A UK Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) is digital permission to travel to the UK for visits of up to six months. It is not a visa, and it does not guarantee entry — border officers can still refuse entry — but most visitors who do not need a visa now need one before they travel.

An ETA costs £20 per person, including children and babies, and is valid for two years or until the passport it is linked to expires, whichever comes first. It allows multiple visits, each of up to six months, for tourism, visiting family or friends, short business trips or short-term study.

You usually need an ETA if you are from Europe, the USA, Australia, Canada or certain other visa-exempt countries. You do not need one if you hold a British or Irish passport, or if you already have permission to live, work or study in the UK, or a valid UK visa. People transiting airside without passing through UK border control also do not need one.

Apply only through the official UK ETA app or GOV.UK. Other websites may charge more. Most decisions come automatically in minutes, but the official advice is to allow three working days. From 25 February 2026, visitors from visa-exempt countries will not be able to legally travel to the UK without an ETA or an eVisa, and carriers will check before boarding.

Sources: GOV.UK, Get an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) to visit the UK; ABTA, The UK's ETA scheme, updated 19 March 2026. Rules change — check the official GOV.UK page before you travel. This article is general information, not personal immigration advice.