Non-Europeans visiting or transiting through the UK without a visa will be required to obtain a £10 digital permit from today (8 January).
The Home Office is extending the electronic travel authorisation (ETA) system, which was first introduced in November 2023.
An ETA – which is a digital permission to travel – was previously only required for nationals of Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Jordan.
More than 243,000 Gulf nationals were issued with ETAs in the first half of 2024, Home Office figures show.
They will become a requirement for non-Europeans entering the UK without legal residence rights or a visa from Wednesday and for all travellers from 2 April. Nationalities that can apply for an ETA can be found on the government website.
Each ETA permits multiple journeys to the UK for stays of up to six months at a time over two years, or until the holder’s passport expires if that is sooner.
The ETA will be mandatory for all “non-visa” overseas visitors to the UK, with the exception of Irish nationals, who are allowed free movement under the Common Travel Agreement.
Others who do not need an ETA are British citizens, those who have permission to live, work or study in the UK, people who are travelling with a British overseas territories citizen passport or those who are legally resident in Ireland who are travelling from Ireland, Guernsey, Jersey or the Isle of Man to the UK.
Those with dual citizenship in Britain or Ireland also do not need an ETA if they use their British or Irish passports.
The starting point of the journey to the UK is not relevant, as it is the traveller’s nationality that counts.
Applications for an ETA can be made through the UK ETA app or the gov.uk website and the ETAs will be digitally linked to a traveller’s passport.
Those who are applying will need to supply photographs of their passport and their face, as well as answer a set of questions. The government says: “This will increase our knowledge about those seeking to come to the UK and prevent the arrival of those who present a threat.”
A decision on each case is expected “usually” within three days. In practice, existing similar schemes in the US, Canada and elsewhere deliver approval more quickly.
The Home Office says it ensures “more robust security checks are carried out before people begin their journey to the UK”, which helps prevent “abuse of our immigration system”.
The UK government has also decided that even those who are connecting travellers must obtain an ETA.
Heathrow Airport blamed the scheme for a 90,000 drop in transfer passenger numbers on routes included in the system since it was launched.
It described the programme as “devastating for our hub competitiveness” and urged the government to “review” the inclusion of airside transit passengers.
The government says that by requiring transit passengers to obtain ETAs it will give them a “comprehensive understanding” of those travelling to the UK, and will give it the ability to prevent the travel of those who pose a threat.
For more travel news and advice, listen to Simon Calder’s podcast