The Diplomat
From April 2, all Spanish citizens (including minors) who do not have a visa or legal residence in the United Kingdom will require an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) to travel to the United Kingdom for tourism, business, or other visits of less than six months.
According to the Foreign Office’s latest travel advice, those who stop over in the United Kingdom and need to recheck their baggage or go through border control also require an ETA. This electronic authorization is not required for transits that do not involve border control, which only applies to Heathrow (T4) and Manchester airports. Travelers with an approved visa, those already registered as residents in the United Kingdom, or citizens with an Irish passport will also be exempt from registration.
This authorization is processed electronically and must be obtained before traveling to the United Kingdom through gov.uk/app. Specifically, the British Embassy in Madrid announced on March 5 that it was opening the Electronic Travel Authorization to European citizens, similar to those that have been or will be introduced in other countries to improve border security, such as the United States or Australia, or as the European Union will soon do.
“It is important that people comply with this new procedure, which simply aims to improve security management. The United Kingdom is delighted to continue welcoming travelers from Spain, who make a great contribution to our country,” said British Ambassador Alex Ellis that same day.
Registration, which can be done on the British Government website or using the UK ETA app, will have an initial cost of 10 pounds (about 12 euros) and will last for two years, once approval is received. During those two years, people can travel to the United Kingdom as often as they like for stays of less than six months. In the coming months, an increase to 16 pounds (about 19 euros) is expected. Registration will be a very simple and quick online process, as authorization typically takes between a few hours and a couple of days.
The aim of the ETA, according to the Embassy, is to improve the digital immigration system. These changes will make the process faster and safer for the millions of people who cross the UK’s borders each year. Specifically, the UK receives around two million travelers from Spain.
