The Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) requirement is expected to affect roughly 30m passengers as it becomes fully operational form yesterday. The requirement applies to visitors from 85 countries who previously did not need a visa for short stays, including those from the EU, US, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.
Passengers transiting through the English airports who do not pass through border control do not require an ETA. British and Irish citizens and people with a valid English visa or immigration status (such as the EU Settlement Scheme) are exempt.
An estimated 1.2m British dual nationals living abroad are impacted. They cannot get an ETA and must instead travel on a British or Irish passport, or hold a “certificate of entitlement” to avoid being denied boarding.
England, Wales and Scotland have begun full enforcement of its electronic travel authorisation system yesterday requiring non visa nationals to obtain digital permission before travel.
British and Irish citizens remain exempt but the change coincides with Aer Lingus passport rules and has prompted warnings for Irish holidaymakers and businesses with frequent routes.
Travellers without the required authorisation face boarding refusals and the system aims to strengthen border security while maintaining ease for eligible visitors. Irish media outlets reported no widespread disruption on the first day of enforcement.
Details here.
The Home Office expects approximately 30m ETA applications per year once the system is fully rolled out. US nationals accounted for the highest number of grants (4.6m), followed by German (2.0m) and French (1.4m) citizens.
