Visitors to the U.K. Will Soon Need to Pay an Application Fee Prior to Travel
byDaniel McCarthy/The U.K. will soon require everyone wishing to travel to the country to apply for permission, and pay for an application, in order to travel to the country.
从2023年底开始的某个时候,英国表示,它将为英国和爱尔兰以外的所有入境国际旅行者提供电子旅行授权(ETA)系统。该系统将要求旅行者将个人详细信息(包括护照信息)纳入申请中,然后支付少量费用以进行旅行。目的是在访问者到达英国之前进行筛选。
"The scheme will give the UK more control of our borders, allowing us to block threats from entering the UK. The ETA will provide more accurate information regarding the number of people travelling to the UK and the countries they arrive from,"它在网站上说. "In addition to providing accurate data, ETA will also make the UK an even safer destination. By screening passengers before they reach the UK, threats can be detected earlier."
航空公司将负责检查所有不是sengers have been approved prior to travel. Otherwise, they could be liable for a penalty charge.
根据英国的说法,ETA将至少有效期两年,使旅行者可以多次旅行。尽管其成本尚未透露,但期望它将是一笔小额费用,类似于其他国家对自己的旅行前授权系统收取的费用。
The plan is reportedly to first roll out the ETA to some Gulf countries before expanding it internationally. While there is no exact date of when it will include the U.S. and Canada, the expectation is that it will happen sometime later in 2023.
英国政府说,此举是“我们对边境和移民系统转型的一部分”。
“该计划将使英国更多地控制我们的边界,使我们能够阻止威胁进入英国,同时还为个人和承运人提供了更多的保证,并在更早的时间点上对他们前往英国旅行的能力,”the U.K. government says on its website.
In its explanation for the ETA, the U.K. points to other, similar systems used by the U.S., Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.
“The British government has highlighted the similarities between the UK ETA and immigration systems in place in other countries, such as the United States ESTA. The EU will also launch its own digital visa waiver, ETIAS, in 2023,” it said.
TheEU’s ETIASwas revealed last June and costs each applicant 7 euros (around $7.40 US or $9.55 CAD). The ETIAS is valid for travel to Europe for three years.
The U.S. version, called Electronic System for Travel Authorization or ESTA, is required for anyone boarding a plane or vessel bound for the U.S. According to Homeland Security, “in most instances, ESTA applicants will receive real-time notification on the disposition of their application to travel to the United States.” The ESTA costs applicants $21 US.