The ETA – Electronic Travel Authorisation – is a visa waiver that must be applied for online in advance of travel to the UK.
Since January 8th it has been compulsory for all non-EU citizens arriving in the UK (with the obvious exception of UK nationals). There is no exemption for non-EU nationals who live in an EU country – so for example Americans in France now need it for a weekend trip to London.
However on Friday a slight relaxation to the rule was announced – for passengers transitting the UK.
The original version of the law stated that the ETA was required for all non-EU arrivals – even if they were just transiting through the UK on a connecting flight.
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In a statement, the government said: “Following feedback from the aviation industry, the government has agreed a temporary exemption for passengers who transit airside, and therefore do not pass through UK border control.”
While the Home Office insists “the exemption will be kept under review,” few in the aviation industry believe that the demand for an online permit for connecting travellers will ever be brought back.
The requirement for transit passengers was a particular source of fury for Heathrow Airport, which is a major hub for transit flights and which estimated the change would cost it 4 million passengers a year.
The rest of the requirements for ETA remain in place – the visa waiver must be applied for online in advance, and passengers who have not completed one will be denied boarding to their plane/train/ferry.
The scheme will be extended to all EU citizens from April, with the exception of Irish nationals.
The ETA – which costs £10 and lasts for two years – is required for all travellers, including children and babies travelling with their parents and anyone with a UK spouse.
Find the full explanation of how it works HERE.
This post was originally published on here
