Applications opened today for EU and European Economic Area (EEA) countries to apply for a new travel document that will allow visitors into the UK. The Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) was enforced from January 8 for all US and non-EU/EEA citizens, however it will be expanded from April 2 to include these extra 30 countries. The ETA is designed for brief stays in the UK, encompassing tourism, business, study, or permitted paid engagements lasting less than six months.
It costs ￡10 and is non-refundable and applications must be completed online or via the official app. For those in a hurry, the app is recommended as it only takes 10 minutes to process. Applicants are required to upload photos of themselves and their passports and answer questions about their reasons for visiting the UK. The entire process takes approximately 20 minutes and must be completed in one sitting.
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Decisions typically arrive within three days, although it may take longer. Travellers are still permitted to journey to the UK while their application is being processed.
However, approval of an ETA does not guarantee automatic entry into the UK; visitors must still pass through passport control and can be denied entry by Border Force.
In an effort to tighten border security, the Home Office is warning travellers against using third-party websites for the new Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) application due to potential overcharging and safety concerns.
Officials said the scheme allows for "more robust security checks [to be] carried out before people begin their journey to the UK", strengthening measures against "abuse of our immigration system".
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