Visa Alone No Longer Guarantees Entry Into The – UK

The United Kingdom (UK) has changed its travel rules for those intending to enter the nation.

On Monday, September 4, the United Kingdom declared that Nigerians and other citizens, with the exception of British and Irish nationals, who seek to enter the country must apply for Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA). The new rule will go into effect on November 15, 2023, and will apply to everyone, including children.

The new travel rule requires all visa applicants who plan to visit the United Kingdom to get an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) card before entering or transiting the country.

According to the United Kingdom home office, those who require the travel permit include those who were previously entitled to visit the United Kingdom without a visa but are no longer legally resident in the United Kingdom.

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ETA also includes those on shorter-than-six-month stays, business people, tourists, and those visiting family and friends. Before booking any trip to the UK, applicants must apply online. Once issued, it will be valid for several journeys over the next two years or until the applicant’s passport expires.

According to the UK Home Office, passengers with legal visas may be denied boarding if they do not have a valid ETA, as the ETA is digitally linked to their passports.

A statement from the UK office reads: “The UK travel requirements are changing. Except for British and Irish citizens, everyone, including children who enter or transit through the UK, will soon require permission before they travel.

“This means that if you were previously eligible to visit the UK without a visa and not already legally resident in the UK, you will need an electronic travel authorisation (ETA), your stay must be shorter than six months and could include tourism or visiting family and friends, transit, business, and short term study.

“You do not need to show a paper copy, but it may be helpful to prove the confirmation email for your own records while an ETA grants you permission to travel to the UK, it does not grant you entry. So, you would still need to go through passport control at the border to enter the UK. “Make sure you show the same passport you used to apply for your ETA and that your passport is valid for the whole of your stay.”