UK to require registration for short-term visits, beware influencers who don't know what they are talking about on Czech social media
Incorrect claims are being made on Czech social media about the change to the conditions for entering the countries of the United Kingdom – England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales – which take effect on 2 April. Some influencers who livestream on Czech social media are misleading their followers about who exactly is affected by the planned changes and how.
“Among Romani social media users [in the Czech Republic] there are influencers who have started to speak in their livestreams about these changes, which primarily affect persons who want to temporarily visit the United Kingdom, for instance, as tourists or to visit family. This is about the duty to register with the Electronic Travel Authorisation system. However, in these livestreams, the influencers quite frequently repeat the incorrect claim that this obligation is just for persons living in the United Kingdom long-term or who have some form of status there,” Romani community member Vladimír Bodiš has warned news server Romea.cz.
The Czech Embassy in London has posted information about this change in the conditions for entry to the United Kingdom on its website, emphasizing that this is not about introducing the obligation for citizens of the Czech Republic to apply for visas, but about registration in an automated system that takes place online through an official webpage.
The ETA is required for short-term stays
“Introduction of the ETA will apply to all persons entering the territory of the United Kingdom for a short period of time. A short-term stay is defined as staying less than six months for purposes of tourism, visits to family or friends, for business purposes, or for study,” the Czech embassy has posted.
According to Bodiš, Czech influencers are making incorrect claims about how much the fees are, how to register with the ETA, or that it is possible to register now. The Czech Embassy says registration with the system will be possible as of 5 March.
Registration costs 10 pounds and will be required even if you are just in transit or transferring through the UK while traveling to a destination beyond it. “In practice, this will mean that each traveller will complete and submit a registration form on the designated website and receive registration to their contact e-mail address. That confirmation is meant to be sent within three working days, but it could take longer. We therefore recommend you apply for registration sufficiently in advance,” the Czech Embassy warns.
Official registration form
The registration will be valid either for two years, during which it will be possible to repeatedly travel to the countries of the UK, and/or until your passport expires, depending which happens first. Should you receive a new passport, it will be necessary to apply for a new ETA registration, as it is linked to a specific passport number.
“This is immediately impacting many Romani people [from the Czech Republic] who are getting the wrong information from these influencers, whether they live in the United Kingdom permanently, or whether they will continue to visit their family members there, and that means it is important that they learn how to register and where it is necessary to do so,” Bodiš said. More details, including a sample registration form, are already available on the official webpages of the portal for the state administration of the United Kingdom.
