The British Embassy in Amman stated that the United Kingdom will keep the decision to re-impose the visa requirement on Jordanian citizens under continuous review, stressing that the decision does not reflect the strength of the firm partnership between the two countries.

In an exclusive statement to Amman Net, the Embassy added: "Effective from September 10, 2024, all Jordanian citizens wishing to visit the United Kingdom have been required to obtain a visit visa before travelling. This decision was taken due to immigration and border security concerns."

The British authorities explained that since February 2024, they had observed a sharp and sustained increase in the number of Jordanians holding an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) who arrive in the UK as "visitors" and subsequently claim asylum upon arrival. The authorities deemed this to be an abuse of the ETA system and the UK's immigration system.

The Embassy affirmed: "We recognise that this decision was a disappointment to Jordan and in no way reflects the strength of the partnership between our two countries. We deeply value our relationship with Jordan and will continue to review this decision on an ongoing basis."

Background

The British authorities had announced the Electronic Travel Authorisation system (ETA) in early February 2023 to facilitate the electronic granting of visas for Jordanian citizens wishing to visit the UK, before its cancellation a few months later.

Effective from September 10, 2024, the United Kingdom re-imposed visa requirements for Jordanian citizens, following an announcement by the UK Home Office about concerns related to the misuse of the ETA system, citing cases where Jordanian citizens submitted asylum claims in the UK, and sometimes in Ireland, occasionally under false pretences.