The UK Home Office has announced dates for the worldwide rollout of its Electronic Travel Authorisation scheme.
ADVERTISEMENTThe UK’s Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) will soon apply to visitors from from Europe, Australia, the US and Canada.
It requires tourists to gain permission to enter the country as part of plans to fully digitise its borders by 2025.
The Home Office began rolling out the scheme last November for nationals of Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
It has now been announced when it will apply to other nationalities – including Europeans.
Here’s everything we know so far.
When will EU travellers need to apply for an ETA to visit the UK?
Visitors from Qatar were the first to be able to apply for the UK’s new ETA scheme, starting on 15 November 2023.
Visitors from the Gulf Cooperation Council states and Jordan were the next group from February 2024.
Previously, nationals of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates could apply for a single-use Electronic Visa Waiver (EVW) instead of a visa to enter the UK. This cost £30 (€34.30) and was valid for up to six months.
The ETA scheme has now entirely replaced the EVW scheme, offering a lower cost option with multi-entry validity, according to the UK government.
This week, the Home Office announced that the ETA will open up to all other nationalities, except Europeans, this November and be required for entry from 8 January…
