UK ETA travel system opens for Emirati and Gulf visitors

UAE ambassador to UK: significant milestone for travellers is expected to boost standing of the Emirati passport

Emiratis travelling to the UK can apply from Thursday to enter the country under the Electronic Travel Authorisation, a visa-free process that cuts red tape and paves the way for repeat visits under a single approval.

Mansoor Abulhoul, UAE ambassador to the UK, praised the inclusion of the Emirates in the UK's ETA scheme as a boost for travel between the two countries, opening up new opportunities for citizens travelling to London and beyond.

"[There has been] a real collaboration with the UK government to bring this scheme into existence, which will streamline visits by Emiratis here to the UK in terms of access, affordability and speed," he told The National.

"Visitors consider the UK one of their very popular destinations to visit all through the year.

"So I think this will be a big boost for people connectivity. There'll be knock on economic benefits as well as the cultural benefits that I see coming from this."

The ETA is cheaper, faster and easier to apply for than the current Electronic Visa Waiver (EVW) and is available for arrivals from February 22. The scheme is open to citizens from the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Jordan.

"I think there will be huge interest and Emiratis know the UK well," said Mr Abulhoul. "Ease of travel and the ability to make repeat visits will be a real plus for the UK economy.

"The system that is coming into place means there will be no pre-entry visa requirements for Emiratis visiting the UK, which will be of huge benefit."

Officials believe that the three-day application window is likely to be much shorter than billed with approvals coming within a few hours.

Visitors from the Gulf had been able to stay in the UK for up to six months for tourism, business, study or medical treatment. Holders of an ETA would now be able to make unlimited visits to the UK over two years.

Mr Abulhoul said the move would be a boost to the Emirati passport. It has climbed in international league tables and the holders of Emirati passports can already visit 179 destinations visa-free.

"We'll expect the Emirati passport to go up in the standing and I'm sure it will be somewhere in the top ten as it goes from strength to strength," he said.

The ambassador expects the dynamics of travel to change for many tourists, who could in future use the UK as a base for travel back and forward to France and Germany.

"It allows multiple entry to the UK and to visit as many times as you want over a two year period," he said.

"This is a huge step forward. The affordability will be a third of the existing electronic visa waiver scheme.

"So it's a £10 [cost], which makes a difference for a larger Emirati family visiting. They can then do visits into places like France and Europe, which I think will be a big ease to them."

AbdulMaalik Tailor, chief executive and founder of Halal Tourism Britain, told The National the expansion of the scheme to more countries in the Gulf and Jordan represents a "significant step forward".

"Not only does it streamline the process and offer a substantial cost reduction, priced at only £10, but it also introduces a convenient application method through the app," he said.

"This holds particular significance during peak tourist seasons, where visitors from GCC countries tend to prolong their stays and contribute significantly to the local economy, particularly within the luxury hospitality sector.

"Furthermore, acknowledging their role in paving the way for investments in British hotels and properties underscores the mutual benefits of implementing the ETA system.”

Mr Abulhoul said the UK could also consider changing the rules that say visitors must pay a Value Added Tax, typically 20 per cent, on purchases in the UK.

"We're looking forward to, we hope, tax-free shopping being reintroduced into the UK. So now we've got the ETA, we'll be focusing our attention as a team here in London on tax free shopping."

A Centre for Economics and Business Research report, which was released this week, found that tourist arrivals and spending would have recovered quicker post-pandemic had the VAT-free scheme been in place.

It said: "Visitor numbers could have been up to two million higher, while expenditure could have been up to £4 billion higher.

"In terms of the GDP impact, such additional expenditure equates to an output boost of £11.1 billion, up from the previous estimate of £10.7 billion."