UK Visa Online Application

The United Kingdom Electronic Visa Waiver (EVW) is a single entry online travel authorization that permits the holder to visit the UK for up to 6 months for the purpose of tourism, business, to study, or to seek medical treatment.

The UK EVW was introduced for citizens of Oman, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates in 2014. Nationals of Kuwait were added to the EVW program in February 2016.

Individuals from Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and the UAE do not need a visa for the UK, but they are required to obtain an approved UK electronic visa waiver before traveling to the country.

All visitors from EVW-required countries traveling to the United Kingdom for up to 180 consecutive days are required to have an individual approved electronic visa waiver, including children.

Travelers from UK EVW countries in transit who will arrive at one UK airport and leave from another, and pass through British border control, are required to obtain an EVW transit visa waiver. Those transiting through Britain through one airport only, and who will not pass through British immigration, do not require the online visa waiver.

Those eligible for the British online visa waiver are able to apply by completing an online application, which only takes a few minutes. Applicants are required to fill in information including the details of their valid biometric passport, the UK address where they intend to stay, and travel information including arrival and departure dates and times.

After answering some security-related questions, the applicant can submit the form, to receive an approved online tourist visa waiver for the UK via email.

Holders of an approved EVW for the UK can then print a copy to present alongside the passport to a British immigration official upon their arrival in the United Kingdom.

A UK online visa waiver enrollment is usually processed within 1 day, although applicants are advised to submit an online form at least 48 hours before the intended date of arrival, to ensure sufficient processing time.

Find below a list of all of the UK EVW-eligible nationalities.

The ETA for the United Kingdom is an upcoming electronic travel authorization program announced by the British Home Office in December 2019. It is expected to become a mandatory requirement for European citizens to travel to the UK by the end of 2021.

At the moment, Citizens of all European Union countries and the European Economic Area (EEA), as well as nationals of Switzerland, enjoy freedom of movement to the United Kingdom and can enter and reside in the country without a visa or travel authorization.

These citizens are currently able to present either a valid passport or national identity card to a British border control agent to gain entry to the United Kingdom, at least until December 31st, 2020.

However, EU freedom of movement will end in 2021 as a result of the United Kingdom leaving the European Union after the Brexit separation. Once this occurs, it is expected EU, EEA, and Swiss citizens will need to apply for and obtain an approved British ETA before they can visit the UK.

The United Kingdom Electronic Travel Authorisation is being implemented in order to make British borders more secure, by pre-screening visa-exempt citizens before their arrival in the country.

The protocol of applying for a UK ETA is expected to be similar to other electronic travel authorizations around the world, such as the ESTA for the United States, the Australian ETA, and the upcoming ETIAS online visa waiver to travel to the 26 member states in the European Schengen Area.

It is expected that applicants will need to complete a simple online form with basic personal and passport information, and provide some details of the intended travel to the United Kingdom. It will also be necessary to answer some security questions to submit a UK ETA application.

All of the information provided on the registration form will then be checked against a range of security databases before the authorization can be issued, and applicants receive an approved ETA sent by email.

More information about the ETA travel authorization for the UK will be published on this site once announced by the British government.