On 10 September 2024, the government provided an important update on the rollout of the Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) scheme.
Non-visa nationals (excluding those from the EEA) will now require an ETA to enter the UK from 8 January 2025. EEA nationals will require an ETA from 2 April 2025.
Below we take a look at key questions that visitors to the UK should bear in mind as the scheme is rolled out.
Who needs an ETA and when do applications open?
The Home Office previously suggested that all visitors to the UK (excluding Irish nationals, those who require a visa to enter the UK, or those hold an alternative immigration status) would require an ETA by the end of 2024.
We now know that the ETA scheme will not be fully rolled out until April 2025, but that non-EEA visitors who fall within the scheme will require an ETA from 8 January 2025.
Nationals of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates already require an ETA for visits to the UK.
For visits starting on or after 8 January 2025, visitors who are nationals of the following countries – among others - will require an ETA:
- Australia
- Canada
- Japan
- New Zealand
- USA
The full list of nationalities is available on the Government website. Applications for visitors from these countries will open on 27 November 2024.
From 2 April 2025, visitors from the European Economic Area and Switzerland will also require an ETA. A full list of nationalities to which the scheme will be rolled out in April 2025 is available on the Government website.
EEA and Swiss visitors can apply for an ETA from 5 March 2025.
If I live in Ireland, do I need an ETA to come to the UK?
Legal residents of Ireland who are neither Irish nor British nationals will not require an ETA to come to the United Kingdom. However, they will need to be able to show evidence of lawful residence in Ireland if requested by an Immigration Officer. People travelling to the UK from Ireland who are not lawfully resident in Ireland will require an ETA. The date from which they require an ETA will depend on their country of nationality.
What is the application process like?
The ETA application process has already been rolled out for nationals of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
The ETA application process is intended to be quick, ‘light touch’ and is entirely digital. Applicants can apply via the UK ETA app or online on the Home Office website. Applications made on someone else’s behalf can only be made online.
Applicants need to have their passport, email account and a payment method to hand to complete the application. The application process involves paying a fee, providing contact and passport details, uploading a photo of the applicant’s face and passport and answering a set of questions.
The Government aims to process applications in 3 working days, but it can take longer.
The scheme is being rolled out to a much larger number of visitors from January and so we would recommend applying as early as possible to avoid travel disruption if you plan to visit the UK in early 2025. For those who will need an ETA for travel on or after 8 January, applications can be made from 27 November 2024.
How much will an ETA cost?
An ETA currently costs £10. This fee is non-refundable once the application has been submitted.
How long will an ETA be valid for?
Once obtained, an ETA is valid for two years or until the individual’s passport expires, whichever is sooner, and is valid for multiple trips. If the individual gets a new passport, they will also require to obtain a new ETA.
What will happen if an ETA application is refused?
If you apply for an ETA and have your application refused, you can apply for a visa to enter the UK. You will not be able to appeal the refusal of the ETA.
An application for an ETA may be refused, for example, if the applicant has previously breached UK immigration law or has a criminal record.
To help illustrate the scheme, we have provided some case studies below.
Case Studies
Australian Tourist
Jenny is an Australian citizen who is planning a holiday in Edinburgh in June 2025. She will need an ETA for her trip. She can apply from 27 November 2024.
EU National
Johanna is a German national who lives in Munich. She is planning a long weekend in London in February 2025 and will also be visiting Scotland for a week in August 2025. She is expecting she will come to the UK to attend her sister’s university graduation in 2027. Johanna’s passport expires in April 2026.
Johanna does not need an ETA for her first trip, because she is travelling to the UK before 2 April 2025. She will need to apply for an ETA before her second trip in August, and can do so from March 2025.
Assuming her application is granted, Johanna will be granted an ETA valid until her passport expires in 2026. She will need to apply for a new ETA once she has renewed her passport in order to travel to the UK in 2027.
Qatari Visitor
Wissam is a Qatari national living in Doha. His brother recently moved to the UK and Wissam is planning to visit him once or twice per year. Wissam will require an ETA to travel to the UK and can apply now.
US Citizen with Irish Work Permit
Zach is a US citizen who has a work permit to live in Ireland. He intends to travel to Edinburgh for a friend’s wedding in July 2025. Zach will not need an ETA because he has permission to live and work in Ireland. However, he must be able to show evidence of his lawful residence in Ireland, if asked to do so by the UK immigration authorities. Zach should travel to the UK with his Irish work permit.
Visa National
Priya is an Indian national who is planning to visit family in the UK in the summer of 2025. Priya, as an Indian national, will need a visitor visa to enter the UK, and therefore does not fall under the ETA scheme.
For legal advice and Visa support to start your journey to the UK, contact Thorntons specialist Immigration Law team on +44 3330 430350 or complete an online enquiry and a member of the team will contact you.
