UK revokes ETA for Jordanian citizens after ‘misuse,’ requires visit visa

Jordanian citizens can no longer obtain an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) when traveling to the United Kingdom and instead must apply for a visit visa, the British government announced on Tuesday.

In a memorandum, the British government said that it had recorded multiple cases involving Jordanian citizens who had traveled to the UK for reasons not permitted under the ETA provisions.

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“Following the lifting of the visa regime in February 2024, there has been a significant increase in Jordanian nationals who have traveled to the UK for purposes that are not permitted under the visit and Electronic Authorization (ETA) provisions, such as to live, work or claim asylum in the UK,” the statement said.

“The latest available published statistics demonstrate this trend with refusals of entry at the border rising from 10 in 2023 to 22 in the first quarter (January to March) of 2024 and 463 in the most recent quarter (April to June) of 2024,” the statement continued.

The Jordanian foreign ministry, in a statement, confirmed the revocation of the ETA scheme for Jordanian citizens that had been issued in February.

“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates announced that the British Embassy in Amman has officially notified it of the British authorities’ decision to stop issuing, as of September 10, 2024, the electronic visa system (ETA), which the British authorities had announced in early February, to facilitate the granting of visas electronically to Jordanian citizens wishing to visit the United Kingdom,” the ministry said in a statement.

The spokesman for the ministry, Ambassador Sufyan al-Qudah, said the British government had stated that the decision was made due to the “misuse” of these regulations by some citizens who had traveled to the UK.

According to al-Qudah, the Jordanian foreign ministry held multiple talks with British authorities through the country’s embassy in London to find solutions to address the violations of British residency and immigration laws by some Jordanian citizens who had traveled to the UK.

However, the continued misuse of the ETA by violators prompted the British authorities to revoke the scheme and return to working with the previous regular visa system, which was in effect before February.

Jordanian nationals arriving in the UK before 3 p.m. (local time) on October 8 2024, will be allowed to use an ETA if they have already applied for one.

UK requirements for Jordanians for ETA entry

The following conditions must be applied to be granted entry with an ETA: the Jordanian national must have booked and paid for their journey before September 10, 2024, and the Jordanian national must arrive in the UK before 3 p.m. (local time) on October 8, 2024.

The traveler must provide proof of their booking when they travel and when arriving in the UK. They cannot amend a booking to meet these conditions and will need to apply for a visa instead, according to the British government.

If a Jordanian national travels to the UK after October 8, their ETA will be canceled, and they will have to apply for a visa.

If a Jordanian national is already in the UK, they can stay in the country but must follow rules on what visitors can and cannot do with an ETA.

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