Home Office
An Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) is required by specified nationals in advance of travel to the UK.
The holder of an ETA will need to obtain permission to enter on arrival in the UK but can be refused entry if they require an ETA and do not have one.
An application for an ETA may be granted through automated processing. A person who is refused an ETA has not been refused permission to enter the UK and will need to apply for a visa if they wish to come to the UK.
The ETA application process will open on 25 October 2023 only for Qatari nationals who intend to travel to the UK on or after 15 November 2023.
The ETA application process will open on 1 February 2024 only for nationals of Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, United Arab Emirate or Saudi Arabia who intend to travel to the UK on or after 22 February 2024.
- ETA 1.1. An application for an ETA must meet the following requirements:
- (a)the application must be made in accordance with the application process on the gov.uk website using either the mobile application UK ETA or the specified online form: Apply for an ETA to come to the UK; and
- (b)the applicant must provide an email address which can be used by the Home Office to contact them; and
- (c)the required fee must be paid; and
- (d)the applicant must provide, in accordance with the application process, a passport which satisfactorily establishes their identity and nationality; and
- (e)the applicant must provide a facial image in accordance with the application process and which complies with the rules for digital photos on https://www.gov.uk/photos-for-passports; and
- (f)the applicant must be seeking permission to enter the UK as either:
- (i)a Visitor (other than a Marriage/Civil Partnership Visitor), staying in the UK for up to 6 months; or
- (ii)a Creative Worker who is seeking entry to the UK pursuant to paragraph Appendix Temporary Work - Creative Worker at CRV 3.2.
- ETA 1.2. The applicant must be:
- (a)a national of Qatar who intends to travel to the UK on or after 15 November 2023; or
- (b)a national of Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, United Arab Emirates or Saudi Arabia who intends to travel to the UK on or after 22 February 2024.
ETA 1.3. An applicant who is lawfully resident in the Republic of Ireland and is travelling to the UK from elsewhere in the Common Travel Area does not need to obtain an ETA.
ETA 1.4. For the purposes of ETA 1.3, a person is lawfully resident in the Republic of Ireland if they are resident in, and entitled to reside in, the Republic of Ireland under any relevant legislation or rules which apply in the Republic of Ireland at the time of the ETA application, but a person is not lawfully resident if they may not leave or attempt to leave the Republic of Ireland without the consent of an Irish Minister.
ETA 1.5. An application which does not meet the validity requirements for an ETA application is invalid and must be rejected and not considered.
ETA 1.6. A person who is aged 16 or over who is seeking to rely on the exemption in ETA 1.3 must, if required, provide evidence to demonstrate that they are lawfully resident in the Republic of Ireland.
ETA 1.7. A person who is a British Overseas Territory Citizen does not require an ETA.
- ETA 2.1. An application for an ETA must be refused where:
- (a)the Secretary of State has personally directed that the applicant be excluded from the UK; or
- (b)the applicant is the subject of an exclusion order; or
- (c)the applicant is the subject of a deportation order, or a decision to make a deportation order.
- ETA 2.2. An application for an ETA must be refused where the applicant:
- (a)has been convicted of a criminal offence in the UK or overseas for which they have received a custodial sentence of 12 months or more; or
- (b)has been convicted of a criminal offence in the UK or overseas unless more than 12 months have passed since the date of conviction.
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