Britain’s new red tape for tourists is creating controversy
Next month, applications will open for the ETA – or Electronic Travel Authorisation – for all non-European visa-exempt nationalities who plan on travelling to the UK.
From November 27, those holding US, Australian, New Zealand and other Commonwealth passports will be able to apply online for an ETA for travel on or after January 8, 2025.
The ETA requirement will apply to all European visa-exempt nationalities for travel to the UK on or after April 2, 2025. These nationalities will be able to apply for an ETA from March 5, 2025.
Like the US ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorization), launched in 2008, and the EU’s forthcoming ETIAS, the UK’s ETA is described (disingenuously, some say, as they are visas in all but name) as a “visa-waiver scheme” and affects nationals of countries that can currently visit the UK as a holidaymaker without a full tourist visa.
For visitors from the Gulf States, the ETA is already being used, and has been welcomed as cheaper, easier and faster than the previous application process, while also opening the opportunity for repeat visits without extra bureaucracy.
But critics are concerned the scheme could deter tourists from Europe, Canada, the US and Australia – all of whom currently visit without any kind of red tape. The Channel Islands are concerned that French tourists might steer clear, while Northern Ireland fears losing tourists who visit while on holiday in Ireland. Airports claim the ETA deters transit passengers.
What is the ETA?
ETA (Electronic Travel Authorisation) is a registration scheme for people who do not need a full visa to come to the UK. It gives them permission to travel to the UK and will be linked electronically to their passport.
ETAs are valid for two years, or until a passport expires, whichever comes first. Holders can travel to the UK as many times as they wish during that time. A new passport requires a new ETA.
It will be required for tourist visits of up to six months, arrivals on the Creative Worker scheme (designed for actors, dancers, musicians and film crew members sponsored by firms) for up to three months, and to transit through the UK, even if not passing through border control.
If an individual’s ETA application is refused they will need to apply for a full visa (which costs from £100).
Who does it apply to?
ETAs are for those who do not need a full visa for short trips to the UK.
The roll-out began late last year for visitors from selected Middle Eastern countries. In November 2023, Qatari passport holders were the first to join the ETA scheme. In February 2024, nationals of Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates – the other members of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) – started to use ETAs.
However, ETAs for Jordan were cancelled as of September 10, 2024 – reportedly due to “abuse and violations” of the system by some Jordanian nationals.
From the end of next year, nationals of other visa-waiver countries, including Europeans, Canadians and Australians, will be required to apply.
How does it work?
The ETA application is online. Individuals need to provide contact details, biographic information and biometric data (a photograph of their face), as well as answer a set of suitability questions.
Possession of one will be confirmed at airport check-in; they are tied to passport numbers and no hard copy will be required.
Each traveller must have their own ETA, including children and babies.
The Government says most people will get a decision within three working days. It has produced a video to explain the process.
How much does it cost?
£10 per applicant, subject to review; £15 is already being mooted as a possible future charge. For comparison, the US ESTA costs $21 (£16).
What will the money be spent on?
The Home Office estimate for net income ranges from £180 million to £400 million per year. It hasn’t announced how the money will be spent. Set-up and IT costs for public and private sectors will be well into the millions.
The US channels US$100 million annually from the ESTA into the Travel Promotion Fund, a public-private partnership that promotes the sector. In 2018, an excess of US$60 million went directly to paying the foreign debt.
Will the ETA deter criminals?
To date, ETAs granted for Gulf and Jordan were (to the year ended June 2024) 388,021 out of 393,253 applications. The refusal rate was just 1.3 per cent.
The only grounds of refusal are either criminal convictions or previous immigration breaches. Those who are refused an ETA are asked to apply for a full visa.
The Gulf states and Jordan generally have lower crime rates than industrialised countries, and a total population of around 56 million, so the impact on the overall immigration system has been relatively small.
That said, the fact Jordan has been dropped from the system after such a short period will have raised concerns.
Will it deter visitors?
Northern Ireland and the Channel Islands (and their tourism sectors) have expressed concern about the possible impact of the ETA.
Currently, 60 per cent of foreign tourists to Northern Ireland also visit the Republic of Ireland, according to the Northern Ireland Tourism Alliance. The introduction of the ETA fee could discourage travellers from including Northern Ireland in their itineraries, meaning lost revenue.
“There is no doubt that non-Irish national/resident travellers going from Ireland to Northern Ireland will be inconvenienced by having to apply for an ETA before they travel,” says Nicolas Rollason, a partner at law firm Kingsley Napley and expert in immigration law.
“But if the application system remains relatively quick, cheap and easy, it will be a matter of ensuring proper communication with passengers coming to the Republic to ensure that they are aware of the need for an ETA.”
A scheme allowing French day-trippers to visit Jersey and Guernsey using only identity cards will end next year, when the ETA comes into force for Europeans. Impulse visits are almost certain to drop, and there is concern across the islands that tourism revenues could suffer in the long term.
ETAs will also be required by transit passengers. In August, Heathrow reported a decline of 90,000 passengers on Middle Eastern routes since the ETA scheme was introduced. Transit passengers help make long-haul routes viable and there are fears that the ETA could spell fewer flight options and higher fares.
What will happen to the data collected?
The UK Borders Agency says it will keep information “for as long as it is necessary for permitted purposes”, adding: “At the border, passenger name records data is retained for up to five years. Advance passenger information may be retained for 10 years.”
Other, more sensitive data can be held for between six and 25 years.
“The way in which data captured in the ETA will be used has caused significant concern for both data protection and civil liberties,” says Nicolas Rollason. “Electronic border management is a rapidly developing area, and the UK has made clear its intention to use other tools such as facial recognition technology to speed passengers through the UK border. While the UK says it will not retain personal data related to the ETA, the use of automated decision making which is part of the ETA scheme, and use of more intrusive technologies are a sign of things to come.
“Concerns remain about what data the UK will share with other countries, as it currently has numerous agreements to share immigration data with a range of ‘friendly’ countries for the purposes of combatting immigration breaches, serious crime and terrorism.
“The vast amount of data the UK will receive through the ETA needs to be managed carefully, with clear observance of individual data protection rights and the possibility for judicial oversight.”
Why are so many governments rolling out this electronic red tape at once?
The ETA scheme, like the ESTA, is intended to tighten border controls. The European Union is expected to introduce a similar visa-waiver called ETIAS in 2025 for all travellers to the EU, including UK nationals.
The ETIAS will require an address, passport details, current occupation, and information about past travel to conflict zones or criminal convictions. No biometric data, such as fingerprints will be collected on application, but on arrival at the border, travellers will have to provide a facial image and fingerprints as part of a separate scheme called Entry/Exit Systems (EES).
The EU says: “By providing vital information on security, irregular migration and public health, ETIAS will significantly contribute to closing existing security information gaps.”
ETIAS is expected to cost €7 and last for three years. There isn’t a confirmed date yet for the introduction of the scheme.
What about those countries outside the ETA scheme?
Many countries will still require visas to enter or transit the UK airside, including Albania, Algeria, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Pakistan, Russia and many African nations. Some countries need a visa to enter or transit landside, including Armenia, Cambodia, Ecuador and Ukraine. The full list is on the FCDO website here.
