The United Kingdom is gradually introducing a new travel authorization called the ETA UK. Travellers from continental European countries will also have to apply for an ETA to travel to the United Kingdom in the future. The first phase of introducing the ETA has now been successfully completed. Some 100,000 applications have already been processed.
What is the ETA UK?
The ETA is an electronic travel authorisation for the United Kingdom. Travellers can apply for the ETA online by filling out a digital form. You then have to pay the fee and upload a copy of the passport as well as a photograph of each traveller. By making it a requirement to apply for an ETA, UK authorities can check inbound travellers even before departure. The ETA does this largely automatically, which means the travel authorisation contributes to faster and smoother checks on arrival in the UK. The introduction of the ETA UK is gradual and the travel authorisation will soon be mandatory for travellers from continental Europe as well.
Successful first phase of ETA introduction
The ETA has already been partially introduced. All travellers with passports from Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia or the United Arab Emirates must apply for an ETA if they want to travel to the United Kingdom. This requirement was introduced in late 2023. In March 2024, the UK Immigration Department announced that 100,000 ETA applications had been processed so far. The systems seem to be working smoothly and there have not been any reports of potential problems encountered by airlines or customs staff. Still, not everyone is happy with the UK government's plans.
When will ETA become mandatory for Europeans?
Continental Europeans will soon also have to apply for an ETA before leaving for the United Kingdom. Previously, there was talk of an introduction at the end of 2024, but it is unclear whether this will be achieved. A recent statement from the UK government made it clear that they could not confirm that the ETA will actually become mandatory for travellers from other countries by the end of 2024. The government only mentioned that there will be an announcement in due course about when more travellers will be obligated to apply for an ETA. For now, Europeans are still allowed to travel to the UK without an ETA or visa.
Because travellers from mainland Europe account for a large proportion of the total number of visitors to the UK, millions of ETA applications will need to be processed each year in the future. As the processing involves a lot of sensitive personal data, the necessary security measures must be put in place. The further rollout of the ETA UK must therefore be handled carefully. This explains why the UK government is still somewhat cautious about the further introduction of ETA.
Some concerns remain
Not everyone is happy with the introduction of the ETA UK. In future, for instance, the ETA will also be mandatory for travellers only travelling to the United Kingdom for a transfer. These travellers will face higher costs and more bureaucracy. The major airports, such as Heathrow, fear that this will make them lose their role as key transit hubs to mainland European airports. Heathrow is currently a popular transit hub for flights across the Atlantic.
There has also been criticism from various organisations within the tourism industry, particularly those in Northern Ireland. At present, most visitors to Northern Ireland tour around the entire island of Ireland, often arriving at the airport in Dublin, in the Republic of Ireland. In the future, these travellers will have to apply for an ETA UK to enter Northern Ireland, while no travel authorisation is required for the Republic of Ireland. Northern Ireland's tourism industry fears that this will make tourists more likely to skip Northern Ireland during their tour. It is still unclear whether and how travellers will be checked for holding an ETA in this instance.