United States (VI) visitors to the Virgin Islands (VI) do not presently require ETAs. Photo: Internet Source

Effective January 8, 2026, all travellers to the United Kingdom (UK) from the United States (US) are required to obtain an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) if they do not have a UK visa or legal residency in the UK or the Republic of Ireland. Photo: Internet Source

(L-R) Talking Points Co-hosts Damion C. Grange, Elvin G. Grant, and guest Premier and Minister of Finance Dr the Hon Natalio D. Wheatley (R7) Photo: Facebook

Effective January 8, 2026, all travellers to the United Kingdom (UK) from the United States (US) are required to obtain an ETA if they do not have a UK visa or legal residency in the UK or the Republic of Ireland.

A Forbes, January 2026, article had also said this applies to Northern Ireland and UK Overseas Territories. 

Responding to the question on the matter raised by Talking Points co-host Elvin G. Grant on the January 12, 2026, episode on ZBVI 780 AM, Premeir Wheatley said, “I was doing some investigation, and I was told Forbes did an article on that and that it wasn’t quite accurate that it would apply to Overseas Territories…we don’t require visas for US citizens.”

Dr Wheatley said it is something he will investigate further and reiterated the Forbes article in terms of it applying to the territory is “not accurate”. 

“Allow me to do some further research about that. Let’s not take that as gospel.”

We control visa restrictions

Co-host Damion C. Grange added, “As a self-governing territory, you should have some level of autonomy because your product depends on it anyway.”

Premier Wheatley said he is the Minister for Immigration, an area that has been devolved to local government. 

“We control any kind of visa restriction, anything like that that’s implemented, that’s something done by legislation here in the Virgin Islands.”

The Premier continued that this is just one matter that shows the importance of autonomy.

“Some persons take those things for granted, but there can be any decision that the United Kingdom makes that we don’t want to apply to ourselves.”

He continued that had not Immigration been devolved to the local government, the ETA requirements for US citizens would have applied to the VI. 

“[That would] make us much less competitive to all the other Caribbean countries that would have visa-free access to United States citizens,” Premier Wheatley pointed out.

See link to related article

https://www.virginislandsnewsonline.com/en/news/uk-requires-us-travellers-to-obtain-eta