UK Remove Visa Requirements For Visiting Gulf And Jordan State Tourists Starting October This Year

British illustration. (Unsplash / Tania Mousinho)

JAKARTA - Good news for those of you from Jordan and countries in the Gulf region who want to visit the UK, because you no longer need a visa and enough to only pay 10 under a simplified new electronic travel scheme.

The changes launched by the British Government will remove visa requirements for Jordanian citizens and GCC member countries (Gulf Cooperation Council) which include Qatar, Oman, Kuwait, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia.

This makes regulations for them on par with regulations for other visitors, including US and Australian passport holders.

By paying the fee, they will be allowed to enter the UK several times within two years without additional costs.

The new Electronic Travel Authority (ETA) will replace the current system for Gulf citizens, who pay 30 per visit under the current Electronic Visa Wavier (EVW) scheme, and Jordanian citizens who pay 100 for visit visas.

Qatari citizens will be the first to benefit from this cheaper program in October. Meanwhile, travelers from other GCC countries and Jordan will get it in February 2024.

The scheme will be extended to other countries over the next year, the Ministry of Home Affairs said.

Pre-travel security checks will be carried out on applicants, who must provide biographical and biometric details such as digital photos and answer a series of questions.

British Minister for the Middle East, North Africa, South Asia and Human Rights Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon said this announcement was proof of the strong ties between Britain and the affected countries.

"I am pleased that our partners across the Gulf and Jordan will be the first to benefit from Britain's new Electronic Travel Authority scheme," he said.

"By cutting visa costs and requirements, the ETA scheme will ensure visitors from Gulf and Jordanian countries can enjoy easy trips to the UK, improving business and tourism relations between our countries," he said.

It is known that visitors from Teluk provide stimulus for the British economy, with more than 790,000 people from the region spending 2 billion pounds last year.

Meanwhile, Immigration Minister Robert Jenrick praised the "big contribution" given by Jordanians and Gulf nationals to the British tourism industry.

This new scheme at lower prices will be "one of the best in the world compared to a similar international scheme", he said.

Earlier this year, the UK Government announced plans to introduce a new ETA scheme as part of Britain's border digitization by 2025.

The scheme gives digital permission to travel for those visiting or transiting the UK who do not require visas for short visits, or who currently do not have other British visas.