UAE citizens will no longer require a visa prior to travel to the United Kingdom from next year, said Mansoor Abulhoul, UAE’s ambassador to the UK.The Emirates will be one of the first countries to enjoy this facility under the UK’s Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) scheme, which will be rolled out in 2023.

Travellers from GCC countries will only need to apply online to get the entry permit (ETA), the UK’s Home Office said in a statement on Monday. ETA, a UK-entry permit document available online, allows travellers from eligible nations to visit Great Britain for several purposes without acquiring a visa. “It’s important that I follow up a very exciting announcement that we have had by the UK government on visas, particularly on the Electronic Travel Authorisation system which is coming into place early next year whereby UAE will be granted access in the system, making it easier to travel for Emirati nationals to the United KIngdom, Abulhoul said in a video message on Twitter.