ETA United Kingdom

Since January 1, 2021 and the formalization of the Brexit, the rules for visiting the UK have changed. Before planning a trip to England, Scotland, Northern Ireland or even Wales, it's therefore imperative to find out about the conditions for entering and staying in British territory.

Do I need a visa for the UK, depending on my nationality? If so, how do I obtain a UK visa? Visamundi helps you plan your trip with peace of mind.

Who needs to apply for a UK visa?

From now on, all citizens of European Union member states are required to have a passport valid for the duration of their stay in order to travel to the UK.

Even if the UK had not signed up to the agreement Schengen when it was still a member of the European Union, it was nonetheless subject to EU law, notably with regard to the free movement of travellers for long stays and the absence of border controls. With Brexit, is it therefore necessary to apply for a visa to visit the UK?

Nationals of European Union member states do not need to obtain a visa for a stay in the UK of less than 180 days. However, once in the UK, they may be asked to provide a number of supporting documents, such as the reason for their trip, their accommodation address and so on. Visas are required for all family, tourist, school and business visits to the UK for more than 6 months.. If you plan to live or work in the UK for more than 6 months, you must obtain a long-stay visa.

For citizens of countries outside the European Union, the agreements between the UK and each country determine whether or not a visa is required for a stay in the UK. Please contact the relevant consular authorities for further information.

How do I obtain a visa for the United Kingdom?

There are many types of visa available for long stays in the UK. Whether you are skilled worker, student Or contractorIf you're a foreign national, you'll need to go through a specific procedure to obtain a visa tailored to your situation. Consult the British government website to find out about all the visas available to work, study or settle in the UK, especially if you are a national of a European Union member state. In all cases, obtain a multiple-entry visa, which will allow you to leave and return to the UK during the period of validity of your leave to remain.

You can apply for a visa for the United Kingdom through UK embassy or consulate in your country of residence. Thanks to the e-visa, the application process is entirely paperless, making it even easier to organize your trip to the UK.

Soon electronic travel authorisation for the UK?

Compared with a conventional visa application, an e-visa application does not require you to visit an embassy or consulate. It's done online, remotely, and results in the issuance of a residence permit in electronic format (PDF). For even greater simplicity, you can entrust your e-visa application to an agency such as ours, which specializes in travel documents for individuals and professionals, and will take care of all the administrative procedures involved in your UK visa application.

Since February 1, 2024, the UK has offered citizens of the GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) and Jordan the opportunity to apply for electronic travel authorization - or ETAfor "Electronic Travel Authorization"to visit England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales. This measure should be extended to all international travellers from the end of 2024..

With the aim of reinforcing the protection of its borders, the UK will ask its visitors to fill in an online form several days before their departure date, with information relating to their identity, passport and stay, and to pay taxes, based on the American model. With a validity of 2 years, the British ETA should eventually become automatic for visa-exempt nationalities.