Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) rollout: what you need to know
As part of its strategy to digitise and modernise the UK's border control systems, the Government is rolling out an ETA scheme which will require millions of visitors to the UK each year to obtain authorisation before travelling here.
What is an ETA?
The UK's ETA scheme will operate in a similar way to the ESTA scheme which operates in the US, and the ETIAS programme planned by the EU. Each of these schemes - ETA included - is not a visa or permission to enter the relevant territory, but instead provide an authorisation to travel to individual travellers following screening against various security databases and other entry criteria.
In the case of the UK's ETA scheme, entry to the UK following the issuing of an ETA will be as a visitor; someone coming to the UK wishing to carry out an activity that currently requires a visa - and citizens of "visa-national" countries - will still be required to apply for that visa instead of an ETA.
Who needs an ETA?
ETAs are currently available for nationals of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE, but in the coming months will also become mandatory for:
- Non-visa nationals: travellers from countries that currently do not need a visa to visit the UK for short stays, such as US, Canadian and Australian nationals. An ETA will be needed for tourists, business travellers, and visitors travelling to see family members or seeking medical treatment.
- European Economic Area (EEA) and Swiss nationals: EEA and Swiss nationals will also be required to apply for an ETA when travelling to the UK for short visits.
British and Irish citizens will be exempt from having to apply for an ETA as well as individuals who hold a valid visa which allows them to live, work or study in the UK.
Key dates for the ETA rollout
On 10 September 2024, the UK Government announced the next steps in the rollout of the ETA, including the dates when visitors can start applying and when ETAs will become mandatory. The government has split the rollout into two phases:
- Eligible non-Europeans can apply in advance from 27 November 2024 and will need an ETA to travel to the UK from 8 January 2025
- Eligible Europeans can apply from 5 March 2025 and will need an ETA to travel to the UK from 2 April 2025
ETA application process and fees
Visitors will be able to apply for an ETA through the 'UK ETA app' and applications will cost £10. If visitors are unable to use the ETA app on their mobile phone device, they can instead apply online.
Once an ETA is granted, visitors will be permitted to make multiple journeys to the UK of up to six months at a time over two years or until the ETA holder's passport expires (whichever is sooner).
ETA decisions are usually processed within three working days, sometimes quicker.
Steps that businesses need to take
If you are a business which welcomes visitors from overseas - be they suppliers, customers or colleagues from an overseas branch or head office - then it is important that you communicate these changes to them to avoid the inconvenience of being denied boarding or encountering issues on arrival at the UK border. From April 2025 everyone travelling to the UK who is not a British or Irish passport holder will either need an ETA or a visa, so these changes will affect a huge number of people.