New rules affecting visitors to the UK will come into force from the end of 2024 with the introduction of the Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) – these will affect travellers from the US and the EU who are coming to the UK to visit only, rather than coming to work. There are also new rules which govern travel to the EU with the The European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS).
The Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA)
The Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) is a new requirement for those visiting or transiting through the UK. The system is similar to the ESTA visa waiver system applicable to non US nationals visiting the US. Visitors will need the ETA in order to transit through the UK, stay for six months as a visitor, or stay for three months on the Creative Worker visa concession. The ETA will allow visitors to make multiple entries into the UK within two years of the grant, and will be electronically linked to the visitor’s passport.
Below are some common questions on the ETA system:
Who Needs to Make a UK ETA Application?
The ETA is aimed at non visa nationals looking to visit the UK. A non-visa national is any national who can enter the UK as a visitor for six months without having to apply for a visit visa beforehand. Basically, if you can turn up at the border and walk through the passport e-gates then you’re a non-visa national.
Does the UK ETA Scheme apply to visa nationals?
If you come from a country where you have to apply for a visit visa before entering the UK, such as India, China, or Pakistan, the UK ETA scheme does not apply to you. There is no indication that the process and requirements for visa nationals will change.
Travel to the UK from the Middle East
While Qatari nationals have needed to apply for a UK Electronic Travel Authorisation since 25 October 2023, a different system called the the Electronic Visa Waiver system application process opened on 1 February 2024 for nationals of the following countries:
- Bahrain
- Jordan
- Kuwait
- Oman
- United Arab Emirates
- Saudi Arabia
If you are from any of the above nations, you are currently able to apply for an Electronic Visa Waiver instead of a visitor visa. The Electronic Visa Waiver system allows you to visit the UK once and stay for six months for tourism, business, study or medical treatment.
The ETA (Electronic Travel Authorisation) is similar except it will allow you to enter the UK multiple times within a two year period or before the expiry date of your passport, whichever is earlier.
How to Apply for a UK Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA)
When you apply for a UK ETA you will need to pay an Electronic Travel Authorisation application fee of £10, provide your contact and passport details, a valid passport photo and answer a set of questions about suitability.
You can apply using the ETA App, or via an online form.
What Is the Processing Time for a UK ETA Application?
The Home Office states that it will aim to process UK ETA applications within three days.
How is travel to Ireland from the UK affected?
If you are legally resident in Ireland and a non visa national, you will not be required to get a UK Electronic Travel Authorisation in order to cross the border from the Republic of Ireland into Northern Ireland.
However, if you are a non-Irish resident of Ireland travelling to the UK from outside the Common Travel Area (United Kingdom, Ireland, Isle of Man, and the Channel Islands) you will need to apply for an Electronic Travel Authorisation.
Can an ETA request be refused and if so on what grounds?
It is important to disclose all relevant information when filling out an application for the ETA or indeed any immigration application. Failure to do so may not only result in a refusal of the ETA but could have long term negative effects on a traveller’s ability to enter the UK.
The Immigration Rules state that an application for ETA must be refused in some circumstances, including on criminality grounds, where there has been a previous breach of immigration laws, where false representations were made, and where a UK ETA applicant has failed to pay charges on NHS use by overseas visitors.
Effects of refusal
If you are refused a UK ETA then you will need to apply for a standard visitor visa, a creative worker visa, or a transit visa, depending on your circumstances and the reason for your visit.
The European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS)
There are also new rules which govern travel to the EU: a new automated system will pre-screen visa exempt travellers to the Schengen area, with the goal of identifying potential security threats before they can travel. Again, this system is similar to the US ESTA and the Canadian ETA systems – it is not a visa, but rather a visa-waiver system.
The ETIAS system will :
- Apply to nationals of all countries who do not need a Schengen visa before entering the Schengen zone
- Apply to visa-exempt non EU nationals visiting for short periods (90/180 days)
- Require travellers to apply for an ETIAS travel authorisation before heading to any of the 30 European countries in the Schengen zone
- Require travellers to complete an application before travelling, aimed at taking approximately 10 minutes or less
- Third country nationals resident in any of the 30 Schengen countries are excluded from the scheme
Application process
Applicants can apply on the ETIAS website which supports mobile, desktop and mobile devices. The types of information requested includes:
- Biometric and personal data such as name, date of birth and gender
- Applicant contact details such as home address & email address
- Education history, such as primary, secondary, vocational schooling, university, or no education
- Travel document information, such as a passport or other document, including data such as the document number, issue date, expiry date, and country
- Current occupation or job, including title as well as contact details
- First EU member state of arrival
- Background questions relating to previous criminal activity, drug use, travel to conflict zones, as well as EU and non-EU immigration history
Third parties may apply on behalf of applicants, and this must be disclosed at the time of submitting the application.
There is a fee charged for ETIAS applications for travellers between the ages of 18 and 70 of €7. Every traveller, regardless of their age, will require an approved ETIAS prior to their arrival in the Schengen area.
ETIAS Approvals
Most ETIAS applicants will be notified either instantly or within a few hours of their approved authorisation. A valid ETIAS travel authorisation is linked to the applicant’s passport and has its own unique application number – it will be valid for three years or until the date of passport or travel document expiry, whichever is earlier.
ETIAS Refusals
Travellers arriving to the Schengen area by air, land or sea will be required to present a valid travel authorisation. Travellers without a passport from an EU member state, a valid ETIAS or a valid Schengen visa will be denied entry.
However, an approved ETIAS does not guarantee entry into an EU member state – admissibility is determined by EU border officials. An approved ETIAS application can be revoked if the traveller was deemed to have obtained it using fraud or deception. ETIAS applications will also be revoked as new alerts are received in the EU’s security databases due to a traveller being refused entry, or if they have lost or stolen travel documents.
Similarly, an ETIAS can be annulled if an ETIAS applicant’s circumstances change in regards to their eligibility, such as a recent criminal conviction, terrorist activity, or travel to conflict areas. An ETIAS will also be annulled in the case of the passport expiry, or name change of a traveller.
Timing
ETIAS is not yet in operation– there is a current target date of mid 2025. There is to be a transition period of at least 6 months from the start date when ETIAS will not be a requirement, as well as a further grace period following that transition period.
