Latvian citizens traveling to UK will need electronic travel authorization starting from April

RIGA - All citizens of the EU Member States, including Latvia, will need an electronic travel authorization (ETA) for short-term entry to the UK from April 2, Latvian Foreign Ministry told LETA.

Everyone, regardless of age, will be required to have an ETA. It can also be applied for on behalf of other persons, such as children or grandparents. ETA will also be required for those entering the UK in transit, unless the person is not leaving the transit area of an airport and not passing through UK border controls.

The ETA will be linked to the person's passport and will be valid for two years. The current fee for applying for an ETA is EUR 12, but this will rise to EUR 19 from April 9. A decision on whether to grant an ETA will be taken within three working days on average.

The ETA system does not apply to people who need a visa to enter the UK, people who have been granted a long-stay residence permit, including permanent and temporary resident status, British and Irish nationals. Persons permanently resident in Ireland, Guernsey, Jersey and the Isle of Man who enter the UK from these territories are also exempt from the ETA.

According to the UK government's website, ETA will allow entry to the UK for up to six months for the purposes of tourism, visiting family and friends, business or short-term study.