The United Kingdom Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) is an advance travel permission required from visa-exempt foreign nationals who intend to visit the United Kingdom without a visa.[1] The ETA is needed also for visits to the Crown Dependencies but does not apply for visits to the British Overseas Territories.[2]
The system, as part of the Nationality and Borders Act 2022, operates using an online application whose information is checked against security databases. If the system does not find adverse information about the applicant, the travel authorisation is granted automatically, otherwise the application is forwarded to an officer to decide whether to grant the authorisation. The system is expected to provide a response within three working days.[1]
A UK ETA is valid for multiple entries for two years or until the applicant's passport expires, whichever is sooner.[3] It may be used for temporary stays for tourism, visiting family and friends, business, study, certain types of work, or landside transit. Having an ETA does not guarantee entry into the UK.[2]
History
editOn 9 March 2023, the UK government announced plans for the Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) scheme, to replace the Electronic Visa Waiver scheme that was available for nationals of GCC countries, and later require the ETA from other foreign nationals travelling to the UK without a visa.[4]
On 6 June 2023, it was announced that the ETA would cost £10 per applicant.[5]
ETA applications opened for nationals of Qatar on 25 October 2023 for travel from 15 November 2023, and for nationals of other GCC countries and Jordan on 1 February 2024 for travel from 22 February 2024.[1] Jordanians were removed from the ETA program on 10 September 2024 due to "abuse and violations of the system".[6]
For visa-free nationalities, ETA applications opened for nationals of non-European countries on 27 November 2024 for travel from 8 January 2025, and for nationals of European countries on 5 March 2025 for travel from 2 April 2025.[7]
Initially, it was intended that visa-exempt travellers would be required to have an ETA even if they were only transiting airside and not passing through passport control. Due to feedback from the tourism and airline industry, the UK government decided to temporarily drop the requirement to hold an ETA if transiting airside, and to keep this exemption under review.[8][1]
The ETA fee was increased to £16 on 9 April 2025[9] and to £20 on 8 April 2026.[10]
Nationalities
editA UK ETA is required from nationals of the following countries travelling to the UK without a visa:[2][11]
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Exemptions
editThe following classes of individuals do not need an ETA:[1][2]
British citizens- British Overseas Territories citizens
- British Nationals (Overseas)
- British subjects and Commonwealth citizens with right of abode in the United Kingdom[12]
Irish citizens (except those subject to a UK deportation order, exclusion order decision, or an international travel ban)- Residents of Ireland travelling to the UK from other parts of the Common Travel Area (Ireland, Guernsey, Jersey, and the Isle of Man)
- Holders of an entry clearance or permission to enter or stay in the UK, such as a UK visa, residence permit, pre-settled or settled status
- People who are exempt from immigration control in the UK, such as diplomats, military, airline and ship crew[13]
- Children travelling on a France-UK school trip (special form to be completed) [14]
- People who are eligible for an ETA and are transiting airside through the UK (temporarily)
Application
editApplications for an ETA are made preferably through mobile phones using the UK ETA app, available from the App Store and Google Play. Applications can also be made online at a UK government website. Each traveller, including children and babies, must have an individual ETA.[2]
Applicants for an ETA must:[2][15][1]
- Upload or take a photo of their original passport
- Scan their passport, if it contains an electronic chip and their mobile device can read it
- Scan their face, except for children aged 9 or younger
- Upload or take a photo of themselves
- Answer questions about their address, job, criminal history, other nationalities, and involvement in war crimes, terrorism or extremism
- If under age 18, provide contact information of someone with parental responsibility for the applicant
- Pay a fee of £20 with a credit card, debit card, Apple Pay, or Google Pay
- Have access to email
The applicant's information is checked against security databases. If the system does not find adverse information about the applicant, the travel authorisation is granted automatically, otherwise the application is forwarded to an officer to decide whether to grant the authorisation.[1] The decision is sent to the applicant by email, usually within three working days.[15]
If approved, the ETA is digitally linked to the applicant's passport, so the applicant does not need to show anything else when entering the UK.[15] The ETA is valid for multiple entries for two years or until the applicant's passport expires, whichever is sooner.[3] The ETA may be used for temporary stays for tourism, visiting family and friends, business, study, certain types of work, or transit.[2]
Enforcement
editCarriers to the UK are expected to comply with the law. The Home Office says: "To be fully effective, a traveller’s permission to travel must be checked by the carrier and confirmed prior to travel to the UK. The Government is therefore amending section 40 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 to incentivise carriers to ensure that a traveller holds an ETA or another form of permission, such as a visa or an immigration status in electronic form or risk a civil penalty."[16]
Individuals arriving in the UK without a UK ETA, if not exempted, may be refused entry. However, having an ETA does not guarantee entry into the UK.[2]
It is a criminal offence to obtain a UK ETA by deception.[16]
See also
edit- Visa policy of the United Kingdom
- Australian Electronic Travel Authority (ETA)
- Canadian Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA)
- European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS)
- Israeli Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA-IL)
- New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority (NZeTA)
- Saint Kitts and Nevis Electronic Travel Authorisation (eTA)
- South Korean Electronic Travel Authorization (K-ETA)
- United States Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA)
Notes
edit- ↑ Only holders of passports with a national identification number.
References
edit- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Electronic Travel Authorisation" (PDF). Home Office. 11 November 2025.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "Get an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) to visit the UK". GOV.UK.
- 1 2 "Immigration Rules Appendix Electronic Travel Authorisation". Home Office. 6 June 2024.
- ↑ "UK unveils plans for travel scheme to bolster the border". Home Office. 9 March 2023.
- ↑ "Gulf and Jordanian visitors to pay £10 for an ETA". Home Office. 6 June 2023.
- ↑ "UK suspends electronic visa system for Jordanians". The Jordan Times. 10 September 2024. Retrieved 14 September 2024.
- ↑ "Check when you can get an electronic travel authorisation (ETA)". GOV.UK. Archived from the original on 26 November 2024.
- ↑ "UK to hike cost of ETA visa for arrivals but relaxes airport transit rule". The Local Europe. 17 January 2025. Retrieved 1 April 2025.
- ↑ "Home Office immigration and nationality fees: 9 April 2025". Home Office.
- ↑ "Home Office immigration and nationality fees, 8 April 2026". Home Office.
- ↑ "Check if you can get an electronic travel authorisation (ETA)". Retrieved 4 July 2025.
- ↑ "Prove you have right of abode in the UK". gov.uk. Retrieved 4 July 2025.
- ↑ "Entering the UK: exemptions to controls". GOV.UK. 2 April 2025.
- ↑ "France-UK School Trip Travel Information Form (01/2025)" (PDF). gov.uk. Retrieved 19 May 2025.
- 1 2 3 "Using the 'UK ETA' app". Home Office. 13 March 2024.
- 1 2 "Policy paper Nationality and Borders Bill: Electronic Travel Authorisation factsheet". Home Office. 13 October 2023.