The era of visa-free travel to the United Kingdom for Australians is over, with a new authorisation needed for all types of entry into the UK from January 8.
The smartraveller website has advised the UK is introducing Electronic Travel Authorisations (ETAs) for all visitors to the UK.
It said that from January 8, 2025, Australians who didn’t currently need a visa for short stays or didn’t already have a UK immigration status would need an ETA to travel to the UK.
Aussies travelling to the UK, can apply for an ETA, which is valid for two years, in advance from this week.
“An ETA permits multiple visits to the UK for stays of up to 6 months at a time over 2 years or until the holder’s passport expires, whichever is sooner,” the website states.
The United Kingdom Government website said an ETA , which costs around $20 for every traveller, could be used instead of a visa if you were:
- Coming to the UK for up to 6 months for tourism, visiting family and friends, business or short-term study.
- Coming to the UK for up to 3 months on the Creative Worker visa concession.
- Coming to the UK for a permitted paid engagement.
- Transiting through the UK – including if you were not going through UK border control.
The website states an ETA cannot be used to:
- Stay in the UK for longer than 6 months.
- Do paid or unpaid work for a UK company or as a self-employed person, unless you are doing a permitted paid engagement or event or work on the Creative Worker visa concession.
- Claim public funds (benefits).
- Live in the UK through frequent or successive visits.
- Marry or register a civil partnership, or give notice of marriage or civil partnership – you will need to apply for a Marriage Visitor visa.
It states the best way to apply is through the UK ETA app and advised that applicants would need:
- The passport you will travel with – not a photocopy or digital passport.
- Access to your emails.
- A credit card, debit card, Apple Pay or Google Pay
The process involves uploading or taking photos of the:
- Passport.
- Face of the person applying.
It states applicants do not need to enter travel details and approval should take around three business days.
The change comes as most European countries are planning to introduce a new European Entry/Exit System (EES) for all non-EU nationals, including Australians.
The smartraveller website said the start date for the new system would be sometime in 2025, but a specific date had yet to be announced.
It states the EES was a digital border system that registered non-EU visitors travelling into the Schengen Area of Europe (which covers 29 of the major countries in the continent).
“When entering the Schengen Area, you’ll need to have your fingerprints and photo taken. This creates a digital record that registers your biometric details. Passports will no longer be stamped,” the website states.
“You’ll need to do this on your first visit to the EU after the EES is introduced. If you visit the Schengen Area again within 3 years of creating your digital record, you’ll only need to provide either your fingerprint or photograph at the border on entry and exit.
“This process should only take a few minutes per person, however you may experience longer queues at borders when the new system starts.”
