Visa & ETA information

Everything delegates need to know about entering the UK  — visas, Electronic Travel Authorisation, and support available through the London Convention Bureau.

Do You Need a Visa or ETA?

Delegates and Visitors Coming to the UK

As of April 2025, all visitors to the UK — except British and Irish citizens — require a visa or an ETA (Electronic Travel Authorisation) to enter the country for business or leisure.

We strongly advise delegates to find out if they need a visa or ETA as early as possible, and — should a visa be required — to apply as soon as possible, as the process can take up to 20 working days.

Check if you need a visa

All nationalities are permitted to apply to enter the UK. All visa applications are considered regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, and sexual orientation.

Electronic Travel Authorisation

The ETA Scheme

The UK has introduced an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) scheme for passengers visiting or transiting through the UK who do not currently need a visa for short stays — comparable to the US ESTA visa waiver scheme, and similarly priced.

£20
Cost per applicant
2 yrs
Validity, or until passport expiry
≈ ESTA
Comparable to the US visa waiver scheme
Visit the Official ETA website

Business Visitors

EU / Non-EU Passport Holders Eligible for ETA

Passport holders employed by an EU-based association or company (audio-visual, stand builder) to run a congress or deliver services:

What this means in practice

Only need an ETA, not a visa.

Can carry out work for the duration of the congress (usually 7–10 days), as they can work within the first month of arrival.

No limit to the number of times they can travel to the UK, as the ETA is usually multiple entry.

Immigration Support

Working Directly With UK Visa & Immigration

The London Convention Bureau works closely with the UK Visa & Immigration (UKVI) office to offer help and advice on the visa process, and to provide details of visa and ETA requirements.

Should London Be Selected, the Convention Bureau Will:

  • Provide IFOS with the latest visa and ETA information.
  • Provide UKVI with a sample visa invitation letter and a list of countries attendees are likely to travel from.
  • Highlight IFOS 2030 to UKVI and forward the above information.
  • Assist IFOS with any query or VIP application.

UKVI Will Be Able To:

  • Share information on IFOS 2030 across their network of Visa Application Centres (VACs).
  • Highlight which countries’ applicants will need an ETA or visa.
  • Indicate cut-off dates and deadlines for visa applications across different category visas.
  • Track and send updates on VIP visa applications.

Still not sure what you need?

Start with the UK government's official visa checker, or apply for your ETA directly if you're already confirmed you don't need a full visa.

THANK YOU

London will not host IFOS 2030, but what an extraordinary journey this has been.

While this wasn’t the result we hoped for, we are immensely proud of the vision we put forward and enormously grateful to everyone who supported it.

Thank you to every society, voting delegate and colleague who explored our bid, asked questions and shared their priorities with us. Our deepest thanks also go to the entire London 2030 team, whose energy, expertise and belief made this campaign possible.

We warmly congratulate Hong Kong on its successful bid to host IFOS 2030. We wish the team every success and look forward to joining the global ENT community there.

London’s bid was built around a promise:

A Congress for Every Nation. A Legacy for Every Generation.

Although the Congress will not be coming to London, the ideas behind that promise still matter. The conversations, partnerships and ambitions created through this campaign will continue to shape our work.

This may be the end of the bid, but it is not the end of the vision.

Thank you for being part of the journey — and congratulations once again to Hong Kong.