UK ETA: Mandatory for Visa-Exempt Travellers from 25 February 2026

What Changed, and When

The UK's Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) scheme did not appear overnight. It launched in October 2023 for Qatari nationals, expanded to other GCC nationals and Jordan in February 2024, and became mandatory for all visa-exempt nationals from 25 February 2026.

If you are a UAE resident who last travelled to the UK before that date, this is the step that is new to you.

What an ETA Is — and Is Not

An ETA is a digital permission to travel, comparable to the US ESTA or Canada's eTA. It is not a visa.

It applies only to nationalities that are already visa-exempt for short UK visits. If your nationality requires a UK visa, an ETA does nothing for you — you still need the full Standard Visitor Visa.

This Is the Part UAE Residents Get Wrong

Your requirement follows your passport, not your UAE residence.

• Emirati and other GCC nationals: visa-exempt, so you need an ETA.
• Indian, Pakistani, Filipino, Egyptian, Bangladeshi and most other passports: you need a full UK Standard Visitor Visa. An ETA is not available to you and is not a substitute.

Two people living in the same building in Dubai can therefore face completely different requirements for the same trip.

Applying

Applications are made online through the official UK ETA app or GOV.UK. You need your passport, a recent photograph and an email address. Fees and validity are set by the Home Office and have been revised since launch — check the current figures on GOV.UK before applying.

Beware of third-party sites charging a markup over the official fee.

How We Help

For UAE residents who need the full Standard Visitor Visa, we prepare the complete application — documents, cover letter and a review against Home Office requirements. For GCC nationals the ETA is straightforward and you can complete it yourself in a few minutes.