UK releases list of 82 countries whose citizens can enter Britain with ETA instead of visa
The United Kingdom government has published a list of 82 countries whose citizens are eligible to travel to Britain using an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) instead of applying for a standard visa.
The official UK government information states that the ETA allows eligible travellers to visit the UK and its associated territories, including Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man, for short-term stays of up to six months.
Eligibility for the travel authorisation is based on the nationality shown on the traveller’s passport.
Full List of Countries Eligible for UK ETA
The 82 countries and territories whose nationals can apply for the UK ETA are:
- Andorra
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Argentina
- Australia
- Austria
- The Bahamas
- Bahrain
- Barbados
- Belgium
- Belize
- Brazil
- Brunei
- Bulgaria
- Canada
- Chile
- Costa Rica
- Croatia
- Cyprus
- Czechia
- Denmark
- Estonia
- Finland
- France
- Germany
- Greece
- Grenada
- Guatemala
- Guyana
- Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
- Hungary
- Iceland
- Italy
- Israel
- Japan
- Kiribati
- Kuwait
- Latvia
- Liechtenstein
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Macao Special Administrative Region
- Malaysia
- Maldives
- Malta
- Marshall Islands
- Mauritius
- Mexico
- Federated States of Micronesia
- Monaco
- Netherlands
- New Zealand
- Norway
- Oman
- Palau
- Panama
- Papua New Guinea
- Paraguay
- Peru
- Poland
- Portugal
- Qatar
- Romania
- Samoa
- San Marino
- Saudi Arabia
- Seychelles
- Singapore
- Solomon Islands
- South Korea
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- Spain
- St Kitts and Nevis
- St Vincent and the Grenadines
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- Tonga
- Tuvalu
- United Arab Emirates
- United States
- Uruguay
- Vatican City
Only Two African Countries Make the List
The list shows that only Mauritius and Seychelles are represented among African countries eligible for the UK ETA.
Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, South Africa and most other African countries are not included in the list. Their citizens therefore continue to require the appropriate UK visa under the applicable immigration rules.
What UK ETA Means for Eligible Travellers
The ETA provides eligible travellers with a simplified travel authorisation for qualifying visits to the UK and the Crown Dependencies.
Rather than going through the standard visa application process, eligible passport holders can apply for an ETA before travelling, subject to the UK’s immigration requirements.
The authorisation is linked to the traveller’s passport, meaning applicants must use the passport associated with their ETA when travelling.
The UK scheme is part of the government’s broader digitalisation of its border and immigration system, with travellers from visa-exempt countries increasingly required to obtain electronic permission before travelling to Britain.
