With the introduction of the new Electronic Travel Authorisation( ETA)scheme, traveling to the UK will soon become more accessible and cheaper for Emiratis and nationals from Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)states and Jordan, which will cost only £10 (Dh45.50) per traveler.
Presently, travelers to the UK from the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain, and Saudi Arabia, are paying £30 ( Dh137) per visit under the Electronic Visa Waiver (EVW) scene. At the same time, Jordanians are required to pay £100( Dh456) for a visit visa.
The new ETA is a digital permission to travel for those traveling through ten UK who do not need a visa for shoddy stays or who do not currently hold another UK visa. With the new ETA, they will be permitted to visit the UK multiple times for around two years.
Moreover, the move to the ETA scheme means that the visa requirement for nationals from GCC states and Jordan will be in queue with other visitors from the US and Australia.
However, the new ETA scheme is also part of digitizing the UK border by 2025 to enhance border security and customer experience further.
When is the launch?
According to a Tuesday post on the UK government website, the new scheme will be available for Qatari nationals in October this year. It will be available for the other GCC states and Jordan from February 2024, ahead of a worldwide expansion next year.
How to apply for ETA?
The application process for an ETA will be simple and fast, as the process is entirely digital and is performed through a website or mobile phone app. To apply, individuals must provide a biography and biometric details like digital photographs and answer suitability questions.
Contribution to tourism:
Uk Immigration Minister Robert Jenrick noted, “Tourists from the Gulf states and Jordan make a huge contribution to the tourism industry if the UK and the new ETA scheme make it easier and cheaper for them to travel to the UK.”
Moreover, Minister of State For the Middle East, North Africa, and South Asai Lord Ahmad added,” I am delighted that our partners across the Gulf and Jordan will be the first to benefit from the new ETA scheme of the UK. This scheme further will prove a strong partnership between the UK and countries across the region”.
Visitors from the region benefit the UK economy, with around 790,000 Gulf visitors spending around £2 billion ( Dh9.12 billion) during their stays in the UK last year.
With the introduction of the new Electronic Travel Authorisation( ETA)scheme, traveling to the UK will soon become more accessible and cheaper for Emiratis and nationals from Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)states and Jordan, which will cost only £10 (Dh45.50) per traveler.
Presently, travelers to the UK from the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain, and Saudi Arabia, are paying £30 ( Dh137) per visit under the Electronic Visa Waiver (EVW) scene. At the same time, Jordanians are required to pay £100( Dh456) for a visit visa.
The new ETA is a digital permission to travel for those traveling through ten UK who do not need a visa for shoddy stays or who do not currently hold another UK visa. With the new ETA, they will be permitted to visit the UK multiple times for around two years.
Moreover, the move to the ETA scheme means that the visa requirement for nationals from GCC states and Jordan will be in queue with other visitors from the US and Australia.
However, the new ETA scheme is also part of digitizing the UK border by 2025 to enhance border security and customer experience further.
When is the launch?
According to a Tuesday post on the UK government website, the new scheme will be available for Qatari nationals in October this year. It will be available for the other GCC states and Jordan from February 2024, ahead of a worldwide expansion next year.
How to apply for ETA?
The application process for an ETA will be simple and fast, as the process is entirely digital and is performed through a website or mobile phone app. To apply, individuals must provide a biography and biometric details like digital photographs and answer suitability questions.
Contribution to tourism:
Uk Immigration Minister Robert Jenrick noted, “Tourists from the Gulf states and Jordan make a huge contribution to the tourism industry if the UK and the new ETA scheme make it easier and cheaper for them to travel to the UK.”
Moreover, Minister of State For the Middle East, North Africa, and South Asai Lord Ahmad added,” I am delighted that our partners across the Gulf and Jordan will be the first to benefit from the new ETA scheme of the UK. This scheme further will prove a strong partnership between the UK and countries across the region”.
Visitors from the region benefit the UK economy, with around 790,000 Gulf visitors spending around £2 billion ( Dh9.12 billion) during their stays in the UK last year.
