UAE, GCC, and Jordanian tourists will find it easier and less expensive to visit the UK

 The UK's new two-year, Dh45.50 electronic travel authorization (ETA) scheme is available.

With the introduction of the new Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) programme, travel to the UK will soon be more affordable and simple for Emiratis and citizens of Jordan and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states. The ETA scheme will cost only £10 (Dh45.50) per passenger.

Under the current Electronic Visa Waiver (EVW) programme, tourists from the UAE, Qatar, Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Saudi Arabia pay £30 (Dh137) every visit, but Jordanians must pay £100 (Dh456) for a visit visa.

The new ETA is a digital travel authorization for people transiting through or travelling to the UK who do not require a visa for short visits or who do not already have a valid UK visa. They will all be permitted to go to the UK several times within the next two years thanks to the revised ETA.

With the implementation of the ETA scheme, the visa requirements for citizens of Jordan and the GCC will be consistent with those for other visitors, such as those from the US and Australia.

In order to further improve border security and the consumer experience, the UK border will be fully digitalized by 2025.

What time will it launch?

The new programme will be made available to citizens of Qatar in October this year, the rest of the GCC countries, and Jordan in February 2024, and then it will be open to all people throughout the world starting in January 2025, according to a post on the UK government website on Tuesday.

How can I apply for an ETA?

An ETA application will be quick and easy to complete, and it will be done fully online using a website or mobile app. People must provide biographical and biometric information, including a digital photo, and respond to a series of questions about their suitability, in order to apply.

Support for Tourism

"Visitors from the Gulf states and Jordan make a huge contribution to the UK's tourism industry, and the new ETA scheme will make it easier and less expensive for them to travel to the UK," said UK Immigration Minister Robert Jenrick.

"I'm delighted that our partners across the Gulf and Jordan will be the first to benefit from the UK's new ETA scheme," said Lord Ahmad, Minister of State for the Middle East, North Africa, and South Asia. This programme serves as another evidence of the UK and the region's strong connection.

With approximately 790,000 Gulf travellers spending almost £2 billion (Dh9.12 billion) during their stays in the UK last year, travellers from the region have a significant economic impact on the UK.