Starting from Wednesday, the 2nd of April, Electronic Travel Authorisations (ETAs) are being introduced worldwide for visitors to the UK who do not currently need a visa for short stays, or who do not already have a UK immigration status.

Maltese as well as other eligible Europeans can now apply for an ETA and will need one to travel to the UK from the 2nd of April. Eligible non-Europeans already need an ETA to travel to the UK.

The UK Government said that an ETA is a “digital permission to travel – it is not a visa and does not permit entry into the UK – it authorises a person to travel to the UK.”

It explained that an ETA currently costs £10 and permits multiple journeys to the UK for stays of up to six months at a time over two years or until the holder’s passport expires – whichever is sooner.

Information on who can get an ETA and how to apply before coming to the UK is available on GOV.UK

The easiest way to apply for an ETA is through the ‘UK ETA app’, which can be downloaded from the Google Play or Apple App Store. People can apply on GOV.UK link as above if they do not have access to a smartphone.

The UK Government said that most applicants currently get an automatic decision in minutes when applying through the UK ETA app, which means spontaneous trips to the UK are still possible.

However, it advises visitors to please allow three working days for a decision on their application, but this is to take account of the small number of cases which need further review.

Screenshot: UK Government

 

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