Jordanian community in UK expresses discontent over end of ETA

The head of the Jordanian community in the UK, Hilmi Al-Harhasha, has expressed significant "discontent" among the Jordanian community, which numbers over 25,000 citizens in the UK, calling the situation "unfortunate."

In a statement to Roya, Al-Harhasha mentioned that 158,000 travel authorizations have been issued, benefiting 54,000 Jordanians. However, there have been between 3,500 and 5,000 cases of system misuse, which he believes has led to a collective punishment with the decision to cancel the system.

Al-Harhasha explained that the misuse of the system is often tied to young individuals who are "misled" in search of work and better opportunities. He added that the community plans to challenge the decision.

Collective Punishment

Chairman of the Jordanian-British Society, Mo’men Al-Hadidi, stated that the misuse of the travel authorization system "does not warrant its cancellation, but rather calls for better regulation."

He emphasized the need to organize the system’s conditions and said he plans to submit a memorandum to the British embassy in Jordan to ensure the rights of those applying for travel authorizations are protected.

The British authorities have decided to discontinue the electronic travel authorization (ETA) system as of September 10, 2024. The system, introduced in February, was meant to facilitate the electronic visa process for Jordanians wishing to visit the UK.