The United Kingdom has expanded the electronic travel authorisation (ETA) scheme to include nationals from the Gulf Cooperation (GCC) countries and Jordan.
As part of this initiative, starting from February 22, 2024, citizens of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Jordan will be able to make their travel experience to the UK cheaper and smoother, VisaGuide.World reports.
The ETA scheme replaces electronic visa waivers (EVW), and by the end of the year, it will apply to all foreigners who are not required to obtain a visa to enter the UK.
Along with Qatar citizens, who have been the first able to apply for their ETA since October 25, 2023, citizens of the six countries mentioned above will soon be able to make unlimited visits to the UK for periods of more than two years or until their passport expires, whichever comes first.
The application fee for the ETA is only £10, which represents a significantly lower amount compared to the previous charges, where nationals of Gulf countries paid £30, and nationals of Jordan paid £115 for a single-use visitor visa.
Visitors from the Gulf countries have been pivotal to the economy of the UK. In 2022 alone, they contribute £2 million to the country during their stays.
ETA is part of the government’s efforts to transform as well as digitize the border and immigration system, while at the same time ensuring a seamless experience for visitors.
As the UK authorities note, the security checks carried out on visitors pre-travel help them to strengthen the country’s border, prevent any abuse, and enhance safety.
Highlighting the importance of the strong people-to-people links, the UK Home Secretary, James Cleverly, said that this scheme is an important step towards UK’s position as a leader in border innovation and security.
The ETA will improve the experience of travelling to the UK for the thousands of visitors from the Gulf and Jordan, who represent our second largest tourism market and contribute billions to the UK economy.
VisitBritain CEO Patricia Yates also praised the expansion of the ETA scheme. She said that the scheme will make travel to the UK cheaper, easier, and more accessible for Gulf nationals and Jordanians.
Combined with our strong airline connections, the scheme boosts our competitive tourism offer and our welcome to visitors.
The application for an ETA is simple and fast. The procedure is completely digital via a mobile phone app. Applicants are required to provide biographic and biometric information and answer questions on sustainability and criminality. The processing of the application is usually made within three working days, often within hours.
UK’s ETA scheme will eventually apply worldwide to everyone who does not currently need a visa to visit or transit through the UK. The expansion of the scheme to include other nationalities will be confirmed in due course.