The United Kingdom has introduced its Electronic Travel Authorisation programme for tourists from dozens of other nations, such as the US, Canada, and Australia.
According to AFP, the system, which was implemented on Wednesday to strengthen border security, permits qualified passengers to enter the United Kingdom with pre-travel authorisation.
In 2023, the ETA was first launched, starting with Qatar, and allows stays of up to six months within two years for £10.
In addition to the five Gulf nations it covered last year, it now includes people from over 50 more countries, including Argentina, Brazil, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea, and many Caribbean territories.
Travellers who must utilise the system can apply through an app; applications for these recently added nations opened in November of last year.
It is anticipated that the program will be expanded to include nations and territories of the European Union by April. Travellers in these areas can start requesting ETAs on March 5.
The approach applies to children and infants as well as guests who are travelling through the United Kingdom.
Those with passports from British overseas territories as well as British and Irish citizens and residents are exempt. It doesn’t change the criteria for nations like China and South Africa that already need a visa to enter the UK.
Heathrow Airport in London has rejected the plan, claiming that its implementation has decreased the number of passengers passing through the UK, hurting economic growth and making the nation “less competitive.”
The upcoming ETIAS system in Europe, which is anticipated to launch later this year, is comparable to this advancement.
The European Union version, which will cost seven euros for three years of access, would cover citizens who do not require a visa when going to 30 countries, including the UK.
Government statistics show that the US, Canada, and Australia together bring in about six million tourists to the UK each year. To improve border security, the UK government sees the ETA system as an essential first step.
