United Kingdom: Roll-out of Electronic Travel Authorisation for Visa-Exempt Travellers to Begin January 2023

• Purpose of ETA. The ETA is not a visa but a digital travel authorisation for visa-exempt travellers visiting the United Kingdom. It is comparable to the ESTA in the United States.
• Phases. The first phase is expected to be a beta testing phase (Q1 2023); the second phase is expected to apply to nationals of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (Q1 through late Q3); the last phase is expected to apply the system to the rest of the world (Q2 on). It is not clear how the government will announce the transition between phrases – Fragomen will be monitoring this.
• Who needs to apply?  Non-British and non-Irish citizens (“visa-exempt nationals”) will need to get ETA before visiting or transiting through the United Kingdom (i.e. those who do not require a visa in advance of travel to the United Kingdom, who can simply enter using only their passport). Examples include Australia, Canada, European Economic Area member states, Japan, New Zealand, and the United States, among other countries. The ETA will not apply to those who have obtained a UK visa prior to traveling to the United Kingdom (“visa nationals”), as they will have already completed an application. Examples include China, India, Pakistan, and South Africa, among other countries.
  • Exemptions. Those with UK and Irish passports and individuals who hold immigration permission within the United Kingdom, will be exempt (i.e. holders of Skilled Worker, Global Business Mobility and Student visas as well as those with status under the EU Settlement Scheme, among others).
• How to apply. The application must be completed online before travelling to visit the United Kingdom. The process should take less than 15 minutes and a decision provided within 78 hours.
• Cost. The cost of getting ETA is yet to be confirmed. However, this should be competitive in line with the cost of the ESTA (USD 20) ETIAS (EUR 5). This is a relatively low cost in comparison to the standard UK immigration fees.
• Validity. Although the government has not yet published further information, it is expected that ETA once given will be valid for two years. Successful applicants will be able to travel to the United Kingdom throughout this period, without applying for further ETAs each time.

Employers should ensure that employees complete applications seeking ETA before travelling to the United Kingdom for business or for cross-border travel, once the system is implemented.

The government is launching this system to increase tracking of overstays of visa-exempt travellers and to strengthen the control and compliance of UK borders.

The European Union is also expected to launch a similar scheme in November 2023 – the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS).