Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact the implementation of the Electronic Travel Authorisation scheme on inbound international tourists arriving in Northern Ireland from the Irish Republic.

Electronic Travel Authorisations (ETAs) have been introduced to enhance our ability to screen travellers upstream and stop those who pose a threat from travelling to the UK. Individuals arriving in the UK, including those crossing the land border into Northern Ireland, will need to continue to enter in line with the UK’s immigration framework, including the requirement to obtain an ETA, where applicable. We are working with a wide range of partners to promote the ETA scheme, ensuring it is communicated effectively to visitors to Northern Ireland.

The application is quick and light-touch, and many applications are decided within minutes. Since the scheme’s introduction until the end of 2024, over 1.1 million ETAs have been granted.

The Home Office keeps all aspects of the immigration system under regular review, in consultation with a wide range of experts and stakeholders.