New travel permit scheme for some overseas visitors could 'damage' NI's tourism
Tourism representatives have said the industry faces a significant hit in visitor numbers in Northern Ireland if tourists arriving into this part of the UK from across the border are not exempt from the new Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) scheme.
As of 8 January, all non-resident European visitors and their children who wish to cross the border from the Republic into Northern Ireland will have to complete an online form and pay £10 to enter.
From 2 April, European visitors will also need the digital travel permission.
The initial introduction of the ETA last year applied only to travellers from the Gulf states.
Irish citizens travelling into Northern Ireland do not require an ETA because they are entitled to move freely in the UK under the Common Travel Area arrangements, and non-Irish citizens who are resident in Ireland are being granted an exemption under the visa waiver scheme.
The Economy Minister Conor Murphy is pressing Westminster to exempt Northern Ireland from ETA.
Mr Murphy described the scheme as a “real kick in the teeth” for the local tourism sector, claiming it will act as a bureaucratic and financial disincentive for overseas tourists considering a visit to Northern Ireland.
Tourism businesses in Northern Ireland say most international tourists arrive from the Republic and warned the new process would stop some of them coming to Northern Ireland.
A UK government spokesperson said: “ETAs will deliver a more streamlined, digital immigration system which will be quicker and more secure for the millions of people who pass through the UK border each year.”
The spokesperson said the government was committed to working closely with a wide range of stakeholders to ensure the ETA requirement was “communicated effectively and to mitigate against it being seen as a barrier to cross-border tourism” on the island of Ireland.
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