Great Britain: that costs entry from April

From America or Canada you already know it, from 2nd April tourists will need tourists from the EU, for whom there is no visa obligation, now also for trips to England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland in addition to the passport.

In essence, the ETA is a digital security check of those who come to Great Britain without a visa. Among other things, possible criminal records are queried. The British government promises that “better security controls take place to prevent abuse of our immigration system”. A successfully requested ETA entitled to several trips and stays of up to six months in a period of two years. The passport must be valid during this time.

• How does the application work?

The ETA can be applied for online via the portal of the British government or the official ETA app. Personal data must be entered, a photo of the passport must be uploaded and questions about the trip. In addition, a current passport photo is required for everyone over 9 years. Like the British Ministry of Foreign Affairs, ÖAMTC travel expert Yvette Polasek also recommends making applying for official applications. “Third -party providers often require high processing fees. The security of the application is not always guaranteed there,” said Polasek. Applying via app is the most reliable if travelers only need the ETA for themselves. If you also carry out the application for others, for example for family members, you should better use the website.

• How much does the application cost and how long is the ETA valid?

The processing fee is currently ten pounds, which is the equivalent of around twelve euros. Before the main travel time, however, an increase to £ 16 (around 19 euros) is planned. “If you are planning a trip to the United Kingdom this year, you can already apply for the ETA and thus save money,” says Polasek. The ETA is generally valid for two years, provided that the travel documents, such as the passport, do not change or do not change and can be used several times for trips to Great Britain during this period. A new ETA only has to be requested after two years. Payment is possible by credit or debit card as well as via Google and Apple Pay- however, problems with Google Pay are currently more common in the app. The expert therefore recommends that the card details prefer to enter manually.

• When should you apply for the ETA?

Since the processing of an application can take up to 72 hours, the mobility club recommends applying for the ETA no later than three days before the trip. “But as so often, in this case: the earlier, the better,” said Polasek.

• Who needs an ETA – even children and babies?

All people who own their own passport need their own ETA – including children and babies. The only exception are transit passengers who have a transit without border control (“Airside Transit”)-they do not need ETA. Whether a transit takes place without border control should be requested in good time before the trip to the airline.

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