UK ETA guidance
UK ETA requirements
A UK ETA is an advance travel permission for eligible travellers. It is not permission to enter the UK, but it can let you travel for short visits when your nationality and circumstances fit the current rules.
Use this page as a practical starting point if you want to know whether ETA is relevant, what it usually covers and when you should look at a visa route instead.
Important disclosure
Independent service
ETAApply is an independent application assistance service and is not affiliated with the UK Government. The official government application service is available through GOV.UK. ETAApply provides additional application assistance and support.
Official GOV.UK links
Check the official guidance
What an ETA is
A short travel authorisation before you leave for the UK
ETA stands for electronic travel authorisation. It is an advance check used for specified nationals and travel circumstances before travel, rather than a visa in its own right.
Even with an ETA, you still need to satisfy the border officer on arrival and the ETA does not guarantee entry.
Who usually needs one
Eligible nationals travelling for a permitted short stay
If your passport nationality is on the current ETA-eligible list and you are travelling for a short visit, you will usually need an ETA before you travel.
The ETA can be used for tourism, visiting family or friends, business trips, short-term study, permitted paid engagements, some Creative Worker visa concession cases and landside transit when border control is passed.
- Tourism and family visits
- Short business travel and short-term study
- Permitted paid engagement and certain transit cases
Who does not need one
Common situations where an ETA is not required
You do not need an ETA if you are a British or Irish citizen, if you already have permission to live, work or study in the UK, or if another official exemption applies.
If you are only airside in transit and do not pass border control, ETA is not normally needed. If you are unsure, check the official guidance before you travel.
- British or Irish citizens
- People with a UK visa or permission to live, work or study in the UK
- Some exemption categories and airside transit only
What to prepare
The basic information needed to apply
To apply you normally need the passport you will travel with, an email address and a payment method. You also need a facial photograph that follows the GOV.UK rules.
If you are checking whether ETA or a visa is more appropriate, use the official UK visa checker so you do not rely on assumptions about nationality or travel purpose.
- Use the passport you will travel with
- Prepare a face photo that meets GOV.UK rules
- Check the visa route if your trip falls outside ETA scope
Fee and validity
Official fee and how long an ETA lasts
A government application fee applies. A granted ETA normally lasts for 2 years or until the passport used for the application expires, whichever comes first.
Because the ETA is linked to the passport used for the application, changing passport details can mean you need to apply again.
Frequently asked questions
Questions about UK ETA requirements
What is the easiest way to tell whether I need an ETA?
Can I use an ETA instead of a visa for any trip?
Does an ETA let me enter the UK automatically?
Do I still need to check the rules if I already have UK permission?
Where should I check if I need a visa instead?
Related UK ETA guides