In March 2023, the United Kingdom announced plans to implement the United Kingdom Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) scheme as part of the Nationality and Borders Act 2022, rolling it out first to Qatari nationals in October 2023.

In February 2024, the UK expanded ETA requirements for all Gulf Cooperation Council states including Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

When the system is in full swing, it is expected to cover all countries and states that do not require a VISA for entry.

What is an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA)?

An Electronic Travel Authorisation is part of an online system that checks foreign nationals entering the country against a series of national security and criminal databases.

When someone applies for an ETA, the applicants’ name is validated against those databases, and in most cases an approval is granted automatically. However, if their name shows up as a match on any of the queried databases, the application will then be processed manually, where a decision will be made whether to grant the ETA or not.

The requirements to get an ETA are no where near as stringent as applying for a VISA, and is easily accessible once you have no criminal record and are willing to pay the application fee.

Is the Electronic Travel Authorisation replacing VISA entry?

As mentioned above, the ETA requirement will only apply to those from countries that previously were allowed to enter the United Kingdom VISA-free.

If you are flying on documents from a country that is listed as requiring a VISA for entry, this will not be applicable to you.

UK expands Electronic Travel Authorisation Country list

When all is said and done, foreign nationals traveling to the UK (who previously were allowed to enter VISA-free) will be required to apply for an Electronic Travel Authorisation.

On September 10, the UK government expanded its country list, indicating the upcoming deadlines as follows:

Nationalities that currently require a UK Electronic Travel Authorisation

Nationalities requiring an ETA from January 8, 2025 (with applications opening on November 27, 2024)

Nationalities requiring an ETA from April 2, 2025 (with applications opening on March 5, 2025)

• European Union member states (except Ireland)
• Andorra
• Iceland
• Liechtenstein
• Monaco
• Norway
• San Marino
• Switzerland
• Vatican City

Nationalities that may be required to apply for an ETA in the future

• British Overseas citizens
• British protected persons
• British subjects without right of abode in the United Kingdom

Exemptions

• British citizens
• British subjects with right of abode in the United Kingdom
• British Overseas Territories citizens
• British Nationals (Overseas)s with BN(O) visa
• Irish citizens, except those subject to a UK deportation order, exclusion order decision, or an international travel ban
• Holders of an entry clearance or permission to enter or stay in the UK, such as a UK visa or residence permit
• People who are exempt from immigration control in the UK
• Residents of Ireland traveling to the UK from other parts of the Common Travel Area (Ireland, Guernsey, Jersey, and the Isle of Man)

How to apply and cost for Electronic Travel Authorisation

Once the application window opens for your respective country, you can apply online or via the app.

It will cost you £10 to apply, and you’ll need a few items including the intended passport you plan to travel with, a credit/debit card (Apple Pay or Google Pay also accepted) to pay for the application and a valid e-mail address. You will need to take a picture of the passport and as well as provide a head shot of the applicant.

Validity of Electronic Travel Authorisation

Once approved, the ETA is valid for six months or up to the expiration date of your passport (which ever one comes first). Validation usually takes three (3) working days or less, but there may be occasions where it can take longer.

While I’ve tried to cover the essential info, I’d advise applications to read the entirety of the Home Office’s website regarding ETAs to ensure that the correct information is provided when you apply.

Featured image: Phil Fiddyment/Flickr | CC BY 2.0 Generic