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You can’t live in the UK through “frequent or successive visits” with the ETA, but it might be possible to stay in the UK for six months, travel around Europe or another continent for a reasonable period, then re-enter the UK for another six months. According to UK immigration law specialists A Y and J Solicitors, “there is no set limit on the number of times you can visit the UK in a year”.

“Frequent long-term visits may lead to questioning and potential refusal of entry … It is essential to maintain evidence of your travel patterns and demonstrate that you are not attempting to reside in the UK.”

When the ETA system comes into effect, Australians over 10 can use the automatic ePassport gates on arrival in the UK. Those aged between 10 and 17 must be accompanied by an adult.

The rationale for electronic visa waivers

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E-visas for travellers are becoming common. As well as the long-running ESTA system in the US, Canada has had the eTA since 2015, and Europe will soon introduce the ETIAS electronic travel authorisation scheme for nationals of visa-exempt countries. India has the eVisa, although passengers are still manually processed upon arrival.

All these schemes allow nationals who pose a low security concern or risk of overstaying to enter a country without the more rigorous process of applying for a visa. It’s also a method of pre-screening visitors before they arrive. According to Priti Patel, the UK’s previous home secretary responsible for introducing the ETA, the system would work for the “law-abiding majority” and against people who attempt to “abuse our hospitality and generous spirit”.

Australia operates a similar eVisa system known as the Subclass 601 Electronic Travel Authority, allowing eligible visitors to stay for up to three months at a time. That includes travellers with passports from the US, Canada, Brunei, Hong Kong, Japan, Malaysia, South Korea and Singapore, and most European countries. New Zealand citizens require only a valid passport to enter.

Beware scams

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Scams are common when it comes to e-visas and visa waivers. Scammers will set up a website that looks a lot like the official website – and they’ll pay for it to show up at the top of search results. Those websites typically charge an exorbitant administration fee that far exceeds the official charge.

They’ve been at it for years with the US ESTA, and because they are technically providing a “service” (by taking your details and then filling out the form on the official site so you actually get the visa waiver), they’re hard to shut down. Read more about the issue here and expect the scammers to be all over the new UK ETA. One red flag will be if the site you’re on doesn’t have “.gov” in the web address to indicate it’s an official government site.