The UK will launch ETA by 2025

The UK government has announced the digitalisation of borders to be completed in the year 2025. This electronic revolution will introduce the UK ETA, an electronic travel authorization for foreigners traveling without a formal visa.

UK Home Secretary Priti Patel has confirmed upcoming changes to the UK’s travel visa policy. Behind the announced innovation is the prediction that the new ETA system will be able to provide the immigration system with more accurate information and thus strengthen national security.

What is the new ETA system?

The UK ETA is in line with an international trend that has been underway for several years and is in force in other countries. The government itself has highlighted how the electronic authorization refers to the ESTA of the United States.

The European Union will launch ETIAS, its digital visa waiver, in 2022.

The ETA system will work by pre-screening visitors before they arrive in the UK. Travelers will be required to form personal details, passport details and answer some questions about security.

All this will be done by completing an online ETA application form.

Applications will be automatically processed by the UK immigration artificial intelligence system. Only special cases will be manually examined by ETA immigration agents.

Most applicants will receive their approved UK ETA quickly. Travellers will be able to submit their application from the comfort of their own homes, eliminating the need to visit a UK embassy.

Part of the UK Travel Permit Requirements

The UK’s ETA is being framed in a wider immigration and travel policy. In fact, all foreign citizens will have to apply for their own permit to enter the United Kingdom.

This permit can be obtained in the form of a traditional visa or, for citizens belonging to certain countries, in the form of an ETA.

The ETA is therefore not a visa. European citizens and travellers from other countries including the US and Canada are part of the list of countries that can enter the UK visa-free.

Citizens of these countries will only need an ETA to cross the border and then enter the UK.

When will ETA UK be launched?

The UK government has planned that the ETA system will be operational by the end of 2024.

The Migration Strategy Statement published on Monday 24 May 2021 lists the basis for ETA as a delivery priority for 2021-2022.

Although the exact launch date of the ETA is not yet known, all travelers (except British and Irish citizens) will need permission to enter or transit the UK from 2025.

UK ETA validity and length of stay

Further details such as the duration of the validity of the UK ETA are yet to be announced.

However, since it is based on the US ESTA scheme, we can assume that it will be valid for at least 2 years and for multiple trips to Great Britain.

In most cases, visa-free visitors can stay in the UK for up to 180 days.

Who is eligible for the UK eTA?

ETA UK is for Europeans and all other visa-free citizens. The countries on the following list will be eligible for ETA from 2025:

European Union (EU) countries:

Other European countries (not part of the EU):

Other eligible countries:

Citizens of Antigua and Barbuda with British citizenship and employed by the crown or in British overseas territories will not need to apply for an ETA.

Travelers must meet all UK ETA requirements to travel without a visa. The ETA is designed for short stays in the UK for tourism, business or transit purposes.

Those who intend to stay in the UK long-term and/or work will need to apply for a visa or other entry permit, most likely at a UK embassy.

ETA will improve UK border control

The launch of the UK ETA is part of efforts to improve UK border control.

The ETA will provide more accurate information about the number of people travelling to the UK and the countries they are from.

Currently, the data is based on surveys carried out at ports of entry. However, this procedure does not provide precise data.

This has been demonstrated by the draft EU regulation. It was expected that 3 million Europeans would apply to stay after Brexit, the actual number to date is more than 5 million applicants. This shows that the current data on migrants are incorrect.

In addition to providing accurate data, the ETA will also make the UK an even safer destination. By screening passengers before they reach the British island, it will allow you to detect possible threats before they enter the country.