The United Kingdom will switch all visa-exempt travellers, including Emirati citizens, to its new Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) system starting 25 February 2026. A detailed checklist published on February 23 by immigration advisory site VisaETA.uk confirms that UAE passport holders must apply online or through the ETA mobile app before boarding any UK-bound transport. The ETA costs £16, is valid for two years (or until passport expiry) and allows unlimited visits of up to six months each. Applications typically receive an automated decision within minutes, although the UK Home Office advises applying at least three working days in advance to cover manual-review cases. For UAE-based corporates and frequent leisure travellers, the shift ends the long-standing practice of boarding flights without prior authorisation and completing landing-cards on arrival. Instead, travellers must upload a biometric passport scan and digital photograph during the online application—a step similar to the US ESTA and Canada’s eTA. Travel-programme managers should update pre-trip approval workflows: proof of ETA approval will now be a mandatory document alongside tickets and hotel confirmations. Airlines have warned that passengers without confirmed ETAs will be denied boarding, and the UK Border Force retains discretion to refuse entry despite ETA possession. In the medium term, the UK plans to integrate ETA data with e-gates, meaning most Emirati visitors will clear British immigration in under a minute—potentially offsetting the new administrative step with faster airport processing.
Source: VisaETA.uk
