
Travel and Border Information
To further strengthen the UK border everyone wishing to travel to the UK (except British and Irish citizens) will need permission to travel in advance – through either an ETA or an eVisa. This will increase our knowledge of those seeking to come to the UK, strengthen our border and improve processing of arriving passengers. This will pave the way for increased automation and deliver our vision for a contactless border.
eVisa – eVisas are replacing physical immigration documents as part of our digitisation of the immigration system. This process is already underway and millions of people in the UK who applied for their visa through the EU Settlement Scheme or used the ID Check app already have an eVisa. Customers in the UK who currently use a physical immigration document should take action now at www.gov.uk/eVisa to create a UKVI account to access their eVisa.
Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) – provides permission to travel to the UK for up to 6 months for tourism, business or transit. The scheme is open for nationals of Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, who need an ETA to travel to the UK. Other nationalities cannot and do not need to apply yet.
UK transition from physical immigration
documents to eVisas
The UK is transitioning from physical immigration documents to eVisas. This change impacts those who currently use physical immigration documents such as biometric residence permits (BRPs), passports containing visa vignette stickers and ink stamps, or biometric residence cards (BRCs), to enter the United Kingdom. Visa holders are encouraged to visit www.gov.uk/eVisa to learn what steps they need to take, BRP holders should do so before most BRPs expire on 31 December 2024.
Key points to note:
If you are a visa holder who lives in the UK and uses a physical immigration document to prove your rights, you should take action now to create a UK Visas and Immigration account to access your eVisa. Find out more at: www.gov.uk/eVisa.
The move to an eVisa will not impact your underlying immigration status.
Until the end of 2024, you will need to continue to carry your physical document when you travel, if you have one.
Visa holders who already have an eVisa should tell the Home Office about any passport they intend to use for travel if it is not already linked to their UKVI account. They can do this using the ‘Update your UK Visas and Immigration account details’ service www.gov.uk/update-uk-visas-immigration-account-details
GM Cruise ETA Event Handout BF
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