Immigration Corner | What is an Electronic Travel Authorisation?

Dear Mr Bassie,

I have been hearing that anyone travelling to the United Kingdom in the near future may have to apply for and obtain an Electronic Travel Authorisation before entering the country. Any information that you can provide will be appreciated.

TJ

Dear TJ,

Applying for and obtaining an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) will soon be a requirement for those persons who do not need a visa to go to the United Kingdom (UK). It will give them permission to travel to the UK, and it will be electronically linked to their passports.

Persons will need an ETA to travel and stay in the UK for up to six months for tourism, visiting family and friends, business or study, and to go there for up to three months on the Creative Worker visa concession.

They will also need an ETA to transit through the UK – including if they are not going through the UK border control.

WHO WILL NEED AN ETA

At this present time, persons from Qatar will need an ETA if travelling to the UK on or after November 15, 2023, and they will be able to apply from October 25, 2023. However, persons from Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia or the United Arab Emirates will need an ETA if they are travelling to the UK on or after February 22, 2024, and they will be able to apply from February 1, 2024.

Please note that persons from other countries presently do not need to apply for an ETA. However, more nationalities will be added to the scheme later.

WHO WILL NOT NEED AN ETA

Persons will not need an ETA if they have either a British or Irish passport; permission to live, work or study in the UK; or a visa to enter the UK. Also, a person who lives in Ireland and who is not an Irish citizen will not need an ETA if all of the following apply:

• He/she is legally resident in Ireland;

• He/she does not need a visa to enter the UK;

• He/she is re-entering the UK from Ireland, Guernsey, Jersey or the Isle of Man.

HOW TO APPLY

Persons will need to apply on the UK ETA app or online, and persons can also apply on behalf of others. Please note that each traveller must get their own ETA, including children and babies.

Persons will usually get a decision within three working days, but they may get a quicker decision. Please note that it may take longer than three working days if the authorities need to make further checks. The cost for applying for an ETA is £10 per applicant.

If successful, persons will get an email confirmation advising that the application was approved. It must be noted that the ETA will be electronically linked to the passport that was used with the application and this must be the same passport used when travelling.

UPON RECEIPT OF THE ETA

The ETA will last for a period of two years. However, If the passport expires in less than two years, persons will need to get a new ETA.

Please note that persons can use it to make multiple visits to the UK. However, those persons will still need to either use an ePassport gate if they are eligible or see a Border Force officer to enter the UK. Please be aware that an ETA does not guarantee entry to the UK.

Just for completeness, please note that if refused an ETA, persons will need to apply for either a Standard Visitor visa to visit the UK; Temporary Work - Creative Worker visa to go to the UK as a creative worker; or a transit visa to transit through the UK.

I hope this helps.

John S. Bassie is a barrister/attorney-at-law who practises law in Jamaica. He is a justice of the peace, a Supreme Court-appointed mediator, a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, a chartered arbitrator, the global president of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, and a member of the Immigration Law Practitioners Association (UK). Email: lawbassie@yahoo.com