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UK ETA: what you need before flying to Britain

Most visitors now need an ETA to enter the UK, including Americans and Europeans. What it costs, how long it takes and where to apply safely.

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6 min read

People walking past London Bridge station in London on a clear day
Photo by Dele Oke on Unsplash

For decades, visitors from the US, Canada, Australia or the EU could fly to London with nothing but a passport. That changed in 2025. Non-European visitors have needed an Electronic Travel Authorisation, or ETA, since January 8, 2025, and Europeans since April 2, 2025. It costs £20, usually comes through within a day, and lasts two years.

An ETA isn’t a visa. There’s no interview and no embassy visit. But the UK government is clear that you can’t travel until you have the email confirming it.

What an ETA is, and what it isn’t

An ETA is a digital permission tied to the passport you apply with. It lets you enter the UK (and Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man) as many times as you like while it’s valid, for up to six months per visit, for tourism, seeing family and friends, business trips or short courses.

It doesn’t guarantee entry: the border officer at the airport still has the final say. It also doesn’t let you work for a UK company, live in the country through back-to-back visits, or get married there, which takes a different visa.

The main exemptions are British and Irish citizens, and people who already have a UK visa or permission to live, work or study in the UK. Dual citizens with a British or Irish passport can’t get an ETA and should travel on that passport instead.

What it costs and how long it takes

An ETA costs £20, and the fee isn’t refunded, even if you’re turned down. When the scheme opened to most non-European travelers in late 2024, it cost £10. The price has gone up since then, so check the official page before you apply.

The decision arrives by email, usually within a day, though it can take up to three working days. The email includes a 16-digit reference number; don’t fly before you have it. At the airport, you only show your passport, since the ETA is linked to it. Once granted, the ETA lasts two years or until your passport expires, whichever comes first. You can check on the government website at any time whether your ETA is active and when it expires.

Everyone needs their own, babies and children included. You can apply for other people, such as your kids, in the same app or on the same website.

No permission, no travel: the rule since February 2026

On February 25, 2026, the scheme moved into full enforcement. From that date, the UK government began applying what it calls “no permission, no travel”: carriers check, before boarding, that each passenger has an ETA or an eVisa. Anyone without one can be refused boarding.

The change was announced in November 2025. At the time, the government said more than 13.3 million ETAs had been issued since the scheme launched in October 2023, and that 85 nationalities needed one.

It also affects dual British citizens. British citizens don’t need an ETA, but the government advises dual nationals to travel with a valid British passport or a certificate of entitlement, which proves the right to live in the UK. Without one, they may run into trouble boarding on their other passport.

Where to apply without getting scammed

There are two official ways to apply: the UK government website at gov.uk/eta, or the UK ETA app on Google Play and the App Store. The government warns that other websites charge more for the same thing, and none of them can get you a faster decision.

You’ll need the passport you’re traveling on, an email address, a credit or debit card (Apple Pay and Google Pay work too) and a photo of your face, taken in the app or uploaded on the website.

If your trip also takes in mainland Europe, the same logic will apply to ETIAS, the EU’s upcoming travel authorisation. The two systems are separate, because the UK isn’t part of the Schengen area. Once ETIAS starts, a trip that covers both Paris and London will need both.

Before you book

  • Apply at least three working days ahead. Most decisions arrive within a day, but the official timeframe is up to three working days.
  • Use only gov.uk or the UK ETA app. If a site charges more than £20, it isn’t the official one.
  • Get one ETA per traveler, children included.
  • Check your passport’s expiry date. The ETA ends when the passport does, and it’s tied to that passport.
  • Connecting in London: if you go through border control, to collect bags or change airports, you need an ETA. If you stay airside in transit, you don’t. Ask your airline if you’re not sure.
  • Coming from Ireland counts too. The exemption for arrivals from Ireland only covers people who live there. A tourist flying from Dublin to London needs an ETA.

FAQ

Who needs an ETA to visit the UK?

Visitors from the 85 nationalities on the official list who don’t need a visa, including US, Canadian, Brazilian and most European citizens. British and Irish citizens are exempt.

How much does a UK ETA cost?

£20, paid when you apply and not refundable. Check the price on the official page, as it has already gone up once.

How long does an ETA take?

Usually up to a day, but the official timeframe is up to three working days.

How long is a UK ETA valid?

Two years, or until your passport expires, whichever comes first. During that time you can visit as many times as you like, for up to six months each visit.

Can I board without an approved ETA?

No. Since February 25, 2026, carriers check for an ETA before boarding, and passengers without one can be refused travel.

Of all the paperwork for a European trip that includes London, the ETA is the easiest to forget and one of the simplest to sort out: an application on your phone, a few days before you pack.

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