Channel Islands Set to Launch New Digital Visa Programme

Visitors travelling to Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man from outside the UK and Ireland will be required to obtain an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) from 23 April, authorities have confirmed.

The new rule applies to travellers who are neither British nor Irish citizens and who currently do not require a visa to enter Jersey or Guernsey.

An ETA will cost £20 and will be digitally linked to a traveller’s passport. It will remain valid for two years, or until the passport expires — whichever comes first.

French visitors making day trips to the Channel Islands using national identity cards will be exempt from the new requirement.

The ETA system was first introduced by the UK government in 2023 and expanded to travellers from 85 countries earlier this year. The initiative forms part of plans to create a fully digital and contactless border system.

Officials in Jersey confirmed the scheme would be extended to all three Crown Dependencies — Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man — with the UK government managing the application process on their behalf.

Travel journalist Simon Calder previously warned the introduction of ETAs could cost the Channel Islands “millions”.

Airlines and ferry operators will be responsible for checking passengers hold a valid ETA before boarding services into the Common Travel Area, which includes the UK, Ireland, Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man.

Travellers can apply for an ETA online or through the UK ETA mobile app.