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Bahrain has joined Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Brazil, Italy, Iceland, Mexico and dozens of other countries whose citizens now face mandatory pre‑travel screening and tougher passport checks to enter the United Kingdom, as the British government completes a sweeping overhaul of its border system built around electronic travel authorisations.
UK Completes Shift to Mandatory ETA for Visa‑Free Visitors
The United Kingdom is finalising one of the most significant changes to its border controls in decades, requiring most visitors from traditionally visa‑free countries to obtain an Electronic Travel Authorisation before boarding a flight, ferry or train. The scheme, modelled on systems used by the United States and Canada, moves security checks from the border to the point of departure and embeds them in a fully digital platform.
According to official guidance, an ETA is a digital permission to travel, not a visa. From 25 February 2026, eligible travellers who arrive at a check‑in desk without an approved ETA will be denied boarding, unless they fall into a narrow category of exemptions such as British and Irish citizens or individuals with an existing UK immigration status. The Home Office says the change is designed to make borders “quicker and more secure” while giving authorities more advance information on who is coming to the country.
The authorisation costs a modest fee and is typically valid for two years or until the traveller’s passport expires, whichever comes first. It covers multiple short visits of up to six months for tourism, business or family trips. Officials stress, however, that holding an ETA does not guarantee entry: visitors can still be refused at the border if they do not satisfy immigration officers about their plans or ability to support themselves.
Bahrain Joins a Growing List of ETA‑Required Countries
Bahrain’s inclusion in the ETA programme reflects a broader shift that now sweeps across the Gulf, the Americas, Europe and parts of Asia and the Pacific. The rollout began with Qatar in late 2023 and was extended in early 2024 to other Gulf Cooperation Council states, including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Oman and Bahrain. Those Gulf nationals were among the first to experience the UK’s new digital border in practice.
The scheme then expanded to a wider circle of non‑European, largely visa‑exempt nations including the United States, Canada, Brazil, Mexico and several Latin American and Caribbean countries. More recently, most European Union and Schengen‑area nationals such as Italians and Icelanders, as well as citizens of countries like Norway and Switzerland, were added to the list, marking a profound change for travellers long used to arriving in the UK with only a passport in hand.
Today the ETA requirement covers around 85 nationalities, ranging from Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and Qatar to Brazil, Argentina and Chile, and from Mexico and the United States to Italy, Iceland, Portugal and Spain. For many of these travellers, what was once a relatively spontaneous hop across the Channel or a straightforward long‑haul visit now demands advance online registration, biometric‑style data entry and approval before a ticket can effectively be used.
Tougher Passport Rules Hit Dual Nationals and Frequent Travellers
Alongside the ETA rollout, the UK has tightened passport rules in a way that is causing particular concern among dual nationals. From 25 February 2026, British citizens who also hold another nationality will be required to present a valid UK passport, or a foreign passport carrying an expensive certificate of entitlement to the right of abode, when travelling to Britain. They will not be allowed to rely on ETA status linked to their second nationality.
Airlines and other carriers face fines if they transport passengers who do not hold appropriate documentation, increasing the likelihood that dual nationals who arrive at check‑in with only a non‑UK passport will be turned away even if they have long considered the UK their home. The government has clarified that, in some cases, expired British passports may be accepted as proof of citizenship for travel, although this is left to the discretion of carriers and does not replace the requirement for a valid document in the longer term.
Campaigners and travel industry bodies warn that the interplay of ETA rules and new passport obligations risks stranding people overseas or disrupting urgent trips for funerals, medical emergencies or family visits. They argue that communication about the changes has been patchy, leaving many dual nationals unaware that their previous practice of entering the UK on a foreign passport will no longer be accepted once the new system is fully enforced.
What ETA Means for Travellers from Bahrain, the Gulf and Beyond
For Bahrainis and their Gulf neighbours, the UK’s move to a mandatory ETA regime formalises a process that has already been in place for some time but will become unforgiving from late February 2026. Travellers must apply online or via a mobile application, providing biographical information, passport details, travel history and answers to security‑related questions. Most approvals are expected within hours, but authorities advise applying at least several days before departure in case additional checks are required.
Visitors from Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and other Gulf states have been important contributors to the UK’s inbound tourism and luxury retail sectors, particularly in London during the summer months. Travel analysts suggest the modest cost of an ETA is unlikely on its own to deter these high‑spending visitors. However, last‑minute shoppers and families who are used to spontaneous travel may now need to factor in application windows, system downtimes and potential delays, especially during peak holiday seasons.
The same dynamic applies in the Americas and across Europe, where travellers from Brazil, Mexico, the United States, Italy, Iceland and dozens of other countries will be navigating ETA requirements for everything from city breaks to major sporting events and concerts. Airlines and tour operators are scrambling to update booking flows, sending reminders and building ETA checks into online check‑in in order to avoid queues and confusion at departure gates.
Europeans Face New Pre‑Travel Checks After Years of Frictionless Visits
For European travellers, the UK’s ETA represents a symbolic end to an era of frictionless short‑stay travel that persisted even after Brexit. Citizens of Italy, Iceland and most other EU and Schengen‑area countries, long accustomed to simply presenting a passport or identity card at the UK border, must now secure digital pre‑clearance similar to the authorisations they will soon encounter under the European Union’s own ETIAS scheme for non‑EU visitors.
The change has been particularly sensitive in neighbouring states such as France, Belgium and the Netherlands, where cross‑Channel travel supports a dense web of business, tourism and family ties. Ferry and rail operators through the Channel Tunnel and on routes from ports like Calais, Dunkirk and Rotterdam are redesigning their procedures to verify that passengers hold an ETA before boarding, adding another step to journeys that were once as simple as turning up with a ticket and passport minutes before departure.
Travel industry groups note that digital clearance systems are becoming the new global norm, pointing to the long‑running US ESTA and Canada’s eTA, as well as similar schemes in Australia and New Zealand. They argue that European frustration with the UK’s measures may ease once ETIAS introduces comparable requirements for British travellers heading into the Schengen area, creating a more reciprocal landscape of pre‑travel checks on both sides.
Carriers Brace for Disruption as Enforcement Deadline Nears
Airlines, ferry operators and rail companies are on the front line of the new regime, tasked with verifying that passengers have the correct authorisation before they board. From 25 February 2026, carriers can be penalised if they transport travellers who require an ETA but do not hold one, or if dual nationals attempt to travel without the mandated British passport or certificate. This shifts a large part of immigration control to check‑in counters and boarding gates around the world.
To manage the risk, many carriers are integrating ETA validation into online booking and check‑in platforms, prompting travellers to enter authorisation numbers or consent to automated database checks before issuing boarding passes. Staff training has also been ramped up, as frontline agents must absorb complex nationality‑specific rules, understand exemptions and respond to confused passengers who may be encountering the scheme for the first time.
Industry representatives warn that teething problems are inevitable, particularly in the early months after the enforcement deadline, when late adopters attempt to travel without having read the new requirements. They are urging governments to maintain flexible approaches to fines and to provide clear, real‑time guidance so that genuine mistakes do not derail holidays and business trips unnecessarily.
Travel Planning: New Essentials for UK‑Bound Visitors
For would‑be visitors from Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Brazil, Mexico, Italy, Iceland and the more than sixty‑eight other affected countries, planning a trip to the UK now involves several additional steps. Travellers are advised to check well in advance whether their nationality requires an ETA, ensure their passport has sufficient validity remaining for the duration of the authorisation and verify that the details on their ETA exactly match their travel document.
Experts recommend applying for an ETA before committing to non‑refundable bookings, particularly for large family groups or complex itineraries involving multiple legs and tight connections. They also caution that an approved ETA does not override existing visa requirements for work, study or long‑term stays: those activities will still demand traditional visas and, in many cases, more extensive documentation.
For dual nationals, especially those who hold British citizenship alongside another passport, the message is even more stark. Travel lawyers are advising such individuals to renew their UK passports well ahead of expiry dates, to avoid relying on emergency documents, and to keep abreast of any further clarifications about how the new rules will be applied in practice. With the enforcement date approaching, the era of informal workarounds and ad‑hoc arrangements at the border is rapidly coming to an end.