According to the latest news, the UK government is gearing up to lift visa requirements for nationals coming from the GCC states and other neighbouring countries.
The UK government announced a major change to the visa criteria for GCC nationals.
The Government plans to eliminate all visa requirements for the citizens of Saudi Arabia, Oman, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Jordan, and UAE.
As a result, citizens of these countries will be issued an Electronic Travel Authorization valid for two years for only £10 or $12. Surprisingly, it allows travellers from the Gulf and Jordan to enjoy the same entry rights as American and Australian citizens.
UK Visa Rule Change
Did you know GCC nationals had to pay £30 or $37 to apply for a document to visit the UK?
Interestingly, the announcement about changing the visa rule came on the official website of the UK government.
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It confirmed that citizens of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states and Jordan will be able to apply for an ETA to enter the UK by paying £10. It further added that an ETA would give holders a chance to visit the UK several times in the two-year validity period.
Gulf nationals currently need to pay £30 to visit the UK under the Electronic Visa Waiver (EVW) scheme. Similarly, Jordanians have to pay £100 for a visit visa.
The new visa scheme for Qatari citizens will be launched in October 2023. Moreover, it will be further expanded for other GCC states and Jordanians in February 2024 before becoming accessible worldwide over the year.
Completing the application process to obtain an ETA will be very easy and fast since everything will be done online on a mobile app.
Applicants will be required to submit biometric and biographic information, like a digital photo. They’ll also be asked a few suitability questions.
We hope you found this information helpful. Follow our blogs for the latest updates and informative content on UK immigration.
