UK Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) 2026: Complete Guide

ETA stands for Electronic Travel Authorisation. A UK ETA is a digital permission required for nationals from 84 visa-exempt countries to travel to the United Kingdom. It is electronically linked to your passport and allows multiple visits of up to 6 months each for tourism, business, family visits, study under 6 months, or transit. The ETA costs £20 from 8 April 2026, is valid for 2 years or until your passport expires, and must be obtained before travel. An ETA is not a visa — it is a travel authorisation governed by Appendix Electronic Travel Authorisation of the Immigration Rules.

The UK ETA fee in 2026 is £20 per person, raised from £16 on 8 April 2026 under the 2026 Home Office fees order. The fee was originally £10 at scheme launch in October 2023, increased to £16 in April 2025, and increased again to £20 in April 2026. The £20 fee is non-refundable, even if your application is refused or you decide not to travel. Each traveller including children and infants requires their own ETA with individual £20 payment. There is no family or group discount, no priority service, and no fee waiver.

Yes — all EU citizens have needed a UK ETA since 2 April 2025, when the European rollout completed. This includes nationals from all 27 EU member states as well as Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, and Liechtenstein. The only exception is Irish citizens, who are exempt under the Common Travel Area regardless of where they travel from. EU citizens who hold UK Settled Status, Pre-Settled Status, or a valid UK visa do not need an ETA. Since October 2023, over 17 million European nationals have obtained UK ETAs. Germany leads at 3.06 million applications, followed by France (2.59m) and Italy (1.99m).

Most UK ETA applications receive an automatic decision within minutes. Some applications require manual review and can take up to 3 working days. In rare cases involving complex circumstances such as previous criminal convictions or immigration violations, processing may take longer (up to 14 days). The Home Office recommends applying at least 3 working days before travel. Realistically, apply at least 1-2 weeks before travel to allow for any delays. There is no priority service or expedited processing for ETAs — the £20 fee is the same regardless of how quickly the decision arrives.

From 25 February 2026, the UK implemented strict "no permission, no travel" enforcement. Airlines, ferries, and train operators (including Eurostar) must verify all passengers have valid permission — either an ETA, eVisa, or UK immigration status — before allowing boarding. Travellers without valid permission are denied boarding by the carrier regardless of their nationality's visa-exempt status. This marked the end of the transition period during which carriers were not strictly required to check for ETAs. Carriers face fines under the Authority to Carry Scheme 2023 for boarding ETA-less passengers from ETA-required countries.

Jordan was removed from the UK ETA eligibility list on 10 September 2024 due to "abuse and violations" of the scheme. Jordanian nationals can no longer apply for an ETA — they must now apply for a UK Standard Visitor visa, which involves a fuller documentary process, a biometric appointment at a Visa Application Centre, and a higher fee (£135 vs £20). Existing valid ETAs on Jordanian passports were cancelled. Jordan had issued 165,489 ETAs before removal (26th largest contributing country). The Home Office can remove any country from the scheme at any time without advance notice.

If you pass through UK passport control during your transit, you need a UK ETA. If you remain airside (in the international transit area) at London Heathrow or Manchester airports without passing through UK border control, you do not currently need an ETA. This airside transit exemption is temporary and may change. Eurostar passengers always need an ETA, as they clear UK border control at departure stations. The safest approach for any transit involving UK airports is to apply for an ETA — the £20 fee is modest against the risk of being refused boarding.

Yes — every traveller needs their own individual UK ETA, including children and infants. There is no family or group application — each person must have a separate ETA linked to their own passport. The same £20 fee applies per person regardless of age. Parents or guardians can complete the application on behalf of children using the UK ETA app or the gov.uk online portal. Photographs of very young children should be taken against a plain background with the child facing the camera. Children's ETAs follow the same 2-year validity rules.

A UK ETA is valid for 2 years from the date of issue or until your passport expires — whichever comes first. During this period, you can make unlimited visits to the UK, with each visit lasting up to 6 months. If your passport expires before the 2-year validity, you must apply for a new ETA linked to your new passport. There is no option to transfer an ETA between passports — the ETA is electronically linked to the specific passport number used in the application. After expiry, a fresh £20 application is required.

Yes — ETA applications can be refused if you have serious criminal convictions, pose a security threat, have previous immigration violations, are subject to a deportation order, or have used deception in previous applications. The overall UK ETA approval rate is 99.6%, so refusals are rare. There is no formal administrative review or appeal against a UK ETA refusal. The options are: (1) apply for a Standard Visitor visa instead; (2) submit a fresh ETA application addressing the refusal reasons; or (3) judicial review where procedural unfairness can be shown. The £20 fee is non-refundable regardless of outcome.