Significant changes will be implemented from tomorrow, Wednesday 2 April for those Cypriots who will visit the United Kingdom. The changes also affect all European travellers, except the Irish.
In particular, those arriving in the UK by air, road (or train, etc.), or by sea, will have to apply for and issue the new Digital Travel Authorisation (ETA), which will become mandatory from 2 April for those travelling to England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Otherwise, they will not be allowed to enter the country, or even continue their journey through the United Kingdom (transit flights).
According to what was conveyed to "F" by the Association of Travel Agents (ACTA), the members of the association have already informed and will continue to inform all their customers who will travel to the United Kingdom from 02/04/2025 onwards about the new data. As it was said in "F", travel agents cannot issue this license for their customers, so the process must be done by themselves, however, as they noted, this process is not complicated and can be completed in a few minutes.
Those who have booked a ticket online, either through platforms or through airline websites, will follow exactly the same procedure for the issuance of the license.
The issuance of the permit
The application is only online, takes no more than 20 minutes, and requires a passport, photo, email address, and a functional online selection method, such as a credit or debit card, Apple Pay, or Google Pay.
The cost of issuing the licence is £10. An amount that will increase slightly in the coming days.
The Digital Travel Authorisation will be valid for two years and will allow multiple visits to the UK for up to six months, for tourism, business or transit.
Takes up to 3 days
In order to avoid unpleasant surprises, Cypriots who will visit the United Kingdom from 02/04/2025 onwards must immediately, upon booking their ticket, proceed with the process of issuing the permit and this is because the time required for its concession ranges from a few minutes, up to three days.
The ETA is an electronic document that grants visa-free and pre-checked nationals permission to travel to the United Kingdom. It is not a visa, so applicants can bypass the complex and time-consuming process of obtaining a visa.
What are the benefits?
For Cypriot citizens, the UK ETA offers the following benefits:
Quick and easy process – Initially, as stated in the information on the new travel authorisation, it will simplify travel to the UK to visit relatives and friends of around 270,000 Cypriots living in the UK. Many Cypriot citizens also enrol in UK universities, while others often visit London for holidays or business reasons.
Applying for an ETA in the UK is entirely online and paperless. Cypriot applicants can complete the application in less than 20 minutes. They also do not need to visit consulates or visa offices for a personal interview or to submit documents.
The ETA application is usually processed in three days. Travellers will receive the decision, whether approved or rejected, through the email address they have provided.
If approved, the ETA will be linked to the passport they used for the application, so they don't need to print it.
Note:
Who does not need an ETA
You do not need an ETA if:
- you have a visa
- you have permission to live, work or study in the UK (including settled or pre-settled status or right of abode)
- you are transiting through a UK airport and you will not pass through border control - check with your airline if you are not sure
- you are a British or Irish citizen
- you are travelling with a British overseas territories citizen passport
- you are travelling with a British National (Overseas) passport
- you live in Ireland and you are travelling from Ireland, Guernsey, Jersey or the Isle of Man
- you are a child travelling on the France-UK school trip travel information form
- you are exempt from immigration control
