The UAE Embassy in London issued an advisory on 4 February reminding Emirati travellers that their **UK Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA)** is valid for only two years and must be re-registered before departure if it is about to lapse. The warning follows the UK Home Office’s move to transition most short-stay visitors from physical visa vignettes to eVisas and the new ETA system.
Under current rules, UAE nationals benefit from visa-waiver status for trips of up to six months, but they must hold a valid ETA linked to their biometric passport. The embassy notes that carriers can deny boarding to passengers whose digital permission has expired, potentially causing expensive last-minute rebooking. Renewal can be completed in minutes via the UK ETA mobile app or the government’s online portal, but travellers must upload a fresh facial image and pay the £10 (approx. AED 46) processing fee.
Corporate mobility teams have been advised to build ETA tracking into their travel-approval workflows, particularly for executives who make frequent London runs for board meetings, investor roadshows or medical treatment. Immigration counsel recommend that travellers renew at least one week before departure to allow for any technical glitches. Etihad and Emirates have already updated check-in scripts to flag nearly expired ETAs at the time of booking.
![UAE Embassy in London urges citizens to renew expiring UK ETAs]()
For travellers who prefer a single dashboard to monitor and renew permissions, VisaHQ offers a streamlined ETA reminder and application service tailored for Emiratis heading to the UK. Its UAE portal (https://www.visahq.com/united-arab-emirates/) lets users set expiry alerts, upload the required selfie and submit payment in a few clicks—making it a handy back-up to corporate tracking systems.
The embassy’s alert is part of a broader UAE campaign to support citizens abroad amid rapidly changing entry requirements worldwide. Similar advisories were issued last month for Canada’s ETA changes and Singapore’s e-arrival card rollout. With the UK introducing full eVisas for resident permit holders later this year, observers expect further digital compliance hurdles for Gulf travellers.
Travel insurers note that missed flights caused by invalid ETAs are generally classified as “administrative errors” and are not covered under standard policies. Companies are therefore urged to include ETA validity checks in pre-trip approval forms and traveller self-certification apps.
Under current rules, UAE nationals benefit from visa-waiver status for trips of up to six months, but they must hold a valid ETA linked to their biometric passport. The embassy notes that carriers can deny boarding to passengers whose digital permission has expired, potentially causing expensive last-minute rebooking. Renewal can be completed in minutes via the UK ETA mobile app or the government’s online portal, but travellers must upload a fresh facial image and pay the £10 (approx. AED 46) processing fee.
Corporate mobility teams have been advised to build ETA tracking into their travel-approval workflows, particularly for executives who make frequent London runs for board meetings, investor roadshows or medical treatment. Immigration counsel recommend that travellers renew at least one week before departure to allow for any technical glitches. Etihad and Emirates have already updated check-in scripts to flag nearly expired ETAs at the time of booking.
For travellers who prefer a single dashboard to monitor and renew permissions, VisaHQ offers a streamlined ETA reminder and application service tailored for Emiratis heading to the UK. Its UAE portal (https://www.visahq.com/united-arab-emirates/) lets users set expiry alerts, upload the required selfie and submit payment in a few clicks—making it a handy back-up to corporate tracking systems.
The embassy’s alert is part of a broader UAE campaign to support citizens abroad amid rapidly changing entry requirements worldwide. Similar advisories were issued last month for Canada’s ETA changes and Singapore’s e-arrival card rollout. With the UK introducing full eVisas for resident permit holders later this year, observers expect further digital compliance hurdles for Gulf travellers.
Travel insurers note that missed flights caused by invalid ETAs are generally classified as “administrative errors” and are not covered under standard policies. Companies are therefore urged to include ETA validity checks in pre-trip approval forms and traveller self-certification apps.
