The UK will soon require everyone to apply for permission and pay for an application to travel to the country.
Starting by the end of 2023, it will put an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) system in place for all inbound international travellers outside of Britain and Ireland. Travellers will have to put personal details, including their passport information, into an application and then pay a small fee, the exact sum of which is yet to be announced, to be authorised for travel.
The goal is to screen visitors before they arrive in the country.
“The scheme will give the UK more control of our borders, allowing us to block threats from entering the UK, whilst also providing individuals, and carriers, with more assurance at an earlier point in time about their ability to travel to the UK.The ETA will provide more accurate information regarding the number of people travelling to the UK and the countries they arrive from,” says the UK government website. “In addition to providing accurate data, ETA will also make the UK an even safer destination. By screening passengers before they reach the UK, threats can be detected earlier.”
Airlines will be tasked with checking that all passengers have been approved prior to travel, otherwise, they could be liable for a penalty charge.
The ETA will be valid for at least two years, allowing travellers to use it for multiple trips. The expectation is that the cost will be a small fee, similar to what other countries charge for pre-travel authorisation systems.
According to travelmarketreport.com, the plan is reportedly to first roll out the ETA to Gulf countries before expanding it internationally.
