UK ETA: Who Needs One, Cost and How to Apply (2027)

UK ETA: Who Needs One, Cost and How to Apply

A UK ETA (electronic travel authorisation) is a digital permission to travel that most visitors who do not need a visa must get before flying to the UK. It costs £20, lasts 2 years or until your passport expires (whichever is sooner), and covers stays of up to 6 months per visit.

You apply through the official UK ETA app or the gov.uk online form, and you usually get a decision by email within a day. It is not a visa, and it does not guarantee entry. Here's how it all works, step by step.

Key takeaways

• According to GOV.UK, a UK ETA costs £20 per person and is not refunded after you apply.
• It lasts 2 years or until your passport expires, and covers stays of up to 6 months.
• Each traveller needs their own ETA, including babies and children.
• Decisions usually arrive by email within a day, but can take up to 3 working days.

What is a UK ETA?

According to GOV.UK, an ETA lets you travel to the UK, Jersey, Guernsey or the Isle of Man for up to 6 months. It is linked electronically to your passport, so there is no sticker or paper to carry. The Home Office describes it as a digital permission to travel, not a visa.

Airlines and other carriers check your permission with the Home Office before you board. Visitors without an ETA who need one cannot board transport to the UK.

Who needs a UK ETA?

According to GOV.UK, you need an ETA if you are a visitor who does not need a visa for short stays and you do not already have UK immigration status. That usually means you are from Europe, the USA, Australia, Canada or certain other countries. Your exact requirement depends on your nationality and your reason for travel.

Use the official checker at gov.uk/check-uk-visa to confirm your own situation.

Key rules from GOV.UK:

• Every traveller needs their own ETA, including babies and children.
• You can apply on behalf of other people.
• If you pass through border control at a UK airport on a connecting journey, you need an ETA.
• If you are from a country whose citizens need a visa to visit the UK, you apply for a visa instead.

For a country-by-country view of the UK's entry rules, see our UK visa requirements page.

Who does not need an ETA?

GOV.UK lists these groups as not needing an ETA:

• British and Irish citizens, including dual citizens (dual citizens cannot get an ETA and must prove their citizenship, for example with a valid British or Irish passport)
• People with a UK visa
• People with permission to live, work or study in the UK, including settled or pre-settled status and right of abode
• People with permission to live, work or study in Jersey, Guernsey or the Isle of Man
• Holders of a British overseas territories citizen passport or a British National (Overseas) passport
• People living in Ireland who are travelling from Ireland, Guernsey, Jersey or the Isle of Man (they must carry proof of residence; see below)
• People who are exempt from immigration control

Airside transit

You do not need an ETA if you transit through a UK airport without passing through border control (airside). GOV.UK advises checking with your airline if you are not sure. The Home Office's April 2026 factsheet states that people transiting through Heathrow and Manchester without going through UK passport control do not currently need an ETA.

If your connection involves clearing UK passport control, for example to collect and re-check bags, you do need one. Do you really want to find that out at the departure gate?

Residents of Ireland

If you are from a nationality that normally needs an ETA, live in Ireland and enter the UK from Ireland, Guernsey, Jersey or the Isle of Man, you do not need an ETA. If you are 16 or older you must bring an original, valid Irish-government-issued document such as an Irish driving licence, Irish Residence Permit or Permanent Residence Certificate.

GOV.UK lists the accepted documents on its ETA exemptions page. If your nationality needs a visa, you still need a visa.

How much does a UK ETA cost and how long is it valid?

According to GOV.UK, a UK ETA costs £20 per person. It is valid for 2 years, or until your passport expires if that comes sooner, and you can make multiple journeys while it is valid. The fee is not refunded after you apply, so check your details first.

GOV.UK also warns that other websites may charge more and that you cannot get a faster decision by applying through another site or app. The Home Office notes that the fee is kept under review, so confirm the current amount on gov.uk before paying.

How do you apply for a UK ETA?

According to GOV.UK, you can apply in two official ways: through the UK ETA app on Google Play or the Apple App Store, or through the online form at gov.uk. You will need your passport, an email address, a payment method and a face photo. Always start from the official gov.uk page.

1. UK ETA app (Google Play or Apple App Store). You scan your passport and your face with your phone camera. This is the route the Home Office describes as the easiest.
2. Online form at gov.uk. You upload a photo of the passport and a photo of your face that meets the UK digital photo rules. Use this if you cannot install the app, or if you are applying for someone who is not with you.

What you need:

• The passport you will travel with
• An email address
• A credit card, debit card, Apple Pay or Google Pay
• A face photo (or live face scan in the app)

The application also asks suitability and criminality questions, according to the Home Office factsheet. Answer them honestly; incorrect answers can lead to refusal.

How long does a UK ETA take?

GOV.UK says you will usually get a decision by email within a day, but it can take up to 3 working days. The email contains a 16-digit ETA reference number. The Home Office recommends applying at least 3 working days before travel to allow for the small number of cases that need further review.

The Home Office also says most app applicants currently get an automatic decision in minutes. Don't count on that, though.

Do not book non-refundable travel on the assumption that an ETA will arrive. You must have the confirmation email before you travel. If you have heard nothing after 3 working days, check your spam folder and then contact UKVI.

You can confirm your status at any time with the official Check your ETA service.

When you are ready to compare dates and routes into the UK, run a fare search first so you apply for the ETA with your real travel window in mind.

Which passport do you use for a UK ETA?

According to GOV.UK, your ETA is linked to the passport you used to apply, and that is the only document you need to show when you travel. The Home Office says you must travel with the same passport. If you renew or replace it, you must apply again.

Because an ETA ends when your passport expires, a passport close to expiry shortens the ETA's validity. Check the expiry date before paying the £20.

What does a UK ETA not cover?

According to GOV.UK, an ETA is permission to travel, not a guarantee of entry, and border officers can still refuse entry. It covers tourism, visiting family and friends, business trips and short-term study for up to 6 months, but it does not allow work, public funds or marriage.

Per GOV.UK, an ETA lets you:

• Visit for up to 6 months for tourism, to see family and friends, on a business trip or for short-term study
• Come for up to 3 months under the Creative Worker visa concession
• Do a permitted paid engagement
• Transit through a UK airport if you pass through border control

With an ETA you cannot:

• Stay longer than 6 months
• Do paid or unpaid work for a UK company or as a self-employed person (apart from a permitted paid engagement or the Creative Worker concession)
• Claim public funds
• Live in the UK through frequent or successive visits
• Marry or register a civil partnership, or give notice of one; you need a Marriage Visitor visa for that

If your plans fall outside these activities, check whether you need a different visa.

UK ETA vs Standard Visitor visa: which is right for you?

According to GOV.UK, the ETA costs £20 and needs only a face photo, while a Standard Visitor visa costs £135 and needs fingerprints and a photo at an appointment. Most visitors from non-visa countries use an ETA. The visa route suits people who are not eligible or prefer it.

Fees and timings for the visa are from GOV.UK's Standard Visitor visa page. GOV.UK also notes that if you have a criminal record or were previously refused entry to the UK, you may want to apply for a Standard Visitor visa instead of an ETA.

If you are weighing a visa application, our guide to UK visitor visa rejection reasons explains common problems to avoid.

What if your UK ETA is refused?

The Home Office says that if an application is rejected, you are told the reason and can apply again. If an application is refused, however, you cannot appeal; you must apply for a visa if you still want permission to come to the UK. The £20 fee is not returned either way.

If your situation changes after approval, such as a new passport, apply again with the new passport.

Pre-travel checklist

Once your ETA is confirmed, the airline and border officer may still ask about the purpose and length of your trip. Keep your passport, the ETA confirmation email, accommodation details and onward or return travel plans ready. Always confirm the airline's own requirements before you fly.

If your airline asks for proof of onward or return travel, a verifiable reservation can serve as supporting evidence.

For a fuller breakdown of what to prepare, see our visa document checklist. If you want more tools for organising documents and trips, GetDocuTrip Pro offers them.

Many visitors also want mobile data the moment they land, to reach the airport train booking, maps and messages.

FAQ

What is a UK ETA?

A UK ETA is a digital permission to travel to the UK for up to 6 months for tourism, family visits and certain other short activities. According to GOV.UK, it costs £20, is linked to your passport and is not a visa.

How much does a UK ETA cost and how long does it last?

It costs £20 per person and is valid for 2 years or until your passport expires, whichever is sooner. You can make multiple trips while it is valid, according to GOV.UK, and the fee is not refunded after you apply.

How do I apply for a UK ETA?

Apply through the official UK ETA app or the online form on gov.uk. You need your passport, an email address, a payment method and a face photo. GOV.UK warns that other websites may charge more and cannot speed up your decision.

How long does a UK ETA take?

Most decisions arrive by email within a day, and GOV.UK says it can take up to 3 working days. The Home Office recommends applying at least 3 working days before you travel, so plan ahead rather than apply the night before.

Do children need a UK ETA?

Yes. GOV.UK says each person travelling needs an ETA, including babies and children, and you can apply for other people. At £20 per person, a family pays the fee for every traveller, so budget for each passport.

Do I need a UK ETA for a transit stop?

You need one if you pass through UK border control on your connection. You do not need one if you stay airside and do not pass through border control, according to GOV.UK. Confirm with your airline if you are unsure.

Disclaimer

Final decisions on ETAs, visas and entry belong to the UK Home Office and UK Visas and Immigration, and airlines decide who they will carry. GetDocuTrip is not a government agency, does not issue ETAs or visas and cannot guarantee any outcome. Apply only through official channels and check the current rules before you travel.

Sources

• GOV.UK, Get an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) to visit the UK: https://www.gov.uk/eta
• GOV.UK, ETA guide (full printable version, including apply, exemptions, what you can and cannot do): https://www.gov.uk/eta/print
• GOV.UK, Apply for a Standard Visitor visa: https://www.gov.uk/standard-visitor/apply-standard-visitor-visa
• Home Office in the media, Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) factsheet, April 2026: https://homeofficemedia.blog.gov.uk/electronic-travel-authorisation-eta-factsheet-april-2026/
• GOV.UK, Check if you need a UK visa: https://www.gov.uk/check-uk-visa
• GOV.UK, Check your ETA: https://www.gov.uk/check-eta

Last verified: November 2026