This blog talks about the UK’s plans to unveil a new travel scheme to strengthen border security and add efficiency to the immigration system for legitimate travellers. The UK is all set to launch a new Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) scheme for people visiting from Qatar in October 2023.
It seems that people visiting the UK from Jordan and the Gulf Cooperation Council States will be the first to enjoy the benefits of the new ETA scheme before it is expanded to other countries in 2024. People visiting the UK from Qatar will be the first to go for an ETA in October 2023.
It is important to note that submitting an application for an ETA in advance will allow visitors to travel efficiently. This is because the application process will be fast and fully digitized, enabling the majority of visitors to apply through a mobile app. Plus, they will receive swift decisions on their ETA applications. Moreover, the cost of an ETA will be the same as other international schemes with a validity period of 2 years, permitting approved applicants to visit the UK multiple times.
This scheme is also aimed at strengthening border security by running checks on visitors before they enter the UK.
In addition to this, applicants will have to give biometric details and respond to a few suitability questions during the application process. This will allow the authorities to collect sufficient information about people interested in UK travel, ultimately preventing dangerous people from entering the country.
According to the Immigration Minister, Robert Jenrick, protecting the UK border is one of the top priorities of the current government.
Electronic Travel Authorization will improve border security by allowing authorities to learn about people interested in travelling to the UK. As a result, the authorities can easily identify those who pose a threat to the country’s security. Plus, it will add efficiency to the system for legitimate visitors.
It should be noted that visitors from Jordan and the remaining Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states will be able to apply for an ETA from February 2024. Don’t forget that the implementation of this scheme will remove the existing Electronic Visa Waiver (EVW) Scheme for which visitors from GCC states are required to pay a lot of money to get permission for a single visit to the UK.
Moreover, ETAs will become a mandatory requirement by the end of 2024 for visitors from every country in the world, including Europe, who don’t have to get a visa to visit the UK for a short period.
Currently, visitors from Europe and countries like the US and Australia are not required to submit any visa application for UK travel. But this will change after the introduction of ETAs.
Furthermore, Irish and British nationals will not have to get Electronic Travel Authorization to travel to the UK. However, those entering the UK through Ireland would still have to fulfill the UK immigration requirements, which include obtaining an ETA. On the other hand, legal residents of Ireland travelling to the UK from the Common Travel Area will not need an ETA.
We hope you found this information helpful. Follow our blogs for the latest updates and informative content on UK immigration.
