Channel Islanders returning from their holidays have been forced to pay for an emergency Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) visa after being denied boarding at international airports.
The disruption comes after the Crown Dependencies have not yet moved to a digital permission system, known as the Electronic Travel Authorisation, which the UK introduced in February 2026.
It means physical documents and passport stamps issued to Channel Islanders are not always recognised.
Anna Kamiska, who has lived in Jersey for eight years, was prevented from boarding her flight back home to the island from Greece.
She says: “I was very stressed, so I bought a speed ETA because people were already boarding the plane, which almost cost me £170, which is a shocking amount for me.
“I felt stressed, angry, upset, and people were looking at me like I was illegally trying to get to the UK.”
As of Wednesday 25 February, the UK government stated that visitors without a digital permission, known as an ETA, will not be able to board their transport and cannot travel to the UK.
The rules stated that those travelling from Ireland, Guernsey, Jersey, or the Isle of Man – as well as those with settled status in the UK or right of abode – would not need an ETA.
However, Jersey, Guernsey, and the Isle of Man are still issuing physical documents, instead of digital permissions, which some overseas airline staff do not accept as valid when returning home.
Those with “settled status” have lived in Jersey for five continuous years and are not required to hold an ETA. Credit: ITV Channel
Anna’s cousin contacted her before her flight, warning her that people were getting stopped and claiming they were unable to board their flights.
Anna says that out of fear, she then emailed Jersey Customs to check she had the correct documents.
“I got a quick reply saying everything is fine, and so two days later, I went to the airport in Corfu, and they said, ‘The UK doesn’t see your status in Jersey, and unless you’re going to buy an ETA, we can’t let you on the plane.’
“I was so shocked because I had everything. I even showed the staff the emails, the documents saying I am living in Jersey, and I have a settlement status, and they still said no.”
After being denied boarding, Anna says: “I felt stressed, angry, upset.” Credit: ITV Channel
Anna says her friends are also fearful:
“Now my friends and colleagues who are on holiday are buying ETAs just in case, because they are afraid they will be stopped.
“It is so unfair, I feel punished for doing everything correctly, having all the correct documents. I have lived here for eight years, and no one is taking responsibility.
“What if I didn’t have the time to buy the ETA? I would have had to stay, pay for accommodation and end up thousands of pounds less?
“It is very disappointing, we should be able to go back to our home without any problems. We pay our taxes here, some of my friends have mortgages here, it is our home, we treat Jersey as home.”
Magda Chmielewska, Honorary Council of the Republic of Poland says: “I feel so little understood by people in power.” Credit: ITV Channel
Magda Chmielewska, Honorary Polish Consul of the Republic of Poland for Jersey, says it is an example of those people not born in the Channel Islands being treated differently.
She explains: “We’re treated like second-class citizens; it’s outrageous. This is just another example of discrimination.
“I have served in this role for over 14 years, and I have never felt so let down. So do the community I serve, I feel so little understood by people in power.
A statement from Jersey Customs and Immigration Service says: “We are aware that some Jersey residents who hold EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS) status or other Jersey-issued immigration permissions are being refused boarding by airlines and their immigration status is not being recognised.
“We understand the impact this is having on those affected, and we are working to resolve it.
“The documents which Jersey and the other Crown Dependencies issue are fully valid for entering the Common Travel Area (CTA), and we are engaging closely with airlines and carriers to make this clear.
“This includes ensuring that airline staff and border partners have detailed instructions to prevent the issues being experienced by some passengers.
“We are working with the UK Home Office, which has issued communications to carriers and handling agents to make clear that Jersey-issued permissions are valid.
“We are currently working at pace to digitalise permissions issued in Jersey. Digital permissions will become available in the Crown Dependencies in phases between June 2026 and early 2027.
“Until this time, the use of status letters, vignettes, and wet-ink stamps endorsed in the holder’s passport will continue. “
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