ETA Travel Assistant exists because applying for a travel authorisation should not feel like solving a legal puzzle. The rules around the UK ETA, ETIAS, ESTA, NZeTA and Schengen visas change frequently, the official documentation is written for civil servants rather than travellers, and a single missed checkbox can mean a delayed boarding pass or a refused application. Our job is to translate that complexity into clear, practical guidance — the kind of guidance a well-informed friend would give you over coffee.
We are an independent publication based in the United Kingdom. We are not a visa application service, we are not affiliated with any government department or border authority, and we do not lodge applications on behalf of anyone. Every guide we publish is written to help you understand the rules well enough to apply yourself, through the official channels, confidently and correctly.
The Problem We Set Out to Solve
If you have ever tried to work out whether you need a UK ETA or a standard visa, whether ETIAS launches before your summer trip, what the NZeTA’s IVL fee actually covers, or how to use the Schengen 90/180 day rule without accidentally overstaying, you already know the issue. The information exists — but it is scattered across half a dozen government portals, written in dense administrative language, and updated without notice. Most travellers either guess, ask in online forums where the answers may be years out of date, or pay a paid intermediary for advice that could be found for free if only someone organised it properly.
That is what we organise. Every article on this site is built around a specific question a real traveller asks — eligibility, cost, processing time, document requirements, refusal reasons, what to do if something goes wrong — and answers it using only verifiable, official sources.
Our Editorial Standards
- Official sources first. Our research draws on gov.uk, the European Commission’s ETIAS portal, the US Department of State, Immigration New Zealand, and the equivalent authoritative bodies. We cite these sources within each guide so you can verify the rules yourself.
- No medical, legal, or financial advice. We help you understand visa rules. We do not advise on health waivers, asylum applications, immigration appeals, or tax implications — for any of those, you need a qualified professional, not a publication.
- Regular updates. Visa rules change frequently. When a rule changes, the affected guides are updated within days, not months. If you spot something outdated, please tell us — our contact page is the fastest way to reach the editorial team.
- Plain English. We deliberately write at a reading level a teenager could follow. Bureaucratic precision matters; bureaucratic phrasing does not.
- No fake urgency. If a rule does not change for six months, we will not pretend it changed yesterday to chase traffic. If a country’s policy is genuinely about to shift, we will say so and link the announcement.
Who Writes Here
The site is edited by Can OTU, who built ETA Travel Assistant after his own frustrations navigating the UK ETA rollout. Day to day, the by-lines you will see most often are Can’s, alongside contributing writers Emily Tran and Alex Moretti. You can read about each contributor on our authors page.
Every published article is reviewed against current government sources before going live. When new readers email questions our guides have not yet answered, those questions become the brief for the next article — so a real, measurable part of what you read here comes directly from the inboxes of fellow travellers.
What We Will Never Do
- Charge a fee to “process” or “expedite” an application that you can submit yourself for the official price.
- Run advertising for paid visa-application middlemen, no matter how well they pay. Our editorial position is independence from that industry.
- Publish content we have not verified against an official source.
- Replace clear evergreen guidance with seasonal “trending” pieces that lose value the moment the trend fades.
- Share your email address, IP, or any data you submit through our contact form with third parties.
How This Site Is Funded
ETA Travel Assistant is supported by display advertising and may, in future, include carefully chosen affiliate partnerships with travel-adjacent services such as insurance, accommodation, and currency tools. Any commercial relationship will be disclosed clearly within the relevant article. We do not, and will not, accept payment in exchange for editorial recommendations.
Talk to Us
If you have a question, a correction, a press enquiry, an advertising request, or a partnership proposal, our contact page has the editorial inbox and our response-time commitment. We read every message and reply personally within two working days.
Thank you for taking the time to learn who is behind these guides. Whether you are applying for your first UK ETA or planning a long European trip with the Schengen 90/180 rule in mind, we hope the work we publish here saves you time, money and stress — and that you leave with the answer you came for.