CNN —
European travelers visiting the UK without a visa will soon be
required to pay a £10 (around $13) waiver fee.
The new rules, which will come into effect over the next year,
will see the UK’s electronic travel authorization (ETA) system, first
introduced for Qatar nationals, expanded to include travelers from all other
countries, including European Union citizens.
The non-refundable fee will apply to all visitors to the UK,
including babies and children, without a visa, or permission to live, work or
study, according to plans announced by UK Home Secretary Yvette Cooper.
At present, citizens of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia
and the United Arab Emirates are required to apply for an ETA before entering
the UK.
The rules will not apply to Irish citizens.
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“Once fully rolled out, the ETA scheme will close the current gap
in advance permissions and mean that for the first time, we will have a
comprehensive understanding of those traveling to the UK,” Cooper said in a
statement.
Jordanian nationals can no longer apply for an ETA to enter the
UK, according to the UK
government website.
Visa waiver schemes are certainly not a new thing. The United
States’ electronic travel authorization ESTA, which now costs
$21 and lasts two years, was first introduced back in 2009.
Meanwhile, the roll out of the European Union’s ETIAS, valid for three
years, which will cost travelers 7 euros (about $7.50,) has been postponed to
2025.
European travelers vi
