PnrGo Webinar: UK UPT (Universal Permission to Travel) – recording and Q&A

You can travel to the UK as many times as you want during the 2-year period - as long as your ETA-linked passport is also valid. If you get a new passport, you need to get a new ETA.

Yes, the requirement also applies to GA and BA flights, both private and commercial. The UK will no longer issue physical documents like visa or residence permits, and ETA is already digital. As soon as everything is digitized, carriers will have no other way to check whether their passenger is allowed to come to the UK. Manual document checks will be entirely replaced with electronic checks via the UPT system.

It is obligatory to send both GAR and the UPT message, also for private flights. Right now, there are two options to do so:

1. Via the UK sGAR portal where you can input the data of passenger, crew, flight, aircraft, etc.
2. Via a service provider, like PnrGo. (If you use a flight management or scheduling system integrated with PnrGo, the whole process is automated; the required data - for both commercial and private flights - is pulled directly from the FMS and submitted to the UK in the background of your operations.)

Yes, it is. One of the steps of data submission via the sGAR portal displays the statuses of your passengers. After you submit all the flight, crew, and pax details, you will be shown the the UPT codes for each passenger - the ones we discussed in the presentational part of the webinar (e.g. 0A, 0Z) - and based on that, you need to follow the relevant procedures (e.g. check physical permission documents or simply confirm the passenger’s identity).

-48 hours STD. The submission window is exactly the same as it is for GAR, that is between 48 and 2 hours before departure.

This requirement is set by the UK authorities. They need sufficient time to thoroughly check passengers in their systems. As far as we know, there are no plans to lift the 2-hour window requirement.

The 2-hour window applies only to GA flights. If your passengers go through the main terminal/DCS, these rules do not apply.

Yes, it will be provided at the bottom. However, we are sharing it here too for your convenience: +44 300 369 0610. The CSH offers a 24/7 service.

Technically speaking, an ETA is permission for “arrival,” not for “staying” in the UK. If your crew members overstay by a few days, they won’t need an ETA. However, if they need to stay much longer, you should contact the Carrier Support Hub for advice.

The 2-hour windows apply only to GA flights. If your passengers go through the main terminal/DCS, these rules do not apply. 

This remains a grey area, as there is no clearly defined distinction between "a few days" and "an extended stay."

This depends on your crew’s nationality. If your crew is of Croatian nationality, they will need ETA starting from 2nd April 2025.

Non-visa crew can arrive and stay in the UK for up to 7 days without an ETA. If previously your crew needed e.g. a visa, they will still need one (although it will now be issued digitally).

In case of passengers travelling on live/work/study permits, there are two possible UPT responses – 0A or 0Z:

• 0A means that a digital permission has been found, and in that case you only have to confirm the passenger’s identity through a routine ID check.
• 0Z means that no digital record has been found in the UK’s system and then you need to confirm if the passenger has a valid permission in order to determine whether you can carry them to the UK. On top of that, the passenger will be requested at the border to show the physical permission document.

If you have any doubts, you can also call the Carrier Support Hub and confirm the permission with them.

The deletion of a passenger is the only ‘non-critical’ change in the UPT message, and as such, it does not require a re-submission. The PnrGo system can recognize this scenario and does not send any ‘updates’ to the UK for deleted passengers. Therefore, you can depart on time.

(Please note that any other changes require data resubmission and then the 2-hour window rule comes into force.)

There is no such possibility. As a rule, ETA lasts for 2 years or until your passport expires, whichever is sooner. If the passport has expired, the passenger must apply for a new ETA.

The UK has introduced a ‘share code’ as a way for individuals to prove their immigration status digitally.

From the perspective of the CARRIER, the share code process works as follows:

1. Passenger provides their share code
   • When checking in for travel to the UK, passengers who are required to prove their immigration status may present a share code instead of a physical visa or residence permit.
   • This share code is a 9-character alphanumeric code (e.g. "AB12CD34E") and is valid for 90 days from the date of issue.
2. Carrier accesses the UK government system
   
   • Go to the UK government’s online service:
     https://www.gov.uk/check-immigration-status
   • Enter the share code and the passenger’s date of birth to check their immigration status.

From the perspective of your PASSENGER, here are the steps to complete:

1. Passenger generates a share code
   
   • Before traveling, generate a share code through the UK government’s "View and Prove" service.
   • Log in using UKVI account details (email and password) or a one-time security code (sent via email or phone).
   • Click "Prove your status" and follow the prompts.
   • Choose "To the airline or transport provider" when asked for the reason
   • The system generates a 9-character share code (e.g. "AB12CD34E"), valid for 90 days.
2. Passenger provides the share code to the carrier
   
   • At check-in or boarding, give the share code to your carrier.
   • The carrier will also need your date of birth to verify your status.

If everything is in order, the passenger can board and travel to the UK. Upon arrival, the UK Border Force will check the passenger's passport and immigration status as usual.

This is correct. Primarily, the messages are sent to the carrier. However, it is possible to configure additional email addresses to receive the Board / No-board statuses. If you would like to do that, please contact our Support team at support@pnrgo.com. 

If you are using Leon Software, PnrGo can provide the UPT / ETA service for you. The integration allows you to see the UPT passenger statuses directly in Leon. 
In order to activate this service, please contact our team.