Who needs a UK ETA and how to apply
Katerina Galkina · EN · 07/10/2026
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An ETA is electronic travel authorisation for eligible visitors, rather than a visa substitute for every nationality. Use the official GOV.UK checker ↗. Do not decide solely from residence or the departure airport.
People with a valid UK visa or permission to live, work or study in the UK normally do not need an ETA. The official exemption list ↗ also includes British and Irish citizens and specific other cases. British or Irish dual nationals should check citizenship documentation rather than trying to obtain an ETA as a foreign tourist.
Apply through the official service
An ETA application ↗ currently costs £20. You need the passport you will travel with, email, photographs and a payment method. Use the UK ETA app or the online form linked from GOV.UK. Another website may charge extra but cannot secure a faster decision.
Each eligible traveller, including babies, needs their own ETA. You can apply online for another person; app applications require that person to be with you. Check names, nationality, passport details and photographs before paying. Correcting an error can require a fresh application.
Wait for approval
GOV.UK says decisions normally arrive within a day but can take three working days. Wait for the approval email before travelling. Submitting the form or having payment taken is not the ETA itself.
Check spam, save the reference and ensure approval belongs to the correct passenger. Family decisions may arrive at different times. If the stated period passes without a decision, use official support rather than paying for another application without checking.
Check the passport and permitted trip
An ETA is linked to the application passport and lasts two years or until that passport expires, whichever is earlier. A new passport requires a new ETA. Check validity through the official service before travel. A printout does not transfer permission to another document.
ETA approval does not guarantee entry or provide a general right to work or live in the UK. Check permitted purposes and duration under visitor rules. For transit, whether you pass through UK border control matters: airside and landside arrangements differ. Confirm baggage collection and airport changes with the airline. A relative’s UK residence, ticket or invitation does not replace the traveller’s own required permission.