The home secretary of the UK Priti Patel has disclosed the introduction of the new ETA plan the government made for the travellers to get a US style digital visa enter the country. 

The new scheme is modelled on the US Electronic System for Travel Authorization which has been existent since 2009 and also in Canada.

This will get them to procure and have the exact details and the count of the number of people entering and exiting the UK with no haste. Travellers visiting the UK without a visa or immigration status will need to apply for an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) and the scheme will automatically determine the eligibility of visitors.

Patel said: “Electronic travel authorisations are part of a simpler and more secure, universal permissions to travel requirement.

“Our new plan will make it easier to identify potential threats before they reach the border, through targeted and effective interventions from co-ordinated multi-agency operations.”

“Our new fully digital border will provide the ability to count people in and count people out of the country,” Patel added.

The Home Office expect about 30 million ETA plan14 applications every year and the costs and expenses for the entire digital visa system was not revealed. The date from when it was going to be implemented also was not mentioned but was stated by the end of 2024 the scheme will be fully in place.

The rule is also set that people who work in the UK or are staying in the country for a long period of time and its more than six months must get a visa, rather than an ETA.