By March 2025, all travellers from the EU, USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Singapore etc will need to apply for an ETA before flying to the UK. In total, the scheme will affect citizens from around 87 countries although Ireland will not be required to acquire authorisation due to the pre-existing Common Travel Area agreement.
https://www.euronews.com/travel/2024/09/11/eu-tourists-could-soon-have-to-apply-for-permission-to-travel-before-entering-the-uk
Posted by RainInMyBr4in
4 comments
wait is it March or ETA?
This was reported on our news in Northern Ireland during the week and it has the possibility of negatively affecting our tourism.
Many tour buses operate on a cross border platform as NI gets many day visitors from ROI, so having a separate ETA that is need for a part of the island means the companies would have to ensure that all passengers have this ETA before they drive across the border, therefore some people are nervous that tour operators may say it’s not worth it and just not come to NI, therefore causing a drop in tourism numbers to NI.
What makes this even more complicated is that 70% of international visitors who visit NI (not from rest of UK or Ireland) fly into Dublin airport.
Also there are parts of Republic of Ireland in which the shortest route between them is actually through Northern Ireland, so it’s not even clear if people need an ETA just to transit through NI, like up to Donegal for example.
Also the border is completely open anyway, so who’s even checking 🤷 just seems unenforceable and with the possibility of negative outcomes for Northern Ireland.
Drowning in Brexit benefits.
Just come by boat and skip all the fee’s. Duh.