How to Get a UK ETA Before You Fly

You have visited the UK for years with nothing but a passport, and this time the airline wants an authorization you have never heard of. The Electronic Travel Authorisation is now a condition of boarding for visa-free visitors, checked at departure rather than at the border.

Check whether you need one

Most visitors who do not need a visa now need an ETA, usually those from Europe, the USA, Australia, Canada and certain other countries; the full list is on the ETA eligibility page, and nationalities not on it need a visa. Every traveler needs their own, including babies and children. British and Irish citizens (including dual citizens), UK visa holders, people with permission to live, work or study in the UK, and Ireland residents traveling from Ireland or the Crown Dependencies do not need one. The full exemptions are on the page on when you do not need an ETA.

Apply through the app or gov.uk only

Use the UK ETA app (iOS 16 or Android 12 and later, with NFC) or the online application. As of September 2026 the fee is £20 and is not refunded after you apply. The ETA guide overview warns that other websites charge more and imitate government services, and none gets a faster decision.

Gather what the application needs

You need the passport you will travel with, a photo of the applicant's face, an email address, and a credit card, debit card, Apple Pay or Google Pay. The app reads the passport chip through the phone, then takes a face scan and a photo. You can apply for someone else in the app only if they are with you; otherwise use the online form.

Wait for the confirmation email

Most app applicants get an automatic decision in minutes, but allow up to three working days and do not travel until the email confirming the ETA arrives. If nothing comes after three working days, use the contact route on the check your ETA service, which also shows an existing ETA and its expiry.

Travel on the same passport

The ETA is linked to the passport used in the application and lasts two years or until that passport expires, whichever is sooner; a new passport needs a new ETA. Nothing is printed, and you show only the passport at the border. It covers visits of up to six months and does not permit work, as set out in what you can and cannot do with an ETA.

Check the transit rule for connections

You need an ETA if you pass through UK border control before your onward flight, but not for an airside connection; the layovers page defines both. The Home Office ETA factsheet adds that airside transit at Heathrow and Manchester does not currently require one. Ask your airline which kind of connection you have.

If it is refused. An ETA does not guarantee entry, and a refusal closes the visa-free route for that trip; apply for a visitor visa instead.

Sources. ETA guide overview, apply for an ETA, when you do not need an ETA, what you can and cannot do, ETA eligibility list, using the UK ETA app, check your ETA, layovers and transiting, Home Office ETA factsheet.