MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

New rules for foreigners wishing to travel to post-Brexit UK

ETAs can be obtained from the Foreign Office's website and may vary depending on the applicant's nationality

Starting Jan. 8, travelers who do not need a visa to enter post-Brexit UK for leisure will still be required to get an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) from the Foreign Office's website. This new permit allows foreign visitors to stay up to six months in the country as nonresidents (not allowed to work or study) and costs 10 pounds sterling.

Considering Mercosur countries, people holding passports from Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay are eligible to enter the UK without a visa but Bolivians are not. In this case, potential travelers are advised to check with the Foreign Office for specific details regarding the specific requirements for each nationality wishing to visit one of the four countries that make up the United Kingdom (Scotland, England, Northern Ireland, and Wales), including babies and children.

The British government also clarified that British nationals or foreign residents would not require an ETA.

Applicants need to send a scanned copy of their original passport, a photo of their faces, and provide a credit or debit card number. British authorities would reply within 3 working days on average.

Nationalities from the following locations (including associated territories) can apply for an ETA now: Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Barbados, Belize, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (including British national overseas), Israel, Japan, Kiribati, Kuwait, Macao Special Administrative Region, Malaysia, Maldives, Marshall Islands, Mauritius, Mexico, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Oman, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Qatar, Samoa, Saudi Arabia, Seychelles, Singapore, Solomon Islands, South Korea, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Taiwan (if you have a passport issued by Taiwan that includes in it the number of the identification card issued by the competent authority in Taiwan), Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tuvalu, United Arab Emirates, United States, and Uruguay.

Starting on March 5, 2025, nationals of the following countries may also apply for an ETA for travel on April 2 or thereafter: Andorra, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, San Marino, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and Vatican City.

Other nationalities cannot get an ETA and should need a visa instead.