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STATUTORY INSTRUMENTS
2026 No. 87
IMMIGRATION
The Immigration (Electronic Travel
Authorisations and the Islands) Regulations 2026
Made - - - - 2nd February 2026
Laid before Parliament 4th February 2026
Coming into force - - 26th February 2026
The Secretary of State makes these Regulations in exercise of the powers conferred by
section 11D(1), (2) and (4) of the Immigration Act 1971(1).
Citation, commencement and extent
1.—(1) These Regulations may be cited as the Immigration (Electronic Travel Authorisations
and the Islands) Regulations 2026.
(2) These Regulations come into force on 26th February 2026.
(3) These Regulations extend to England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Interpretation
2. In these Regulations—
“an Island ETA” means an authorisation in electronic form granted under the law of any of
the Islands(2) to travel to that Island.
Recognition of Island ETAs
3.—(1) This regulation applies where under the law of any of the Islands a person is granted
an Island ETA.
(2) A person falling within paragraph (1) shall, during the period of validity of their Island ETA,
be treated as if they are the holder of an ETA(3).
(3) Where a person is granted an Island ETA subject to any such conditions as are authorised
under the law of that Island, then that person shall be treated as if those conditions had been imposed
(1) 1971 c. 33. Section 11D was inserted by section 75(2) of the Nationality and Borders Act 2022 (c. 36).
(2) See section 33(1) of the Immigration Act 1971 for the definition of “the Islands”.
(3) See section 11C(1) of the Immigration Act 1971, as inserted by section 75(2) of the Nationality and Borders Act 2022, for
the definition of “an ETA”.Document Generated: 2026-02-26
Status: This is the original version (as it was originally made). This
item of legislation is currently only available in its original format.
as conditions of an ETA granted under immigration rules made pursuant to section 11C(2) of the
Immigration Act 1971(4).
(4) Nothing under this regulation shall be taken as requiring a person to be permitted to travel to
the United Kingdom contrary to the operation of a scheme made under section 22(1) of the Counter-
Terrorism and Security Act 2015(5).
Cancellation or variation of an Island ETA in the United Kingdom
4.—(1) An Island ETA having effect in the United Kingdom by virtue of regulation 3(2) may
be cancelled or varied by the Secretary of State or an immigration officer under immigration rules
made pursuant to section 11C(2) of the Immigration Act 1971 as if it were an ETA granted under
those rules.
(2) Where an Island ETA is cancelled or varied under paragraph (1), regulation 3(2) and (3) shall
cease to apply to it or, as the case may be, shall apply to it as varied.
Effects in the United Kingdom of an Island ETA being cancelled or varied under the law of
any of the Islands
5.—(1) Where an Island ETA is cancelled or varied—
(a) under the law of the Island which granted it, or
(b) under the law of a different Island to that which granted it, insofar as it has effect under
the law of that Island,
that cancellation or variation shall have effect in the United Kingdom as if it were done by the
Secretary of State or an immigration officer under immigration rules made pursuant to section 11C(2)
of the Immigration Act 1971.
(2) Where an Island ETA is cancelled or varied under paragraph (1), regulation 3(2) and (3) shall
cease to apply to it or, as the case may be, shall apply to it as varied.
Effects in the United Kingdom of an ETA being varied or cancelled under the law of any of
the Islands
6.—(1) This regulation applies where any of the Islands treats a person who has been granted
an ETA as being the holder of an Island ETA and where that ETA, insofar as it has effect under the
law of that Island, is cancelled or varied.
(2) A cancellation or variation falling within paragraph (1) shall have effect in the United
Kingdom as if done by the Secretary of State or an immigration officer under immigration rules
made pursuant to section 11C(2) of the Immigration Act 1971.
Mike Tapp
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State
2nd February 2026 Home Office
(4) 1971 c. 33. Section 11C was inserted by section 75(2) of the Nationality and Borders Act 2022.
(5) 2015 c. 6.
2Document Generated: 2026-02-26
Status: This is the original version (as it was originally made). This
item of legislation is currently only available in its original format.
EXPLANATORY NOTE
(This note is not part of the Regulations)
These Regulations make provision about the effects in the United Kingdom of the grant or refusal
under the law of any of the Islands of an authorisation in electronic form to travel to that Island (“an
Island ETA”). They additionally make provision about the effects in the United Kingdom of the
variation or cancellation under the law of any of the Islands of a UK electronic travel authorisation
(“an ETA”) and of the variation or cancellation of an Island ETA by the Secretary of State or an
Immigration Officer.
Regulation 3 provides that an Island ETA shall be treated in the United Kingdom as if it were an
ETA granted by the Secretary of State pursuant to section 11C of the Immigration Act 1971 and the
immigration rules, including any such conditions to which it is subject under Island law.
Regulation 4 provides that, insofar as it has effect in the United Kingdom, the Secretary of State
may vary or cancel an Island ETA; from which point it shall cease to have effect or have effect only
as varied.
Regulation 5 provides that an Island ETA that is varied or cancelled by the Island that granted it,
or that is varied or cancelled in its effect under the law of another Island, shall have effect in the
United Kingdom as if that variation or cancellation had been imposed by the Secretary of State or
an Immigration Officer.
Regulation 6 provides that an ETA that is varied or cancelled in its effect under the law of another
Island, shall have effect in the United Kingdom as if that variation or cancellation had been imposed
by the Secretary of State or an Immigration Officer.
A full impact assessment has not been produced for this instrument as no, or no significant, impact
on the private, voluntary or public sector is foreseen.
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