA: [1]

Application

Applications for an ETA are made preferably through mobile phones using the UK ETA app, available from the App Store and Google Play. Applications can also be made online at a UK government website. Each traveller, including children and babies, must have an individual ETA. [3]

Applicants for an ETA must: [3] [10] [11]

The applicant's information is checked against security databases. If the system does not find adverse information about the applicant, the travel authorisation is granted automatically, otherwise the application is forwarded to an officer to decide whether to grant the authorisation. [1] The decision is sent to the applicant by email, usually within three working days. [10]

If approved, the ETA is digitally linked to the applicant's passport, so the applicant does not need to show anything else when entering the UK. [10] The ETA is valid for multiple entries for two years or until the applicant's passport expires, whichever is sooner. [2] The ETA may be used for temporary stays for tourism, visiting family and friends, business, study, certain types of work, or transit. [3]

Enforcement

Carriers to the UK are expected to check that individuals have the appropriate permission to travel, in document or digital form, before they bring them to the UK. Otherwise, they may be liable to a penalty charge. [12]

Individuals arriving in the UK without a UK ETA, if not exempted, may be refused entry. However, having an ETA does not guarantee entry into the UK. [3]

It is a criminal offence to obtain a UK ETA by deception. [12]

See also

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "Electronic Travel Authorisation" (PDF). Home Office. 4 April 2024.
  2. 1 2 "Immigration Rules Appendix Electronic Travel Authorisation". Home Office. 6 June 2024.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Apply for an electronic travel authorisation (ETA)". Home Office. 4 April 2024.
  4. ↑ "UK unveils plans for travel scheme to bolster the border". Home Office. 9 March 2023.
  5. ↑ "Gulf and Jordanian visitors to pay £10 for an ETA". Home Office. 6 June 2023.
  6. ↑ "UK suspends electronic visa system for Jordanians". The Jordan Times. 10 September 2024. Retrieved 14 September 2024.
  7. 1 2 "UK revokes ETA for Jordanian citizens after 'misuse,' requires visit visa". Al Arabiya. 11 September 2024. Retrieved 11 September 2024.
  8. ↑ "EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM TO THE STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN IMMIGRATION RULES PRESENTED TO PARLIAMENT ON 10 SEPTEMBER 2024" (PDF). GOV.UK. 10 September 2024. Following the lifting of the visa regime [...] there has been a significant increase in Jordanian nationals who have travelled to the UK for purposes that are not permitted under the visit and Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) provisions, such as to live, work or claim asylum in the UK. [...] In addition, there has been an increase in Jordanian nationals using an ETA to transit through the UK and subsequently claim asylum in Ireland. Statistics [...] show that in May, June and July 2024, Jordanian nationals were the second highest nationality for asylum claims made in Ireland [...]. Until April 2024 Jordanian nationals did not feature in the top 5 nationalities applying for international protection in Ireland. A visa imposition will support the integrity and effective functioning of the Common Travel Area.
  9. 1 2 "Check when you can get an electronic travel authorisation (ETA)". GOV.UK. Retrieved 13 September 2024.
  10. 1 2 3 "Using the 'UK ETA' app". Home Office. 13 March 2024.
  11. ↑ "How to apply". Home Office.
  12. 1 2 "Policy paper Nationality and Borders Bill: Electronic Travel Authorisation factsheet". Home Office. 13 October 2023.

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