EU nationals to require electronic travel authorization (ETA) starting next year

Source: Schengen Visa Info

Nationals of the 27 European Union Member States traveling to the United Kingdom will need to apply for an electronic travel authorization (ETA) starting next year, which will cost them almost €12.

Up until now, the price for a UK ETA has been unknown, however, on June 7, the UK Visas and Immigration Department of the Home Office revealed that an ETA will cost £10, and will be valid for a period of two years.

“Your ETA will last for two years. If your passport expires in less than two years, you’ll need to get a new ETA,” the department notes in an article regarding the scheme.

While the dates from which the nationals of several world countries will need to obtain travel authorization in order to enter the UK have been revealed, it is still unknown when exactly EU nationals will need to obtain their ETAs for making a trip to the former EU member.

According to the UK Visas and Immigration department, the first ones to be obliged to obtain an ETA for entering the UK will be Qatari nationals, to whom this requirement will apply starting from November 15, this year.

A few months later, from February 22, 2024, nationals of several other Arab states of the Persian Gulf will be included in the scheme. These countries are Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates.

EU nationals, and travelers from other countries like the United States, Australia, and New Zealand, who can enter the UK visa-free for tourism and business purposes, will have to apply for an ETA later next year. The dates are expected to be announced in the following months.

Ireland will be the only country that will not be affected by the implementation of this scheme.

At the same time, nationals of visa-free countries who have permission to live, work or study in the UK, will not need to apply for an ETA, as well as those coming from countries under the visa regime, who will still need to apply for a tourist or business visa for travel to the UK.

The idea to introduce travel authorizations in the UK surfaced after the country left the EU, following the introduction of a similar scheme called the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) by the EU authorities. The ETIAS is also set to become effective next year.

UK citizens will also have to apply for an ETIAS. Unlike the UK, the EU intends to make the obligation mandatory for nationals of all visa-free countries at the same time. The EU travel authorization will cost €7 and will have a validity period of three years.