Hi I'm in the process of applying for UK ETA. For the question about 'Do you have a job?', how should one answer if one is a retiree?
If I answer 'Yes, I have a job' then enter 'Retired. Former employer ....' will that be acceptable? I worry that if I pick 'No, I do not have a job' then my application might be rejected. Unfortunately there's no option for 'Retired'.
Your response will be much appreciated!
I'm retired. I answered that I don't have a job. I got accepted in 30 seconds.
Just be truthful. If you are fully retired, then answer No. There is no place on the application for a qualifier. And many people don't have employment: children, students, stay at home parents, disabled, retirees....
@Frank & @Jean : Good to know, I will do the same then. Thanks for your prompt response and have a great day!
Update: Just got my ETA approval ... in less than 15 seconds after submission :)
BTK: for anyone who's using the ETA mobile app and trying to scan the chip on your passport; consider putting your phone over the bar code on the very last page (back cover, the page with some earth & satellite image). I initially put my phone on the front cover of my passport and it didn't work after a few tries. The bar code page is probably where the chip is embedded.
Thanks for that tip, Somewhere.
As with Frank's experience, "No, I do not have a job" was accepted for a family member who is retired in less than 15 minutes.
Yes, the chip in a US passport is located in the back cover. See Question # 19.
https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/passport-help/faqs.html
Passport books have a small integrated circuit (or “chip”) in the back
cover.The chip securely stores:
• The same information displayed on the photo page of the passport,
• A biometric identifier in the form of a digital image of the
passport photograph, which is for facial recognition at
ports-of-entry, • The unique chip identification number, and• A digital signature to protect the stored data from alteration.
If the chip fails, the passport remains a valid travel document until
its expiration date. You will continue to be processed by the
port-of-entry officer as if you had a passport without a chip.
@Andrea: you're very welcome!
@Carrie: thanks for the confirmation! I'm glad that I stumbled across it by chance :)
Posted by Somewhere on 12/27/24 01:13 PM
Hi I'm in the process of
applying for UK ETA. For the question about 'Do you have a job?', how
should one answer if one is a retiree?
Nothing to do with applying for an ETA, but one time my Mom was called for jury duty and she had filled out her occupation as "retired". One of the lawyers asked her what occupation she was retired from. Her answer, "Oh nothing in particular."
"I worry that if I pick 'No, I do not have a job' then my application might be rejected. "
Retired people travel to the UK all the time - why would your application be rejected? And also, worth noting that an ETA is not a visa - entry to the UK is ultimately at the discretion of Border Force, although ad a US citizen will use the egates...
And ETA is not a visa. If you are applying for an ETA (just like with ESTA, or the future ETIAS) you belong to a category that does not need a visa.
What it is, is just a way to improve the border process buy moving a lot of the questions one can be asked when entering a country to a point prior to the departure. That is all. So all these questions are similar to what could be asked at the border, and just as at the border just answer truthfully.
If you had no issues entering the UK before, you will not have issues filing out the ETA.
