Many visitors now need a UK Electronic Travel Authorisation before travelling to London.

An ETA is a digital permission connected to your passport. You do not receive a paper document or sticker, but you must receive approval before travelling.

The official application currently costs £20. Other websites may charge an additional service fee, use branding that resembles GOV.UK or suggest that paying them produces a faster decision. It does not.

Apply for a UK ETA on the official GOV.UK website →

Only use a website ending in gov.uk or the official UK ETA app linked from GOV.UK.

UK ETA essentials

Question Answer
Official cost £20 per person
Application route GOV.UK or the official UK ETA app
Normal decision time Usually within one day
Time you should allow Up to 3 working days
Validity 2 years or until the passport expires
Multiple visits Yes
Maximum normal visit Up to 6 months
Children Each child and baby needs their own ETA
Proof at the airport The passport used for the application
Guaranteed UK entry? No

Information checked on 1 September 2026. Always confirm the current fee and requirements on GOV.UK before applying.

Do you need a UK ETA?

What you need depends on:

  • Your nationality
  • The passport you will use
  • Why you are travelling
  • Whether you already have a UK visa or immigration status
  • Whether you will pass through UK border control while in transit

Visitors from many European countries, the United States, Canada, Australia and other countries that do not normally require a visitor visa generally need an ETA for a short UK visit.

Do not rely on a social-media list or assume that everyone travelling together has the same requirements.

Check whether you need an ETA or UK visa →

Who does not normally need an ETA?

You do not normally need an ETA if you:

  • Are a British or Irish citizen
  • Already have a valid UK visa
  • Have permission to live, work or study in the UK
  • Have settled or pre-settled status
  • Have the right of abode in the UK
  • Are transiting through a UK airport without passing through border control
  • Qualify for another exemption listed by the government

There are additional rules for residents of Ireland travelling through the Common Travel Area, dual citizens and people with particular passport types or immigration status.

British and Irish dual citizens cannot apply for an ETA. They should travel with appropriate evidence of their British or Irish citizenship.

Use the government’s complete list of people who do not need an ETA if any exception may apply to you.

Every traveller needs their own ETA

An ETA is issued to an individual traveller, not to a family or booking. Every person who requires one must have a separate approved ETA, including babies and children.

A parent can apply for a child. If you use the official app, the person may need to be with you so that you can scan their passport and face. If they are not present, you can apply online using suitable photographs of their passport and face.

Applications submitted together may receive decisions at different times.

How to apply for a UK ETA

You can apply through:

  1. The official UK ETA app
  2. The official online application on GOV.UK

You will need:

  • The passport you will travel with
  • An email address
  • A credit or debit card, Apple Pay or Google Pay
  • A photograph of the applicant’s face
  • Access to the applicant while using certain app features

The app uses your phone’s camera to scan the passport and applicant. If your phone is incompatible or you cannot download the app in your country, use the official online form.

Start the official ETA application →

Check the address before paying

The safest route is to begin at www.gov.uk/eta/apply.

The application itself may transfer you to an official Home Office service, but you should start from GOV.UK instead of following an advertisement or an unsolicited message.

Avoid websites charging unnecessary ETA fees

Search engines may show advertisements for private ETA services above the official government result.

These businesses may:

  • Charge substantially more than £20
  • Add a processing or assistance fee
  • Use colours and wording that resemble a government website
  • Ask for passport and payment information
  • Imply that their service is faster
  • Offer help that most applicants do not need

The UK government says applying through another website or app does not produce a faster decision.

Before entering passport or payment details, check:

  • Did you begin at gov.uk/eta/apply?
  • Is the advertised government fee £20?
  • Is the page trying to sell priority or express processing?
  • Does the price increase when you reach checkout?
  • Is the business asking for an avoidable administration fee?

If the price is more than £20, stop and return to the official government page.

How long does an ETA decision take?

The government says applicants will usually receive a decision by email within one day, but it can take up to 3 working days.

Do not wait until you are at the airport. You must receive the confirmation email before travelling. Buying a flight does not create an ETA, and submitting an application is not the same as receiving approval.

If no decision arrives after three working days:

  1. Check your spam or junk folder.
  2. Confirm that you used the correct email address.
  3. Contact UK Visas and Immigration through the official support route.

There is no legitimate third-party service that can guarantee an immediate decision.

How long does a UK ETA last?

An approved ETA normally lasts for two years or until the passport used in the application expires, whichever happens first.

You can normally use it for multiple journeys during that period. For tourism, an ETA can generally support visits of up to six months, subject to the UK visitor rules.

Your ETA is digitally connected to the passport used in the application. If that passport is lost, expires, is replaced or your identifying details change, you will usually need a new ETA connected to the new passport.

Travel with the same passport

Use the same passport to apply for the ETA, check in for your journey and pass through the UK border. This matters particularly for dual citizens and travellers who hold more than one passport.

If you apply using one passport but present another to the airline, the airline may not be able to confirm your permission to travel.

You do not normally need to print the ETA confirmation because the authorisation is digital. However, saving the approval email offline can be useful if you need the reference number.

Passport requirements for visiting the UK

Your passport or recognised travel document should be valid for the entire duration of your stay.

The UK does not apply one universal “six months remaining” rule to every visitor. The relevant requirement is generally that your passport remains valid throughout your visit, although your nationality or circumstances may create additional requirements.

Check:

  • The expiry date
  • That your name matches the booking
  • That the passport is not damaged
  • That it remains valid for the whole trip
  • That you will travel with the passport connected to your ETA
  • The requirements of any country you will visit before or after the UK

An ETA does not replace your passport.

An ETA is not a visa

An ETA is intended for eligible travellers who do not normally need a visa for a short visit.

It can generally be used for tourism, visiting family or friends, certain business visits, short-term study, permitted paid engagements and passing through UK border control while in transit.

It does not normally allow you to:

  • Work for a UK company
  • Work as a self-employed person in the UK
  • Remain for longer than six months
  • Use repeated visits to live in the UK
  • Claim public funds
  • Marry or register a civil partnership

Different permission may be required for employment, long-term study, marriage, medical treatment or an extended stay.

An ETA also does not guarantee entry. Border officials can still ask about your journey and decide whether you meet the visitor requirements.

If you have previously been refused entry or have a criminal record, GOV.UK advises that you may want to consider applying for a Standard Visitor visa instead.

Do transit passengers need an ETA?

It depends on whether you pass through UK border control.

You generally need an ETA if you are transiting landside, meaning you pass through border control before continuing your journey. You do not normally need one if you remain airside and do not pass through border control.

Airport arrangements vary. Connecting passengers may need to collect baggage, change terminals or pass immigration even when they do not intend to visit London.

Ask your airline whether your connection is airside or landside. Do not assume that remaining in the airport means you are automatically exempt.

What to keep available when travelling

Although an ETA is digital, keep the following accessible:

  • Your valid passport
  • ETA confirmation email
  • Return or onward ticket
  • Accommodation address
  • Basic itinerary
  • Evidence that you can support yourself during the trip
  • Travel insurance details
  • Contact details for your accommodation
  • Any visa or immigration documents relevant to your circumstances

Border officials may ask why you are visiting, where you are staying and when you intend to leave.

Save essential documents offline rather than depending entirely on airport Wi-Fi or mobile data. Our guide to the essential apps to download before visiting London explains how to keep maps and important places available on your phone.

Travel insurance

An ETA does not provide healthcare or financial protection.

Consider travel insurance covering emergency medical care, repatriation, cancellation, disruption, lost belongings, planned activities and any existing medical conditions.

Read the exclusions and excess rather than choosing a policy solely by price. European visitors should also check whether they have a valid EHIC and what it covers in the UK. An EHIC is not a replacement for travel insurance.

Final entry checklist

Before travelling to London:

  • Check whether you need an ETA or visa.
  • Confirm that your passport is valid for the whole stay.
  • Apply only through GOV.UK or the official UK ETA app.
  • Pay only the current official government fee.
  • Apply separately for every traveller, including children.
  • Wait for the approval email before travelling.
  • Use the same passport used in the application.
  • Keep your accommodation and onward-travel details available.
  • Arrange suitable travel insurance.
  • Recheck the official requirements shortly before departure.

Apply through the official GOV.UK ETA service →

Information checked on 1 September 2026. The official ETA fee is now £20, not the previous £16 price. Immigration requirements and fees can change, so always complete a final check on GOV.UK before travelling.