The British government plans to implement the Electronic Travel Authorisation scheme, which obliges visitors to apply for permission in order to visit the country, including European visitors.
More specifically, the new scheme intends to establish a ‘contactless’ border crossing from 2024, meaning that some passengers will be able to enter the country exempted from using an electronic passport gate or speaking to the Border Force officer, SchengenVisaInfo.com reports.
Instead, the new scheme that intends to reduce the waiting time, visitors will have to upload a photo of themselves and send it to the Home Office before their trip.
Travellers will be subject to pre-screening, as the government says, enabling them to be identified at the border using the most recent technology.
“As Home Secretary, I have been focused on taking back control of our immigration system through my New Plan for Immigration. This includes ensuring we have a border that is fit for the 21st century, which allows travellers to get a visa and pass through the border easily while maintaining national security,” Priti Patel said.
The new technology with facial recognition can make it possible for visitors to travel to the UK without having to undergo physical check-ups at the gate. The new rules will also require international travellers to provide biographic and biometric details, like photos of their faces, through the new Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) scheme before they travel.
Furthermore, as of 2023, the Home Office will start introducing a ‘Permission to Travel’ scheme, with everyone wanting to travel being required to present such permission. The UK and Irish passport holders are exempted from such requirements, but everyone else will need to apply for a visa or ‘Electronic Travel Authorisation.’
All visitors, including Europeans, will have to apply for an ETA which could cost around €21. Visitors will also have to submit biographic, biometric, and contact details as well as answer some questions, as the document regarding the new scheme reads.
The scheme will be on trial from March 2023 with visitors from Kuwait, Qatar, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman, and Bahrain, before it is potentially introduced to all worldwide visitors by the end of 2023.
Article availabe on SchengenVisaInfo.com