The United Kingdom will make passing through its borders easier for passport holders of select countries.
Notably, it has added 6 nations to the list of countries eligible for its electronic travel authorisation system.
UNITED KINGDOM
A statement released by the UK government announced the move towards an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) system for selected nations.
An ETA is an electronic travel permit for travellers who do not need a visa to visit or transit through the UK for short stays.
ELIGIBLE COUNTRIES
In a significant shift in its visa policy, the UK aims to ease entry for nationals of Jordan and all the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries.
In particular, nationals of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Oman, Jordan and Bahrain will soon not need visas for entry into the UK.
Moreover, passport holders of Qatar visiting the UK have been able to enter the UK with an ETA since 15 November this year.
ELECTRONIC TRAVEL AUTHORISATIONS
Travellers from eligible countries will only need an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) to enter the UK from 22 February next year.
Under the new arrangement, eligible travellers are required to apply for an ETA, costing £10 (R 240) for travel purposes.
SHIFT IN VISA POLICY
According to GeoNews, the visa abolition initiative aims to streamline entry procedures. It will enable smoother and more accessible travel for citizens of specific nations when visiting the United Kingdom.
Travellers from the Gulf states are important to the UK, with over 790,000 Gulf visitors spending £2 billion (R 48bn) during visits in 2022.
By reducing costs and visa requirements, the ETA scheme will enable visitors from the Gulf states to easily travel to the UK. In addition, the move aims to increase business and tourism flows between these countries.
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