If you’re visa-exempt for the UK — meaning you’ve never needed a visa for a short trip — you now need something else before you fly: an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA). The scheme went through a phased rollout across 2024–2025 and reached full “no permission, no travel” enforcement on 25 February 2026. Airlines, ferries and Eurostar now check for a valid ETA before you’re allowed to board, the same way US carriers check for an ESTA. Here’s exactly who needs one, what it costs, and how to get it without last-minute stress.
What the ETA actually is
An ETA is not a visa. It’s a lighter-weight digital permission linked to your passport that confirms you’re pre-cleared to travel to the UK — it doesn’t guarantee entry (a Border Force officer still makes the final call at the port of entry), but without one, airlines and other carriers cannot let you board at all. It covers short visits: tourism, seeing family, attending a business meeting, or transiting through a UK airport en route elsewhere.
Who needs an ETA
You need an ETA if you:
- are a visa-exempt national (most of Europe, the US, Canada, Australia and dozens of other countries across roughly 85 nationalities in total),
- are travelling to the UK for up to six months for tourism, visiting family, business, or study of under six months, and
- do not already hold a UK visa or another form of UK immigration permission.
Every traveller needs their own ETA — including babies and children. Even if you’re only transiting through a UK airport’s border control on your way to another country, you need an ETA first.
Who is exempt
- British and Irish citizens never need an ETA.
- Anyone who already holds permission to live, work or study in the UK — a visa, a BRP/eVisa status record, or settled/pre-settled status — doesn’t need a separate ETA on top of it.
- If you’re applying for one of the UK’s actual visa categories (Standard Visitor, Student, Skilled Worker, Youth Mobility Scheme, etc.), the ETA question doesn’t apply to you — you go through the visa route instead, which already includes equivalent security checks.
Cost and validity
The ETA fee is £20 as of 8 April 2026 (it was £16 before that date — the Home Office raised it once the scheme reached full enforcement). One ETA is valid for up to two years, or until your passport expires, whichever comes first, and it permits multiple visits of up to six months each within that window — you don’t need to reapply for every trip.
How to apply
- Apply through the official UK ETA app or the gov.uk online service — never a third-party site charging a markup, since the government fee is fixed at £20.
- Provide your passport details, a photo, contact information, and answer a short set of suitability and criminality questions.
- Pay the fee and submit.
- Most applicants get an automatic decision within minutes. The Home Office recommends applying at least three working days before you travel to allow for the small number of cases that need manual review — poor-quality photos, incomplete answers, or a background check flag can all extend processing.
Apply before you book anything time-sensitive, and always apply directly through the official gov.uk ETA service — this is the authoritative source and the only place that reflects the current £20 fee accurately.
What happens if you travel without one
Since full enforcement began on 25 February 2026, carriers are required to deny boarding to any passenger who needs an ETA and doesn’t have one — you won’t get the chance to explain yourself at the UK border, because you won’t be allowed on the flight, ferry, or train in the first place. Build the £20 fee and a few days’ buffer into your travel planning the same way you would for any other pre-departure requirement.
ETA vs a UK visa — don’t confuse the two
An ETA is for visa-exempt short visits only. If you’re coming to study for a term or more, work, join a spouse, or stay longer than six months, you need an actual visa — see our guides to the UK Standard Visitor visa, UK Student visa, or the Youth Mobility Scheme if you’re eligible by nationality and age. A visa already carries the equivalent security checks, so you won’t need an ETA on top of it.
FAQ
Do I need an ETA if I’m just transiting through a UK airport? Yes, if you pass through UK border control at any point — even briefly between connecting flights — you need an ETA first, unless you’re airside-only and never cross into the UK side of the border.
Can my ETA be refused? Yes. Suitability and criminality checks can lead to refusal or a request for more information, and holding an ETA never guarantees entry — a Border Force officer still assesses you on arrival.
Does an ETA let me work in the UK? No. It only covers the same short-visit purposes as visa-exempt travel always did — tourism, family visits, business meetings, and study under six months. It does not grant work rights.
I already have a UK visa — do I also need an ETA? No. A visa or other UK immigration status already covers you; the ETA is only for travellers who would otherwise be visa-exempt.
This is general preparation guidance, not legal advice — the £20 fee, exemptions, and enforcement details can change, so always confirm your specific situation on the official gov.uk ETA guidance page before you travel. If you’re planning a UK trip and want a structured way to track pre-travel requirements, join the VisaMet waitlist.
Sources: gov.uk — Apply for an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA); Home Office — ETA factsheet, April 2026.