You Want to Visit the UK? You Better Have a Google Play or App Store Account

Original Article ↗ Hacker News Discussion ↗

App vs Web Flow for UK ETA

  • Many commenters report that despite the headline, you can apply online without an app, but the site strongly nudges you toward installing the ETA app.
  • To reach the web form you typically must:
    • Go to the ETA page, click “Apply,” then “Start now,”
    • Click “I cannot apply on the app,”
    • Click again “Continue application online.”
  • Several see this as a “dark pattern” comparable to subscription cancellation flows: technically possible but clearly discouraged.

Experience Using the App and Online Form

  • Some report the whole process (with app) taking only a few minutes and decisions arriving within minutes.
  • Others describe major friction:
    • NFC passport reading failing repeatedly, especially on iOS, requiring many attempts.
    • Payments randomly failing, and limits like one bank card per applicant, which makes family applications awkward.
    • Online flow only supports one person per application, so families must repeat everything and pay separately.

Government UX and gov.uk Design

  • Strong divide:
    • Critics say gov.uk treats users “like 5‑year‑olds,” with too many explanation pages and clicks, especially around One Login and Companies House.
    • Defenders argue this is deliberate content design for accessibility (elderly, low‑literacy, non‑native speakers) and is vastly better than many other countries’ systems.
  • General consensus: gov.uk is fast, consistent and usually well‑designed, but this ETA funnel feels more manipulative than typical GDS work.

Privacy, Sovereignty, and App‑Store Dependence

  • A central concern: governments are effectively requiring a contractual relationship with Apple/Google to access public services.
  • Commenters see this pattern across Europe: tax, ID, and visa processes increasingly require iOS/Android apps, excluding people on alternative ROMs or without smartphones.
  • Some argue native apps are justified for NFC, liveness checks, and smoother photo capture; others respond that most of this could be done via simple web forms, and NFC is a convenience, not a necessity.

Fees, “e‑Visas,” and International Context

  • Multiple people note similar paid pre‑travel authorisations: US ESTA, Canadian/Australian systems, upcoming EU ETIAS, and argue ETA is not unusual.
  • Others object to the marketing: these are visas in all but name, with fees, data collection, and potential delays, but are labelled differently and often poorly signposted.

Dual Citizens and New UK Rules

  • Significant side discussion: British dual nationals now must enter the UK on a British passport and cannot get an ETA on a foreign passport.
  • This forces some to buy or renew a UK passport (or an expensive waiver), and creates edge‑case bureaucratic nightmares (e.g., name mismatches, countries banning dual citizenship).