Get an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) to visit the UK

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1. Overview

​​An electronic travel authorisation (ETA) lets you travel to the UK, Jersey, Guernsey or the Isle of Man for up to 6 months.

You can get an ETA for tourism, visiting family or for certain other reasons.

An ETA costs £20. Apply for an ETA.

Other websites may charge more to apply. Avoid websites that imitate government services.

An ETA does not guarantee entry to the UK, Jersey, Guernsey or the Isle of Man.

Who needs an ETA

Most visitors need an ETA or a visa. What you need depends on:

  • your nationality
  • why you’re coming to the UK, Jersey, Guernsey or the Isle of Man

You usually need an ETA rather than a visa if you’re from Europe, the USA, Australia, Canada or certain other countries.

Check if you need an ETA or visa to come to the UK.

There are some people who do not need an ETA, for example if you have:

  • a British or Irish passport
  • permission to live, work or study in the UK

If you’re travelling as a family or group

Each person travelling needs an ETA, including babies and children.

You can apply for other people.

Get help

You can chat to UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) using webchat to get help with an ETA.

UKVI cannot help with ETA enquiries over the phone.

If you already have an ETA

Check your ETA online.

You can check:

  • if you have an ETA
  • when your ETA expires

2. When you do not need an ETA

You do not need an ETA to travel to the UK if:

Dual citizens

If you’re a dual citizen with British or Irish citizenship, you cannot get an ETA. When you travel to the UK you can prove your citizenship using:

You may be able to travel to the UK using another type of permission, for example if you settled in the UK under the EU Settlement Scheme. Find out more about travelling to the UK as a dual citizen.

You may have British citizenship automatically if you either:

  • were born in the UK
  • have a parent with British citizenship

Check if you have British citizenship.

You can chat to UKVI using webchat if you’re a dual citizen and need help.

If you live in Ireland

You do not need an ETA if you’re both:

  • from a country that would normally need an ETA to travel to the UK
  • entering the UK from Ireland, Guernsey, Jersey or the Isle of Man

If you’re from a country that needs a visa, you’ll need to apply for a visa before travelling to the UK.

Check if you need a UK visa or ETA.

What documents you’ll need to bring

If you’re 16 or older, you’ll need to bring one of the following:

  • Irish driving licence
  • Irish learner permit
  • medical card
  • GP visit card
  • European Health Insurance Card
  • Irish Residence Permit
  • Permanent Residence Certificate
  • National Age Card
  • diplomatic identity card

The document must be:

  • an original
  • issued by the Irish government
  • valid at the time you travel

If you’re under 16, you do not need to bring proof you live in Ireland.

3. What you can and cannot do with an ETA

Whether you need to apply for an ETA depends on why you’re travelling to the UK.

An ETA does not guarantee entry to the UK. If you have a criminal record or you were previously refused entry into the UK, you may want to apply for a Standard Visitor visa instead.

What you can do with an ETA

You can:

If you’re coming to the UK for another reason, check if you need a visa instead.

What you cannot do with an ETA

You cannot:

  • stay in the UK for longer than 6 months
  • do paid or unpaid work for a UK company or as a self-employed person, unless you’re doing a permitted paid engagement or event or work on the Creative Worker visa concession
  • claim public funds (benefits)
  • live in the UK through frequent or successive visits
  • marry or register a civil partnership, or give notice of marriage or civil partnership - you need to apply for a Marriage Visitor visa

4. Apply for an ETA

It costs £20 to apply online or through the UK ETA app. You cannot get a refund after you apply.

You cannot get a faster decision by applying through another website or app.

You’ll need:

  • the passport you’ll travel with
  • an email address
  • a credit card, debit card, Apple Pay or Google Pay

When you apply, you’ll need to upload or take photos of the face of the person applying.

Applying for someone else

You can apply for someone else’s ETA on the UK ETA app if they’re with you.

If the person you’re applying for is not with you, you must apply for their ETA online.

You’ll need a photo of their passport and a photo of their face.

Apply on the UK ETA app

You’ll need to use your phone’s camera to scan your passport and your face.

Download the UK ETA app on:

If you cannot download the app on your phone, you should apply online.

Apply online

You’ll need a photo of:

  • the passport
  • the face of the person applying

Start now

After you apply

You’ll get a decision by email from UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI), usually within a day. Allow up to 3 working days (Monday to Friday) to get a decision, but it may arrive much sooner.

The email will contain your 16 digit ETA reference number.

You must wait until you get an email confirming you have an ETA before you travel to the UK.

If you have not received a decision after 3 working days, check your spam or junk email folder before contacting UKVI.

You may get decisions at different times to other people you applied for.

Your ETA will be linked to the passport you applied with. You only need to show your passport when you travel to the UK.

How long it lasts

An ETA lasts for 2 years or until your passport expires, whichever is sooner. You can travel to the UK as many times as you want while you have an ETA.

Check your ETA online.

You can check:

  • if you have an ETA
  • when your ETA expires

Get help

You can: