UK ETA: who needs one, what it costs and how to apply

Most visitors who don't need a UK visa now need an ETA (electronic travel authorisation) before they fly. It costs £20, you apply on the official UK ETA app or on GOV.UK, and you usually get a decision within a day. An approved ETA lets you visit the UK, Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man for up to 6 months at a time, for 2 years or until your passport expires, whichever comes first.

Official site only. Apply through the UK ETA app or at gov.uk/eta/apply. GOV.UK warns that other websites may charge more, and that applying through another website or app won't get you a faster decision.

What the UK ETA is

An ETA is a travel permission linked to your passport. It isn't a visa: GOV.UK says you usually need an ETA rather than a visa if you're from Europe, the USA, Australia, Canada or certain other countries. An approved ETA lets you travel. It does not guarantee entry to the UK.

Who needs an ETA

It depends on the nationality shown on your passport. GOV.UK's list of nationalities that can apply includes:

• every EU country except Ireland, plus Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Andorra, Monaco, San Marino and Vatican City (needed for travel on or after 2 April 2025)
• the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, Israel, Hong Kong SAR and Macao SAR (on or after 8 January 2025)
• Mexico, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Peru, Uruguay, Paraguay, Costa Rica, Panama and Guatemala, among others in the Americas (on or after 8 January 2025)
• Qatar (on or after 15 November 2023), and Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (on or after 22 February 2024)

Everyone travelling needs their own ETA, babies and children included. You can apply for other people.

If your nationality isn't on the list, you can't get an ETA, and you should check whether you need a visa with GOV.UK's visa checker. The list changes. GOV.UK removed Colombia on 26 November 2024 because Colombian nationals now need a visa, and since 5 March 2026 nationals of Nicaragua and St Lucia can no longer get an ETA.

Our pages for specific passports show the current answer for each one, for example United States, Spain, Mexico, Canada, Australia and Colombia. The United Kingdom page covers every passport.

Who doesn't need one

According to GOV.UK, you don't need an ETA if, for example:

• you're a British or Irish citizen
• you already have a UK visa
• you have permission to live, work or study in the UK, including settled or pre-settled status or right of abode
• you have permission to live, work or study in Jersey, Guernsey or the Isle of Man
• you're travelling on a British overseas territories citizen passport or a British National (Overseas) passport
• you live in Ireland and you're travelling from Ireland, Guernsey, Jersey or the Isle of Man
• you're transiting airside, without passing through UK border control
• you're waiting for a decision on an EU Settlement Scheme application

Dual citizens who hold British or Irish citizenship can't get an ETA. They travel on a valid British or Irish passport, or on another passport with a certificate of entitlement to the right of abode.

People who live in Ireland and are 16 or older need to carry an original, valid document issued by the Irish government that shows they live there, such as an Irish driving licence or an Irish Residence Permit. GOV.UK lists the accepted documents.

What you can and can't do with an ETA

With an ETA you can come to the UK for up to 6 months for tourism, to visit family and friends, on a business trip or for short-term study. It also covers a permitted paid engagement, up to 3 months under the Creative Worker visa concession, and transit through a UK airport where you pass through border control.

You can't:

• stay longer than 6 months
• do paid or unpaid work for a UK company or as a self-employed person, unless it's a permitted paid engagement or work under the Creative Worker concession
• claim public funds (benefits)
• live in the UK through frequent or successive visits
• marry, register a civil partnership or give notice of either, which needs a Marriage Visitor visa

If you have a criminal record or were refused entry to the UK before, GOV.UK says you may want to apply for a Standard Visitor visa instead.

How to apply

Have these ready:

• the passport you'll travel with
• an email address
• a credit card, debit card, Apple Pay or Google Pay

Then:

1. Download the UK ETA app from Google Play or the App Store, or start online at gov.uk/eta/apply.
2. In the app, scan your passport and your face with the phone's camera. Online, upload a photo of the passport and a photo of the applicant's face. The face photo has to meet GOV.UK's digital photo rules, or the application may be delayed or rejected.
3. Pay the £20 fee. You can't get a refund after you apply, and if you're rejected or need to change your details you have to apply again.
4. Wait for the email with your 16-digit ETA reference number. Don't travel until you have that confirmation.

You can apply for someone else in the app only if they're with you. Otherwise apply for them online, with a photo of their passport and of their face.

How long it takes and how long it lasts

You'll usually get a decision by email within a day, but it can take up to 3 working days. People in the same group may get their decisions at different times. If nothing has arrived after 3 working days, check your spam or junk folder before you contact UK Visas and Immigration.

The ETA is linked to the passport you applied with, so at the border you only show that passport. It lasts 2 years or until the passport expires, whichever is sooner, and you can make as many trips as you like in that time. You can check your ETA online to see whether you have one and when it expires.

Changing planes in the UK

You need an ETA if you pass through border control at a UK airport before your onward flight. If you stay airside, you don't. GOV.UK suggests asking your airline if you're not sure which applies to you.

Getting help

GOV.UK runs a webchat for ETA questions. UK Visas and Immigration can't help with ETA questions by phone.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a UK ETA to visit as a tourist?

Yes, if your nationality is on GOV.UK's ETA list and you don't have a UK visa or permission to live, work or study in the UK. British and Irish citizens don't need one.

How much does the UK ETA cost?

£20 on the official UK ETA app or on GOV.UK. You can't get a refund after you apply.

How long does a UK ETA take?

Usually less than a day, by email. GOV.UK says it can take up to 3 working days.

How long is a UK ETA valid?

2 years, or until your passport expires if that's sooner. You can make as many trips as you like, each for up to 6 months.

Do children need their own ETA?

Yes. Everyone travelling needs one, including babies and children.

Does the ETA cover Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man?

Yes. GOV.UK confirmed on 9 April 2026 that an ETA can be used to travel to Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man as well as the UK.

Do I need an ETA to change planes in London?

Only if you go through UK border control. Airside transit doesn't need one.

Can another website get my ETA faster?

No. GOV.UK says you can't get a faster decision through another website or app, and that other sites may charge more than £20.

Sources: GOV.UK: Get an ETA to visit the UK, When you do not need an ETA, What you can and cannot do with an ETA, Apply for an ETA, Check if you can get an ETA, Immigration Rules Appendix ETA National List. Checked 23 October 2026.