UK ETA: who needs one, the £20 fee and how to apply without overpaying
Visa-free visitors to the UK now need a £20 Electronic Travel Authorisation before boarding. Here is who needs one, how to apply on the official app, and the mistakes that get travelers stuck.
Yes: if you hold a US, Canadian, Australian, EU or other visa-free passport, you need a UK Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) before you board a flight, train or ferry to the UK, and since 25 February 2026 carriers refuse boarding without one. It costs £20 per person on the official GOV.UK service or the UK ETA app, covers stays of up to six months per visit, and stays valid for two years or until your passport expires, whichever comes first. Most decisions arrive within three working days, so apply before you book anything non-refundable.
Who needs one and who does not
You need an ETA if you do not need a visa for a short UK visit, which covers travelers from the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the EU and a range of other countries. That includes babies and children: every traveler needs their own, though a parent can apply on their behalf.
You do not need one if you:
- travel on a British or Irish passport (dual nationals should use that passport, not their other one)
- already have permission to live, work or study in the UK, or a UK visa
- live in Ireland and are traveling to the UK from Ireland, Guernsey, Jersey or the Isle of Man
The full list of exemptions is on the GOV.UK exemptions page.
Transit through London
If you change planes at Heathrow or Manchester and stay airside, you do not need an ETA. If your connection means going through UK border control (collecting bags, switching airports, or an overnight stop), you do. When in doubt, ask your airline before departure.
How to apply
- Use only the official channels: the free UK ETA app (iPhone and Android) or the apply page on GOV.UK. GOV.UK warns that look-alike sites charge more than the official fee for the same form.
- Have the passport you will travel on. The app reads the passport chip, so a phone with NFC makes it faster.
- Take or upload a photo of your face that meets the app's guidance (plain background, no glasses glare).
- Answer the eligibility questions about criminal convictions and past immigration problems honestly; mismatches are a common reason for refusal.
- Pay the £20 fee online at the end of the application.
- Wait for the email. The ETA is linked electronically to your passport, so there is nothing to print. You can confirm status on the check your ETA page.
Costs and timing at a glance
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Official fee | £20 per person (raised from £16 on 8 April 2026) |
| Typical decision time | Usually within 3 working days |
| Validity | 2 years or until the passport expires, whichever is first |
| Stay allowed per visit | Up to 6 months |
| Number of trips | Multiple trips during validity |
| Also covers | Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man |
What an ETA does and does not do
An ETA gives you permission to travel, not a guarantee of entry. A Border Force officer can still ask about your plans, onward ticket and funds when you arrive. It lets you visit as a tourist, see family, attend business meetings or do short courses under the standard visitor rules. It does not let you work for a UK employer or settle.
Common problems and how to avoid them
- New passport, new ETA. The ETA is tied to the passport number you used. If you renew your passport, apply again even if the old ETA had time left.
- Wrong passport for dual nationals. If you are a British or Irish citizen with another nationality, travel on the British or Irish passport (or carry a certificate of entitlement); an ETA on your other passport does not fix this.
- Last-minute trips. Most approvals are quick, but some applications are referred for extra checks. Apply as soon as your dates are firm.
- Refusals. There is no appeal. If your ETA is refused, you can apply for a Standard Visitor visa instead, which takes longer and costs more.
- Europe trips. The UK ETA is separate from the EU's Entry/Exit System and the future ETIAS. Visiting Paris and London on one trip means dealing with both systems.
Timeline: how the rollout reached you
The UK phased the scheme in by nationality, which is why some travelers only noticed it recently:
- 8 January 2025: ETAs became required for eligible non-European nationals, including US, Canadian and Australian citizens.
- 2 April 2025: eligible European nationals, including EU citizens, were added.
- 25 February 2026: enforcement tightened so that airlines, rail and ferry operators must deny boarding to anyone without an ETA or other valid permission.
- 8 April 2026: the fee rose from £16 to £20.
If you were approved before the fee rise, your existing ETA stays valid until its expiry date; you do not need to pay the difference.
Families and group bookings
One person can submit applications for everyone in a group from the same phone, but each traveler gets a separate decision and a separate £20 charge. Make sure every passport number matches the passport each person will actually carry, and that children's passports are not close to expiry, since the ETA ends when the passport does. A family of four pays £80 in total.
Before you go
Check that your passport is valid for your whole stay, apply through the app or GOV.UK at least a week before you fly, and screenshot the approval email in case the airline's check-in system is slow to pick it up. If you are traveling as a family, make sure every person, including infants, shows as approved. The GOV.UK ETA overview has the current fee and rules if anything changes.