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★ KEY TAKEAWAY
A UK Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) costs £20 per applicant, is valid for 2 years or until the passport expires, and permits multiple entries for stays up to 6 months. EU citizens were brought into the scheme on 2 April 2025. Apply via the UK ETA app or gov.uk. Irish citizens and existing visa holders are exempt. |
The UK Electronic Travel Authorisation, abbreviated ETA, is a Home Office digital pre-clearance that visa-exempt foreign nationals must obtain before travelling to the United Kingdom for short visits, with the £20 application fee paid via the UK ETA mobile app or the gov.uk/apply-electronic-travel-authorisation web portal, per the Home Office service launched progressively from late 2023. The ETA is valid for 2 years from grant or until the passport expires (whichever is earlier), permits unlimited entries during that validity period, and authorises stays of up to 6 months per visit on the standard visitor terms. EU and EEA citizens were brought into scope on 2 April 2025, completing the rollout that began with Gulf Cooperation Council nationals in 2023 and expanded through 2024 to most non-visa nationals worldwide. The ETA does not replace a visa where one is required, and does not change the existing rules around length of stay, permitted activities, or the ban on most paid work, study beyond short courses, and access to public funds. Irish citizens are exempt under the Common Travel Area, residents of the UK with valid leave do not need an ETA, and transiting passengers who do not pass through UK border control are also exempt. Refusal grounds include criminality, immigration breaches, and previous deception.
Who needs an ETA?
Nationals of countries that do not require a UK visa for short visits but who are travelling to the UK without an existing UK visa or settled status need an ETA before travel, per gov.uk/guidance/apply-for-an-electronic-travel-authorisation-eta. The scheme was rolled out progressively, starting with Qatari nationals in October 2023, expanding to other GCC and Jordan in early 2024, broadening to non-EU non-visa nationals through 2024, and including EU and EEA citizens from 2 April 2025.
The ETA covers tourism, family visits, business meetings, short academic engagements, and transit through the UK with crossing of the border. It does not authorise paid work, long-term study, or use of NHS services as a primary purpose. Travellers requiring those purposes need a substantive visa from the Visit, Skilled Worker, Student, or other relevant route.
How do I apply for an ETA?
The fastest route is the UK ETA mobile app (available on iOS and Android), which uses the device camera to scan the passport biometric chip and capture a face photograph, per Home Office guidance on gov.uk. The applicant enters travel intentions, criminal history declarations, and pays the £20 fee by debit or credit card. Most decisions arrive within 3 working days, frequently within minutes for simple cases.
Applicants without a smartphone or with a passport without a biometric chip can use the gov.uk web portal, which accepts uploaded passport scans and photographs but takes slightly longer to decide. Each traveller including children needs an individual ETA in their own name. Group applications are not supported, but a single applicant can submit on behalf of family members using their own identity documents.
What does the ETA permit?
An approved ETA permits travel to the UK for stays of up to 6 months per visit on the standard Visit visa terms, with multiple entries during the 2-year validity period. Permitted activities include tourism, visiting family, attending business meetings and conferences, undertaking short courses up to 6 months, transit, and certain academic engagements at UK universities, per Appendix V Visitor of the Immigration Rules.
Prohibited activities include paid employment with a UK employer, self-employed work, marriage to a UK national in the UK on a visit basis, and access to public funds. Travellers intending those purposes need a substantive visa application before travel. The ETA does not increase the standard 6-month maximum stay; visitors who require longer must apply for a long-term visit visa or another route.
Who is exempt?
Irish citizens are exempt under the Common Travel Area arrangements, with no need for ETA, visa, or border check between Ireland and the UK except for security purposes. UK residents with valid leave to remain (visa, ILR, settled status) do not need an ETA; their existing immigration status governs entry. Transit passengers who remain airside in the UK without passing through border control do not need an ETA, though airside-only transit is increasingly rare in practice.
Visa-national travellers (those whose passport country requires a visa for the UK) cannot use the ETA scheme; they need a substantive visa as before. The Home Office maintains a list of visa-national countries on gov.uk, with adjustments made periodically. Travellers from listed countries should apply for a Visit visa or other relevant category rather than attempting to use the ETA route.
How does ETA compare to a Visit visa?
The ETA offers materially lower cost and faster decisions but is available only to nationals of non-visa countries. Visa-national travellers continue to use the £115 Visit visa or longer-term visit visas at £432 (2 years), £771 (5 years), or £963 (10 years) for those needing extended multi-year coverage.
What if my ETA is refused?
ETA refusals are typically issued within minutes of submission for clear-cut cases (declared serious criminality, prior immigration breaches, terrorism-related concerns) or within a few days where caseworker review is needed. There is no formal right of appeal against an ETA refusal, but applicants can submit a fresh application after addressing the refusal grounds, or apply for a Visit visa instead, where caseworkers review the case in greater depth.
Applicants with a previous UK visa refusal, deportation, or other adverse immigration history should consider applying for a Visit visa rather than relying on the ETA. The fee differential of £95 buys substantively more rigorous review and a clearer outcome with reasons. Repeated ETA refusals can damage future visa prospects and should be raised with regulated immigration advice before persisting.
What data is published on ETA approvals?
The Home Office publishes ETA volumes in its quarterly Immigration Statistics on gov.uk/government/collections/immigration-statistics-quarterly-release, with breakdowns by nationality, age band, and approval/refusal share. Total ETA volumes have grown rapidly with each rollout phase, and the EU citizen inclusion from April 2025 produced a step-change increase in monthly application numbers.
Industry data from VisitBritain on visitbritain.org tracks total inbound visitor numbers, providing an indirect measure of ETA system performance from a tourism perspective. The Office for National Statistics publishes International Passenger Survey data on ons.gov.uk that complements the Home Office immigration statistics for analysts looking at overall short-stay flow.
Carriers including airlines, ferry operators, and Eurotunnel have integrated the ETA into their pre-departure passenger document checks, refusing boarding to travellers without a valid ETA. The carrier sanctions framework under the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 makes the carrier liable for £2,000 per inadequately documented passenger brought to the UK, which has driven uniform pre-flight enforcement across the sector. Travellers should not rely on getting an ETA at the airport on the day of travel; the application should be made days in advance.
| ★ EDITOR'S VERDICT The UK ETA is a £20 digital pre-clearance valid for 2 years and unlimited entries on the standard Visit visa terms, with EU citizens drawn into the scheme from 2 April 2025. The mobile app is the fastest route, with most decisions in under 3 working days. Irish citizens, UK leave-holders, and airside transit passengers remain exempt. Travellers with prior visa refusals, criminal records, or other adverse history should consider a substantive Visit visa rather than the ETA fast lane, because the £95 fee difference buys more thorough review and a clearer outcome with reasons. |
| This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial, legal, or immigration advice. Always verify with official sources before making decisions. |
Frequently asked questions
How much does an ETA cost?
£20 per applicant. Each traveller including children needs their own ETA. There are no group rates or family bundles.
How long does an ETA last?
2 years from grant or until passport expires, whichever is earlier. A new passport requires a new ETA application; old ETAs do not transfer.
Can I work on an ETA?
No. Paid work is prohibited under the standard Visit visa terms. Limited business activity such as meetings, conferences, and contract negotiation is permitted.
Do EU citizens need an ETA?
Yes from 2 April 2025, except those with valid UK leave (visa, ILR, EU Settlement Scheme status) or Irish citizens travelling under the Common Travel Area.
How fast is the decision?
Most ETA decisions are issued within 3 working days, with many simple cases approved within minutes of submission via the mobile app.
Can I appeal an ETA refusal?
There is no formal appeal. Applicants can resubmit after addressing the refusal grounds, or apply for a substantive Visit visa for fuller caseworker review with reasons.
Is the ETA stuck in my passport?
No. The ETA is fully digital and linked electronically to the passport. No sticker or stamp is issued. Border officials check it electronically on arrival.
Sources
- Home Office, Apply for an Electronic Travel Authorisation, gov.uk/apply-electronic-travel-authorisation — accessed April 2026.
- Home Office, ETA guidance and rollout phases, gov.uk/guidance/apply-for-an-electronic-travel-authorisation-eta — accessed April 2026.
- Appendix V Visitor of the Immigration Rules, gov.uk — short visit framework.
- Home Office, Quarterly Immigration Statistics, gov.uk/government/collections/immigration-statistics-quarterly-release — ETA volume data.
- UKVI, Visa fees revised table, gov.uk/government/publications/visa-regulations-revised-table — effective 9 April 2025.
- VisitBritain, visitbritain.org — inbound visitor data.
- Office for National Statistics, International Passenger Survey, ons.gov.uk — inbound flow data.
Related reading on kaeltripton.com: UK visitor visa 6-month rules 2026, UK immigration visa application 2026, UK visa application mistakes 2026.
