Those looking to visit the UK—which includes the countries of England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland—will soon need to pay an extra entry fee with the country’s new Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) system.
Starting in 2024, those without a visa will need to obtain an Electronic Travel Authorization which will give the traveler permission to enter the country and will charge a fee.
The cost of the permit will be £10 (around $12.50) and “will permit multiple journeys and be valid for two years or until the holder’s passport expires—whichever is sooner.”
Visitors will be allowed to stay up to 180 days in the UK and can visit any part of the region once the ETA is obtained.
The application will ask for basic personal information, travel details, passport data, and some security information, much like the physical paperwork international travelers fill out on the plane and hand to border control when they land.
The paperwork will process within 48 to 72 hours and will be electronically linked to the traveler’s passport.
Requirements for Qatari nationals begin on October 25, 2023, for citizens of Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia on February 1, 2024, and full roll out for the rest of the world by the end of 2024.
A similar system will also be required for travelers into the European Schengen Zone starting in 2024 as part of a plan to fully digitize the borders by 2025.
To learn more about the UK’s ETA, check out the fact sheet here.
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