The UK’s new electronic travel authorisation (ETA) scheme is causing hiccoughs for Macao and Hong Kong passport holders by requiring them to list their nationality and their travel document’s place of issue as “China,” the South China Morning Post reports.
While both assertions are correct, applicants are initially confused because holders of mainland Chinese passports require visas to visit the UK, while SAR passport holders do not.
According to the Post, uploading a copy of a Macao or Hong Kong passport to the ETA system results in it automatically filling those categories with “China.” The application then proceeds as normal.
[See more: Macao’s passport is now ranked 33rd in the world]
Attempts to list either SAR as an applicant’s “nationality” or their passport’s place of issue triggers a pop-up message indicating ineligibility for the ETA, which became mandatory for many people travelling to the UK without a British or Irish passport earlier this week.
The UK’s ETA scheme is a visa waiver and pre-travel screening process for eligible travellers visiting the UK for less than six months, for tourism or business purposes. It costs £10, or just under 100 patacas, and can be applied for via the official app listed on the UK government website or directly online.
Each ETA allows multiple entries over two years, though it is linked to an individual passport rather than a person (if you get a new travel document, you’ll need a new ETA). Processing takes about three days.
