The United Kingdom will require electronic authorization to enter its territory for tourists of nationalities currently exempt from visa requirements, such as Brazilians.
According to the British government, the new rule will be in effect until the end of 2024.
Foreigners who already need a visa today will not need the new document.
Officially called ETA (Electronic Travel Authorisation), the form must be filled out online and will work as a kind of application for the stay in the country made by the traveler before boarding.
According to Travel and Leisure magazine, based on the passenger’s information, such as passport data, personal identification, and security history, an automated system should issue a response within 48 to 72 hours.
The approval must be checked by airlines before boarding and border officials on arrival in the UK.
Travelers with British or Irish citizenship are exempt from this process.
ETA aims to increase border control and thus contain “threats” before they can enter the country.
Fraud in the ETA scheme will be considered a crime and, therefore, can be punished accordingly.
If airlines transport passengers without valid documents, they will also be fined.
The British government has not yet defined the fees for obtaining the permit, its validity, or details of how the application will work.
Since 2022, the UK has already eliminated the need for visas for travelers from Gulf Cooperation Council countries – Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, and Oman – but has started to require the EVW (Electronic Visa Waiver), a digital form that allows the passenger to enter.
The document costs £30 and must be issued within three months to 48 hours before travel.
Currently, it is valid for six months.
The ETA is expected to work in a similar way, as will the ETIAS, an authorization that will be valid for entry into the territory of European Union member countries in 2023 and will cost €7.
With information form UOL