Megan Singleton: Travel Blogger discusses new changes in UK visa

Megan Singleton chats to Francesca Rudkin about new changes to the UK visa from January 8th, what it entails, why it's significant and how it will affect travel

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Sunday Session podcast with Francesca Rudgin
from News Talks EDB.

Speaker 2 (00:13):
Megan Singleton, blogger at large dot com, joins me, Now,
good morning, Good morning. No, I'm sorry that I surprised
you with the information about the UK visitors fee for
Kiwi's last week, but it was really interesting that you
weren't that you hadn't heard of it. I mean it
had only just come out in the news, and that's
what we do here. We were just constantly reading the news.

(00:34):
But interestingly throughout the week, you know, I was talking
to people who are making plans to travel early next
year and I mentioned it to them and they went, so,
what would I have to do?

Speaker 3 (00:41):
Yeah? Well I put it straight out onto my Facebook
page for my followers and they were also like, what
have you? They tagged friends, did you know this? Did
you know this? So yes, thanks to you, your travel
correspondent got schooled last Sunday and I'm.

Speaker 1 (00:56):
All over it.

Speaker 2 (00:57):
Now what do we need to know?

Speaker 3 (01:00):
Okay, so from January the eighth, we will need to
pay for an ET and electronic travel authorization. Now we've
been charging people to do that in New Zealand. Remember
we just put our levy up, so we've already been
charging people thirty five dollars for it's just gone up
to one hundred. The USA has the esther which you
need that lasts for two years. This uk ETA will

(01:23):
also last for two years and it's only going to
be ten pounds. So you can apply for it from
November this year and it's going to be phased in,
so like the list of countries that are in the
first wave. In fact some countries can already apply for it,
Middle Eastern Countries, New Zealander's, Americans, Australians, et cetera. We
can start applying for it from the twenty seventh of

(01:45):
November for travel, which we won't be required until the
eighth of January, so if you go in before the
eighth of January, you don't need to worry about it
doesn't apply. And then the Europeans will They will need
it from the second of April next year. So yeah,
they're just staggering it through and I couldn't find any
info about, you know, if it's being earmarked for tourism,
infrastructure anything like ours is apparently going to be used for.

(02:09):
But everyone needs one, including babies. You need to apply
for one for every family member. And yeah it's ten pounds.

Speaker 2 (02:18):
Which is too bad. Okay, So if you're just visiting,
you are just you know, on a holiday, that's what
it's for. It's as you said, you could use it
for two years, but it's not to replace any kind
of working visa, nice study, long term studying visa or
anything like that, at least if you're going on holiday.

(02:40):
And then obviously if you go into the UK, you
go to Europe, you come back to the UK, you're
not paying it again.

Speaker 3 (02:47):
No, so you pay the one levee for the two years.
And yes you're still going to need a visa if
you plan to go over to work or do any
of those other things. This is just simply for visiting,
and you'll also need one for transitting, so of course,
and we charge people that in New Zealand too, So
like Americans might be coming via Auckland on conscious and
going on too a Australia and they get pinged because

(03:08):
they don't know they need the New Zealand one. Yes
we do.

Speaker 2 (03:12):
Yeah, look we're clicking the ticket literally, so you might
not even leave the.

Speaker 3 (03:19):
Airport. No, you still need one yep, and you do
with the US as well, because the US actually doesn't
have a like a transit lounge, so you actually have
to enter US soil, go through immigration and everything, and
then get on your next flight departing for Europe or whatever.
But in New Zealand you could even just come in
and be going straight on to transit and hang on.

(03:42):
That won't work unless you're going through passport control. So
if there is a way for you to just transit,
I might be making it up. This is where you
need a travel agent. Maybe they won't even let you
board out of LA if you going to Australia via
New Zealand, might need to combat to you on that.

Speaker 2 (03:59):
We traveled continents. But the most important thing that people
need to know if in the New Year you were
heading to the UK, hey, you've got to have this
done before you arrived. Then they don't like it if
you arrive without having this done right, because it can
take a couple of days to process. I believe you.

Speaker 3 (04:14):
Won't get in. So yeah, don't just think you can
just apply for it at the airport, you know, like
people have done because they're caught shortly. Can take up
to three days to process.

Speaker 2 (04:23):
Okay, so go.

Speaker 3 (04:25):
Houblic service announcement.

Speaker 2 (04:28):
No, I think that's really sensible. It will be a
few people putting that in their diaries right now, twenty
seventh of November. Just get it done and so you
know that it's taken care of. Thank you so much, Megan.
Good to catch up with you. Meghan has put all
this information on her on her website, so if you
just want to check on it, head to blogger at
large dot com. It is twelve to twelve.

Speaker 1 (04:48):
For more from the Sunday session with Francesca Rudkin, listen
live to news Talks it'd be from nine am Sunday,
or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio