UK’s new Electronic Travel Authorisation: how ETA affects Hungarian travellers
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From 2 April, EU citizens, including Hungarians, will be able to enter the UK only after prior registration. The Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) has been available since 5 March. The change initially caused some concern among travellers, but what does the experience so far show?
The permit costs GBP 16, around HUF 7,600. The fastest and easiest way to apply for an ETA is to use the UK ETA app, which can be downloaded to mobile devices, or to apply for an electronic travel authorisation on the UK government’s website – gov.uk. The ETA is valid for two years or until the expiry of the applicant’s passport and allows unlimited entry to the UK during this period, up to a maximum of six months per entry.
Silvia Nagy, Managing Director of Castle of the World travel agency, stressed that the ETA is not a visa but a digital entry permit that allows the British authorities to check the applicants before they travel, making the border crossing process faster and smoother. He added that obtaining the permit is a quick and simple process.
“ETA Registration takes about five minutes once all the necessary details and documents are in hand. There have been no examples of people not getting the permit among our passengers.”
According to UK government figures, the majority of applications submitted via the app are decided within minutes, although officially it can take up to 3 working days to process.
Older people need help
In the travel agency’s experience, younger travellers and student groups find the system easy to use, as they have a better command of English and find it more natural to use the apps. However, older travellers may benefit from some help.
“We try to support everyone, either by phone or in person,” says Szilvia Nagy, who added that in some cases, photo uploading can cause problems if the system cannot correctly identify the passport photo. “It’s worth making sure that the photo for the permit is taken in good lighting conditions, without smiles, shadows or distracting backgrounds, and without any significant deviations from the passport photo.”
The managing director of the Castle of the World travel agency also pointed out that if the passport is only valid for a short period of time, it is worth applying for a new one before registering, as the ETA is valid for two years and can be used for the full period.
It’s important to point out that entry to the UK with an ETA is for an aggregate period of 6 months in any 365 days (that can comprise of multiple entries and shorter duration stays), not 6 months per entry (unless you seek to enter only once per year and stay for a full 6 months without leaving). If you’ve stayed a total of 183 days in any 365 day period, you cannot re-enter the country without an appropriate visa for the remainder of the rolling year, alternatively you can enter again with an ETA once 183 days have passed and you’ve entered a new year. It’s worth noting this regime is more generous than the one applied by the EU to visitors from the UK who are permitted to stay for 90 days in every 180 day cycle. This means the maximum stay is limited to 90 days, moreover this allowance is for the whole Schengen zone. After saying 1 month in France, followed by another stay of the same duration in Germany and Hungary, a UK traveller has exhausted their allowance and must leave the Schengen zone for a full 90 days before being allowed to return without a visa. Considering the long list of countries in the Schengen area, this can cause serious difficulties for business travellers, second home owners and those with relatives living in the EU.