UK rolling out Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA)

[MEL_Traveller]

Thanks! that’s cleared up a lot of questions, which weren’t covered on the uk’s own official website! I see the uk says you can check your eVisa status - which can be used as proof of entitlement - at anytime as long as you have a UKVI log in.

Is that system up and running? Because otherwise everyone should have one of those if they intend to travel and don’t have the other documents or a passport?

 

[VPS]

This is referring to the UK transitioning the Identity Card for Foreign Nationals (publicly referred to as Biometric Residence Permits) to Electronic Visas without making sure that the e-visa system actually works for everyone.

Similarly EU/EEA citizens who have obtained Settled Status from when the UK was in the EU, have no physical way to prove this status.

People who can't get their e-Visa to show up will therefore have problems travelling to the UK until the responsible government agency fixes things.

Thanks - that was what I was reading about and I couldn't remember the details

 

[Zero]

Thanks! that’s cleared up a lot of questions, which weren’t covered on the uk’s own official website! I see the uk says you can check your eVisa status - which can be used as proof of entitlement - at anytime as long as you have a UKVI log in.

Is that system up and running? Because otherwise everyone should have one of those if they intend to travel and don’t have the other documents or a passport?

It's basically similar to Australia's system where non-citizens travel with only their passport and all the visa info is held online (and needs to be verified in real time at check in etc)

The system is operational but like with all new IT projects it isn't working perfectly for everybody. Apparently you can still use your (expired) residence card/permit to travel if it isn't working for you but airlines might not accept that.

Unlike Australia which has a universal visa system the UK seems to have three different databases for now - ETA for tourists from formerly visa-exempt countries, EUSS system for EU/EEA citizens who have retained EU rights, and eVisa for other long-term residents. Also short-term (<6 months) visa holders seem to still be getting physical stickers in their passports.

 

[Leccy]

How is check in coping? Are airlines doing that annoying thing where they insist you use self-service machines which tell you to seek assistance every time? Or have they got it working.

 

[Askance]

I used the UK ETA app today, despite seeing its reviews in Google Play store. While its cool that it can read the biometric info on your passport, the design of the rest of the app and its error handling sucks. Ended up having to do it via the browser and they tried multiple times to push me to the app. Um , no thanks.
Compared to the Canadian ETA, which i also did this week, the UK version is abysmal.

 

[mel-world]

Anyone seen any update on the European version? Due to start in May but has been delayed already a few times.

 

[OZDUCK]

Anyone seen any update on the European version? Due to start in May but has been delayed already a few times.

Would seem that it possibly may, but probably not, come in late this year but no time frame announced. The official site says

ETIAS is currently not in operation and will not start in the first half of 2025. The European Union will inform about the start of ETIAS several months prior to its launch.​

-

ETIAS

Official EU website on ETIAS, the new travel authorisation for visa-exempt travellers to enter 30 European countries.

travel-europe.europa.eu

 

[I love to travel]

Anyone seen any update on the European version? Due to start in May but has been delayed already a few times.

I believe delayed until next year.

 

[RB001]

Anyone seen any update on the European version? Due to start in May but has been delayed already a few times.

One can quite reliably say definitely not May, therefore almost zero chance of it being required in 2025.
It's the EU, so there's a process - EES needs to be running first for a number of months, and even it doesn't have a confirmed start date! Only then will the ETIAS process begin; even then there will be a transition period.

 

[VPS]

The biggest annoyance I had was when I had to take my photo and it just wouldn’t accept it.

I got quite a hard time when I came into England and said that I was going to be doing a bit of work

 

[clifford]

I used the UK ETA app today, despite seeing its reviews in Google Play store. While its cool that it can read the biometric info on your passport, the design of the rest of the app and its error handling sucks. Ended up having to do it via the browser and they tried multiple times to push me to the app. Um , no thanks.
Compared to the Canadian ETA, which i also did this week, the UK version is abysmal.

You should try the Indonesian one.

 

[clifford]

I got quite a hard time when I came into England and said that I was going to be doing a bit of work

And how would you have gone as a UK citizen trying to enter Australia saying the same thing?