What is the ETA UK?

The ETA is not a visa, but a travel authorisation that permits travellers who do not need a visa to travel to the United Kingdom. The countries that make up the United Kingdom are England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. At present, travellers with passports from EU countries are still allowed to travel to the UK without a visa. However, this is about to change. Starting from the end of 2024, all travellers wishing to travel to England, Scotland, Wales and/or Northern Ireland will have to apply for a visa or ETA UK. This also applies to travellers with EU passports. Holders of passports issued by the UK and residents of Ireland and holders of Irish passports are exempt from the ETA requirement.

ETA is short for Electronic Travel Authorisation, which means that the ETA UK is an electronic travel authorisation for the United Kingdom. Travellers from a limited number of countries can use this travel authorisation to travel to the United Kingdom without a visa. Although the system is not yet fully operational, the UK government has announced that the ETA will become mandatory for all European travellers from the end of 2024. From then on, all travellers will have to apply for a visa or ETA before leaving for the UK.

Why is the United Kingdom introducing an ETA?
Several countries have introduced electronic travel authorisations in recent years. Applications for these electronic travel authorisations are processed online. In some cases, these online systems are a replacement for traditional visas issued by embassies and consulates. In other cases, electronic travel authorisations supplement traditional visas. This includes the ETA UK, the travel authorisation that will become mandatory for people who were previously allowed to travel to the UK without a visa. The overall aim of electronic travel authorisations is to better screen all inbound travellers, and in doing so improve the security of international travel. Since the United Kingdom has left the European Union, travellers from most European countries will also have to apply for an ETA to travel to the United Kingdom from the end of 2024.

Validity period of the ETA UK

The ETA UK is valid for 2 years starting from the moment the application is approved. This does not mean that you can stay in the United Kingdom for 2 years. Each stay in the UK with an ETA may not exceed 6 continuous months. You are free to travel between England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland during each stay, but you may not spend more than 6 consecutive months in the UK in total.

The ETA UK allows multiple trips to the United Kingdom. This means that you can travel to the four countries of the UK as often as you wish. As mentioned above, each stay may last a maximum of six consecutive months.

The ETA is generally valid for 2 years. However, the validity period of your ETA can expire earlier, e.g. if your passport expires within 2 years after receiving the ETA. If this happens, you must first apply for a new passport. You can then apply for a new ETA with your new passport. Your ETA could also be cancelled, in case you did not fill in the application form truthfully or if you (no longer) meet all the conditions of the ETA.

Conditions of the ETA UK

Since the ETA has not yet been introduced for Europeans, the exact and complete conditions are still unknown. However, UK authorities have already announced that the ETA UK will be available to travellers from all countries who were previously allowed to travel to the United Kingdom without a visa. Travellers with passports from an EU country will therefore be eligible for an ETA UK from the end of 2024. The same applies to travellers from Switzerland and a number of other countries outside the European Union. Nothing will change for travellers who previously required a visa UK. They will not be eligible for the ETA and will still need to apply for a visa to travel to a country in the United Kingdom.

Besides the condition pertaining to the nationality of the traveller, there is also a condition related to the purpose of travel. If you want to apply for an ETA UK, your purpose of travel must fall under one of the following categories:

• Tourism (includes visiting friends and/or family)
• Business
• Study
• Transfer (even if you remain in the transit zone of the airport during your transfer)

Apply for the ETA UK online

You can easily apply for the ETA UK for a trip to England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland online. As soon as the ETA will be mandatory for European travellers, you can easily apply for this travel authorisation through this website. The entire application process takes place online, which means you do not need to visit an embassy or consulate. Applying for an ETA for the UK includes filling in an online form, paying the fee and uploading the required documents. After completing these steps, the application is processed quickly. Once granted, you will receive your UK travel authorisation by email.