Great News!
The number of Emirati and Gulf visitors to the UK increased significantly on Monday, when the UK government announced that the country and its GCC counterparts would be among the first to use a new electronic border system which would allow them to travel to UK visa free!
1\ The UAE will be one of the first countries under the ETA scheme. Emirati citizens will not need a visa to visit the UK from 2023 🇦🇪✈️🇬🇧
— Mansoor Abulhoul (@MansoorAbulhoul) June 27, 2022
The Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) scheme will be implemented in 2023 as part of Britain’s goal of having a fully digital border by the end of 2025.
Mansoor Abulhoul, the UAE ambassador to London, stated. “The United Arab Emirates will be granted access in the first wave of countries in the system granting Emirati nationals for the United Kingdom, a country that they love so much and spend a lot of time in,” he said. “I think this is a wonderful development. It will bring much more opportunity into the relationship.”
Travelers from Gulf countries can continue to use Electronic Visa Waivers, which can be completed online before their visit to the UK, until the introduction of ETAs in 2023.
The ETA system allows passengers visiting or transiting in Britain who do not currently require a visa for short stays or do not hold another UK visa to enter the country.
