The British Overseas Territories in the Caribbean are some of the hottest destinations for tourism.
With the introduction of the United Kingdom’s new electronic travel authorisation (ETA) protocol, many are wondering how it will impact their travel plans to the islands, including the Cayman Islands, British Virgin Islands, and Turks and Caicos Islands.
The UK’s ETA policy came into effect on January 8.
Nationals from 48 countries, including the United States, Canada, Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, and Australia, which currently have visa-free access to the UK, must now obtain the ETA before entering UK territory.
The UK has stated that the ETA is being introduced as part of efforts to strengthen border security and digitize border controls by 2025.
We reached out to a few of the tourist boards to find out how the new protocol will affect travellers from visa free countries arriving on their soil.
Officials from both the Turks and Caicos Islands and BVI have confirmed that the ETA does not apply to the overseas territories.
Keith Dawson, the Public Relations Manager of the BVI Tourist Board, told Loop News via email: “I confirmed with Immigration that the UK’s new ETA travel protocols do not apply to persons entering the British Virgin Islands.”
He directed us to the BVI’s Visas and Exemption Programme, which came into effect on September 1, 2016.
The visa policy states that if a national from a country requiring a BVI visa holds a valid UK, US, or Canadian visa and is visiting for business or tourism, they can enter the BVI without a visa for up to six months.
Holders of valid visas issued by the United Kingdom, United States, or Canada must have at least six months of validity remaining before traveling to the BVI.
Nationals from over 40 countries including the Philippines, Haiti, China, Colombia, Cuba and Saudi Arabia currently require visas to visit the BVI.
Dawson also told Loop News there has not been “any noticeable drop in visitor arrivals since the measure was implemented as it does not apply to us.”
