If you are coming to City to do a short course or period of research for less than six months, re-sitting your exams, or you are a study abroad student, you will need to enter the UK with immigration permission as a visitor.
If you are a visa national you will need to apply for a visitor visa before travelling into the UK. As a non-visa or EU national travelling with a passport you can apply for permission to enter on arrival in the UK.
You can find a copy of the latest visa national list on gov.uk.
As a non-visa or EU national you may be required to appy for an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) before travelling to the UK and applying for permission to enter on arrival in the UK.
Support through your Standard Visitor visa application process
- You will have access to a specialised international advice team who’ll support you in your Standard Visitor visa application and any other immigration queries you may have
- Our team consists of trained advisers with many years of experience guiding students on Standard Visitor visa applications and other student and student-related immigration matters
- We are the only City, University of London staff authorised to provide immigration advice to students.
What is an ETA?
An Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) is a digital permission to travel that is part of the plans to transform and digitise the UK border.
An ETA will soon be a requirement for people who are entering the UK for less than 6 months. This will include international (and EU) students entering the UK as a Visitor to study and undertake research at UK universities. British and Irish nationals will not require an ETA.
When does the ETA scheme start?
The following countries will require an ETA from the dates listed below:
- Qatar – 15 November 2023
- Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia or the United Arab Emirates – 22 February 2024
The ETA scheme will replace Electronic Visa Waivers (EVW) for visitors to the UK who are nationals of: Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Bahrain, Kuwait and United Arab Emirates.
Throughout 2024 the ETA scheme will be rolled out in phases to different nationality groups.
How to apply?
Individuals should apply for an ETA before booking travel to the UK through the ‘UK ETA app’ or by searching for ‘apply for an ETA to come to the UK’ on GOV.UK.
To apply for an ETA, you will need to:
- Pay a fee
- Provide contact and passport details
- Provide a valid photo, complying with the rules for digital photos on GOV.UK
- Answer a set of questions
Cost and Validity
An ETA will cost £10 per applicant when the scheme opens for nationals from the Gulf states and Jordan, permit multiple journeys and will be valid for two years or until the holder’s passport expires – whichever is sooner.
If you are refused an ETA, you will need to apply for a Standard Visitor visa.
Further information
For official updates regarding the UK ETA scheme, please visit GOV.UK.