More than 5,000 UK Electronic Visa Waivers (EVW) have been completed since January 1, allowing Emirati, Qatari and Omani passport holders to travel to the UK without a visa.
The scheme is proving to be extremely popular as travellers are no longer required to submit their fingerprints or pay a visa fee before travelling to the UK. Already 2,184 Qataris, 1,948 Emiratis and 1,369 Omanis have completed the EVW.
“However, not everyone has understood exactly how the system works,” a release issued by the British Embassy says.
When completing the EVW, the traveller is required to enter their name exactly as it appears in their passport; this must include all names and the spelling must exactly match that in the passport.
The EVW must also state which flight the person will be travelling on, at what time and what day. The EVW is only valid for travel on that flight. It is not possible to use the EVW for any other flight or any other day.
If someone needs to change their travel details, then they must complete a new EVW, and this must be done at least 48 hours before travelling.
UK Ambassador Nicholas Hopton said: “I’m very pleased that so many Qataris have already used the EVW scheme. This new system reflects the close links between our two countries, and shows how much the UK welcomes Qatari visitors to the UK each year.
As the number of Qataris using the EVW is expected to increase, we encourage everyone to complete the online form with 100% accuracy to ensure smooth access to the UK.”
Matt Heath, Regional Director for UK Visas and Immigration said: “We’re delighted by the uptake and interest in EVW. To ensure travellers enjoy a straightforward journey, we encourage them to check their EVW document against their passport as soon as they have completed it.
“If the name on the EVW does not exactly match the name written in the passport, or the traveller attempts to board a different plane they may not be able to travel to the UK. If an error is identified it is really simple to rectify, you just complete a new EVW.
“Those who travel frequently, at short notice or regularly change their travel plans are advised to apply for a multi-entry visitor visa or longer term visa rather than an EVW. This offers more flexibility and can last up to 10 years.”
The online EVW application system has been upgraded this week to better highlight to travellers that their names must exactly match the names appearing in their passports and the EVW is only valid for the journey stated.