What is a UK ETA?

What an ETA is

An Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) is permission to travel to the United Kingdom, held digitally against your passport. Nothing is stamped or stuck into the passport. When you check in for a flight, ferry or train to the UK, the operator can see that your passport has a valid ETA attached.

The scheme launched in 2023 and was extended to more nationalities in stages. Since 25 February 2026 it has been fully enforced: airlines, ferry companies and rail operators check before you board, and they can refuse to carry you if you don't have an ETA or another valid permission, such as a visa.

What an ETA lets you do

An ETA lets you come to the UK for up to six months at a time for:

• tourism and holidays
• visiting family or friends
• business activities, such as attending meetings or conferences
• short courses of study
• transit through the UK on the way somewhere else

It also covers some permitted paid engagements and work under the Creative Worker concession. It doesn't let you take a job, live in the UK or enrol on a longer course. For any of those you need a visa.

One ETA covers as many trips as you like while it's valid. Six months is the limit for each visit, not a yearly allowance, although a Border Force officer may ask questions if repeated long stays suggest you're living in the UK rather than visiting.

How much an ETA costs and how long it lasts

The official fee is £20 per person, whatever their age. It went up from £16 to £20 on 8 April 2026, and when the scheme launched in 2023 it was £10.

An ETA is valid for two years, or until the passport it's linked to expires, whichever comes first. If your passport has eight months left, your ETA lasts eight months. A renewed or replacement passport needs a new ETA, because the permission belongs to the old passport.

How an ETA differs from a visa

An ETA is a lighter check for people whose nationality doesn't need a visa for short visits. The application is short, there are no supporting documents to upload and most decisions come quickly.

A visa is a fuller application. It costs more, takes longer and often involves an appointment to give fingerprints and a photo. If your nationality isn't on the ETA list, you can't get an ETA and will need to check whether you need a visa. Our guide to choosing between an ETA and a visa goes into the detail.

Who needs an ETA, and who doesn't

You need an ETA if you're visiting on a passport from an eligible country. The list includes the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea, Brazil, Mexico, the Gulf states and every EU country except Ireland. GOV.UK publishes the full list of eligible nationalities.

You don't need one if you:

• are a British or Irish citizen
• already have a UK visa, or permission to live, work or study in the UK
• hold a British National (Overseas) passport
• live legally in Ireland and are travelling from Ireland, Guernsey, Jersey or the Isle of Man

There's no exemption for children. Every traveller needs their own ETA, babies included.

How to apply

You can apply yourself in the official UK ETA app for iPhone or Android, or online at GOV.UK, for £20. You'll need the passport you'll travel on, an email address, a payment card (or Apple Pay or Google Pay) and a photo of your face. The app can read the chip in your passport, which saves typing.

Most people get a decision quickly, but GOV.UK advises allowing three working days, and some applications are held for further checks. Our documents checklist covers what to have ready.

What happens when you arrive

An ETA gets you on board. It doesn't guarantee entry. When you arrive, a Border Force officer decides whether to let you in, so it's sensible to have details of where you're staying and your return or onward travel to hand.