As a part of its drive to digitise the UK border and immigration system, with impact from at present, the UK authorities has now opened the method for acquiring an digital journey authorisation (ETA) for eligible non-European nationals who should maintain an ETA if travelling to or by means of the UK from 8 January subsequent yr.
The affected nationals are residents of: Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Barbados, Belize, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Hong Kong. Particular Administrative Area (together with British Nationwide (Abroad)), Israel, Japan, Kiribati, Macao Particular Administrative Area, Malaysia, Maldives, Marshall Islands, Mauritius, Mexico, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent, and the Grenadines, Samoa, Seychelles, Singapore, Solomon Islands, South Korea, Taiwan, The Bahamas, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tuvalu, United States and Uruguay.
Eligible nationals of Gulf Cooperation Council international locations have been required to acquire an ETA for journey to or by means of the UK since 25 October this yr.
Eligible Europeans will be capable of apply from 5 March 2025 and will need to have an ETA to journey to the UK from 2 April 2025.
An ETA offers permission to journey to the UK however isn’t the identical as a UK visa. It is vitally much like the ESTA system for travelling to the US which has been in place for a few years. An ETA is electronically linked to the traveller’s passport and is meant to reinforce safety by enabling checks earlier than the person’s journey to the UK.
When is an ETA required?
Eligible nationalities (listed above) should acquire an ETA previous to coming into the UK for:
- visits of as much as 6 months for tourism, visiting household and buddies, enterprise or short-term examine
- visits of as much as 3 months on the Inventive Employee visa concession
- visits for a Permitted paid engagement
- when transiting by means of the UK – together with if they don’t seem to be going by means of UK Border Management
Who doesn’t want an ETA?
You don’t want an ETA to journey or transit by means of the UK if any of those apply to you:
- you might have a UK visa
- you might have permission to stay, work or examine within the UK (together with settled or pre-settled standing below the EU Settlement Scheme)
- you’re a British or Irish citizen
- you’re travelling with a British abroad territories citizen passport
- you reside in Eire and you’re travelling from Eire, Guernsey, Jersey or the Isle of Man
What you can’t do with an ETA
- keep within the UK for longer than 6 months
- do paid or unpaid work for a UK firm or as a self-employed particular person, except you’re doing a permitted paid engagement or occasion or work on the Inventive Employee visa concession
- declare UK public funds (advantages)
- stay within the UK by means of frequent or successive visits
- marry or register a civil partnership within the UK, or give discover of marriage or civil partnership – you’ll need to apply for a Marriage Customer visa
How do I apply and the way lengthy does it take for an ETA software to be processed?
Candidates apply on-line utilizing the UK ETA app or on-line and can normally obtain a choice inside 3 working days.
All that’s required to use is:
- the passport you’ll journey with – not a photocopy or digital passport
- entry to an e mail account
- a bank card, debit card, Apple Pay or Google Pay
You’ll need to add or take pictures of the:
- passport
- face of the particular person making use of
You don’t want to enter your journey particulars.
How lengthy will an ETA be legitimate for?
An ETA lasts for two years. Guests can journey to the UK as many instances as they need throughout that point utilizing the identical ETA. For those who acquire a brand new passport, you’ll need to use for a brand new ETA.
How a lot does an ETA value?
An ETA prices £10 and permits a number of journeys to the UK of as much as six months at a time over two years or till the holder’s passport expires, whichever is sooner.
What about guests travelling to Europe?
The EU is introducing the Entry/Exit System (EES) for non-EU nationals travelling for brief stays to 29 European international locations from 2025 however the precise date is but to be confirmed. Additional data may be discovered right here: EES – European Union
For those who want help or have any questions regarding UK visa purposes or different enterprise immigration issues, please contact your normal Squire Patton Boggs enterprise immigration group member or Annabel Mace, accomplice and Head of UK Immigration