Travel to the UK for visitors from the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Bahrain and Kuwait is set to be made easier by the launch of an Electronic Travel Authorisation system next February.
On Thursday, the British government announced the new system would replace the UAE's current access to an Electronic Visa Waiver for single visits. However, the upfront costs will be higher.
The GCC and Jordan will be the first countries to benefit from the scheme, which will be rolled out for global partners throughout next year.
Officials said the application process will be designed to be fast and entirely digital with most visitors expected to apply on a mobile app and receive a swift decision on the application.
The cost will be in line with long-standing international schemes, such as those operated by the US, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. Under it, individuals can make multiple visits to the UK over a two-year period. The ETA will require all non-visa arrivals, except British and Irish passport holders, to apply for approval to travel in advance of departure.
Pre-travel security checks are to be conducted on applicants and part of the process involves individuals providing biometric details as well as answering a set of suitability questions.
“I am delighted that our partners in the Middle East will be the first to benefit from the UK’s new scheme," Lord Ahmad, the Minister of State for the Middle East said. "Making travel smoother and more efficient for nationals coming from the GCC and Jordan will boost business and tourism links between the UK and the region.”
Digital systems are one element of a priority policy for the UK government, which has now launched its Illegal Migration Bill to ban asylum applications from those arriving without permission.
“ETAs will enhance our border security by increasing our knowledge about those seeking to come to the UK and preventing the arrival of those who pose a threat," said Robert Jenrick, the Immigration Minister. “It will also improve travel for legitimate visitors, with those visiting from Gulf Cooperation Council states being among the first to benefit.”
What it says
- Visitors from the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Bahrain and Kuwait will need an Electronic Travel Authorisation to travel to the UK from February 22, 2024, but can apply in advance from February 1. Before 22 February, they will continue to require an Electronic Visa Waiver.
- Visitors from Jordan will need an ETA to travel to the UK from February 22, 2024, but can apply in advance from February 1, 2024. Before February 22, they will continue to require a visa to travel to the UK.
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Key changes
Commission caps
For life insurance products with a savings component, Peter Hodgins of Clyde & Co said different caps apply to the saving and protection elements:
• For the saving component, a cap of 4.5 per cent of the annualised premium per year (which may not exceed 90 per cent of the annualised premium over the policy term).
• On the protection component, there is a cap of 10 per cent of the annualised premium per year (which may not exceed 160 per cent of the annualised premium over the policy term).
• Indemnity commission, the amount of commission that can be advanced to a product salesperson, can be 50 per cent of the annualised premium for the first year or 50 per cent of the total commissions on the policy calculated.
• The remaining commission after deduction of the indemnity commission is paid equally over the premium payment term.
• For pure protection products, which only offer a life insurance component, the maximum commission will be 10 per cent of the annualised premium multiplied by the length of the policy in years.
Disclosure
Customers must now be provided with a full illustration of the product they are buying to ensure they understand the potential returns on savings products as well as the effects of any charges. There is also a “free-look” period of 30 days, where insurers must provide a full refund if the buyer wishes to cancel the policy.
“The illustration should provide for at least two scenarios to illustrate the performance of the product,” said Mr Hodgins. “All illustrations are required to be signed by the customer.”
Another illustration must outline surrender charges to ensure they understand the costs of exiting a fixed-term product early.
Illustrations must also be kept updatedand insurers must provide information on the top five investment funds available annually, including at least five years' performance data.
“This may be segregated based on the risk appetite of the customer (in which case, the top five funds for each segment must be provided),” said Mr Hodgins.
Product providers must also disclose the ratio of protection benefit to savings benefits. If a protection benefit ratio is less than 10 per cent "the product must carry a warning stating that it has limited or no protection benefit" Mr Hodgins added.
MATCH INFO
What: India v Afghanistan, first Test
When: Starts Thursday
Where: M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengalaru
