A system more or less similar to the one in place for travelling to the United States or Canada will be deployed from 2 April for travellers to the UK. They will need to have an entry permit, also known as an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA). It is already possible to apply for this on the UK government website. Its purpose is to identify travellers before they arrive and to facilitate border crossings. Without an ETA, entry to the UK will be refused.

But not all travellers are subject to it. Travellers who already have a visa or permission to work or study in the UK are exempt. If travellers are simply passing through a UK airport, they do not need an ETA, unless they have to pass through border control. However, the UK government recommends checking with the airline. Pupils on school trips are also exempt.

Such permission allows you to stay for up to six months for tourism, business or study but not to work there as a self-employed person.

To benefit from this authorisation, you need to apply on the UK government website or on the UK’s ETA application. The application currently costs £10 and will rise to £16 from 9 April. Once the application has been sent, it takes around three working days to process. Once the application has been confirmed, the authorisation, which is linked to the passport used, is valid for two years or until the passport is exported. As long as this authorisation is valid, it is possible to visit the UK as many times as desired.

This article was originally published in .