UK Visa vs ETA 2026: When Each Applies and What It Costs

Last reviewed: 31 May 2026

The ETA route - eligibility, cost and what it permits

The Electronic Travel Authorisation is a digital pre-travel authorisation introduced under the Nationality and Borders Act 2022 and rolled out through 2023 and 2024. It applies to nationals of approximately 50 non-visa-national countries who previously travelled to the UK without any pre-travel authorisation. The headline categories are nationals of the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, the EU Schengen states, and the Gulf Cooperation Council countries.

The ETA application is filed on the UK ETA app or via gov.uk. The applicant submits a passport scan, a facial biometric capture, and basic biographical data. The fee is £16 per applicant including children, payable by card at the time of application. Decisions are typically issued within 72 hours and most are returned within 24 hours. The ETA is linked to the passport and is valid for 2 years or until the passport expires, whichever is sooner.

An ETA permits multiple short visits to the UK of up to 6 months at a time during its 2-year validity period. Permitted activities mirror the Standard Visitor Visa permitted activities: tourism, family visits, short business meetings, conferences, study of up to 30 days, and recreational courses of up to 30 days. Paid work for a UK employer is not permitted, nor is access to public funds. The ETA is checked at the airline check-in desk through the same Authority to Carry system used for visas.

The Standard Visitor Visa route - eligibility, cost and what it permits

The Standard Visitor Visa is the long-standing visa route for nationals of visa-national countries (the list of countries whose nationals require a visa to visit the UK) and for visa-national nationals applying from countries other than their own. Around 100 countries are on the visa-national list, including India, Nigeria, Pakistan, China, Russia, Turkey and most countries in Africa and South Asia.

Standard Visitor applications are filed online and require attendance at a UK Visa Application Centre (typically run by VFS Global or TLScontact) for biometric enrolment. The application includes a financial sponsorship and intent assessment by a UKVI caseworker, with documentary evidence requirements significantly heavier than the ETA. Standard Visitor fees in 2026 are:

• 6 months single or multiple entry: £115
• 2 year long-term visitor: £432
• 5 year long-term visitor: £787
• 10 year long-term visitor: £987

The 6 month visa permits visits of up to 6 months at a time. The 2, 5 and 10 year visas are multiple-entry and each visit can be up to 6 months long, though caseworkers will scrutinise visit patterns that look like de facto residence. Permitted activities are the same as ETA permitted activities; the longer-duration visas are aimed at frequent visitors (business travellers, family of UK residents) rather than residents. Standard processing is 3 to 4 weeks from biometric submission.

Side-by-side comparison

The two routes serve different applicant populations and the comparison below summarises the operative differences:

• Cost: ETA £16, Standard Visitor £115 (6 months) to £987 (10 years)
• Validity: ETA 2 years multi-entry, Standard Visitor 6 months to 10 years depending on band chosen
• Maximum stay per visit: both 6 months
• Eligibility filter: ETA for non-visa-national nationals (approximately 50 countries), Standard Visitor for visa-national nationals (approximately 100 countries)
• Application method: ETA app-based, Standard Visitor requires biometric appointment at a UK Visa Application Centre
• Processing time: ETA typically 24 to 72 hours, Standard Visitor 3 to 4 weeks standard or 5 working days priority
• Documentary evidence: ETA passport scan and biometric only, Standard Visitor financial documents, employment letter, travel itinerary, accommodation, intent evidence
• Refusal rate: ETA refusal rate not yet publicly reported in detail (the scheme is new), Standard Visitor headline refusal rate approximately 25 percent in the year to September 2024

Which route fits which applicant

The choice between the two routes is not a choice in most cases. Nationality determines which route applies. A US passport holder cannot apply for a Standard Visitor Visa to enter the UK as a tourist (the ETA route is the only permitted pre-travel authorisation for that nationality). An Indian passport holder cannot apply for an ETA (Indians remain visa-national and need the Standard Visitor route).

The genuine choice arises in a narrow set of edge cases:

• A dual national with one visa-national and one non-visa-national passport can use the ETA on the non-visa-national passport, but must travel consistently on that passport (including departure from the UK).
• An applicant intending to make frequent business visits over a multi-year period may benefit from a Standard Visitor 2 or 5 year visa even if eligible for the ETA, because the visa locks in a multi-year window without the need to renew the ETA after 2 years.
• An applicant with a prior UK refusal on a different route may find the ETA refused as a result (since ETA decisions cross-reference prior immigration history) and may need to apply for a Standard Visitor visa where the documentary evidence can rebut the previous refusal reason.

For US applicants specifically the comparison with country-specific costs is detailed in the related UK visa cost from USA guide, which models the full route choice.

Cost comparison and the calculator

For a single short tourist visit the ETA is roughly one seventh of the price of the cheapest Standard Visitor Visa (£16 versus £115). For a family of four the ETA is £64 total against £460 for four Standard Visitor 6-month visas, a saving of nearly £400. For frequent travellers the comparison shifts: a Standard Visitor 10-year visa at £987 is more cost-effective than buying five consecutive ETAs at £16 each per traveller, on the basis that the visa covers 10 years against the ETA's 2-year validity.

The UK visa fee calculator models both routes and the comparison across travel patterns. The calculator includes the Immigration Health Surcharge (which does not apply to either ETA or Standard Visitor) and the priority service uplift (which applies to Standard Visitor only). For families travelling together the ETA route's app-based application also saves the time cost of multiple biometric appointments, which can be material for applicants in countries where the nearest visa application centre is in another city or country.

Frequently asked questions

Who needs a UK ETA instead of a visitor visa?

Nationals of approximately 50 non-visa-national countries need an ETA to visit the UK from January 2024 onwards. The list includes the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, the EU Schengen states and the Gulf Cooperation Council countries. Visa-national nationals (approximately 100 countries including India, Nigeria, Pakistan and China) continue to require a Standard Visitor Visa and are not eligible for the ETA.

Can an ETA be used for paid work?

No. The ETA permits the same activities as the Standard Visitor Visa: tourism, family visits, short business meetings, conferences, study of up to 30 days, and recreational courses of up to 30 days. Paid work for a UK employer is not permitted. An applicant seeking to work in the UK needs a work route visa (Skilled Worker, Global Talent or one of the temporary worker categories).

How long is an ETA valid for and how many visits does it cover?

The ETA is valid for 2 years or until the linked passport expires, whichever is sooner. It permits multiple visits during the validity period, with each visit up to 6 months long. There is no formal annual day limit, but visit patterns that look like de facto residence (for example 6 months in the UK followed by a short trip out and immediately 6 months back) will be challenged at the border.

What happens if an ETA application is refused?

An ETA refusal letter sets out the reasons. There is no administrative review or appeal right against an ETA refusal. The applicant can submit a fresh ETA application addressing the refusal reasons, or apply for a Standard Visitor Visa instead. Standard Visitor Visa applications carry heavier documentary requirements but allow the applicant to address concerns about intent or prior immigration history that an ETA application has no scope for.

Can a Standard Visitor Visa be applied for instead of an ETA?

Yes. Non-visa-national nationals who are eligible for an ETA can still choose to apply for a Standard Visitor Visa instead. This is sometimes useful for frequent travellers seeking a longer-validity 2, 5 or 10 year visa, or for applicants with prior UK refusals who want the scope to rebut concerns in a fuller documentary application.

Sources

• Apply for an Electronic Travel Authorisation (gov.uk)
• Standard Visitor visa guidance (gov.uk)
• Visa national list (gov.uk)
• Electronic Travel Authorisation scheme publications (gov.uk)
• Nationality and Borders Act 2022 (legislation.gov.uk)