How to Handle Uk Eta Application

Application, fee, exemptions and checker guidance reviewed against official sources on 12 October 2026. This is general information, not advice on your individual immigration circumstances.

Start with eligibility, not the application form

Your passport nationality, purpose of travel and existing immigration permission determine whether an ETA is the right route. Use the official visa and ETA checker. Do not assume everyone from Europe needs one: Irish citizens and several other groups are exempt.

An ETA supports eligible short visits. The official activity guidance distinguishes ordinary visits from permitted paid engagements and the Creative Worker visa concession. Normal employment, residence and marriage have different requirements. An ETA is not a substitute for a visa where one is needed.

When you do not need an ETA

The official exemptions page covers British and Irish citizens, existing UK immigration permission, certain passport holders and other special circumstances. Check the specific exemption rather than relying on nationality alone.

Airside versus landside transit

If your connection stays airside and you do not pass UK border control, you do not need an ETA for that airside transfer. If you pass border control, check whether you need an ETA or a transit visa. Confirm the actual route with your airline, especially when collecting baggage or using separate tickets. A terminal change alone is not proof you cross the border.

Living in Ireland and travelling within the Common Travel Area

A resident of Ireland whose nationality would normally require an ETA is exempt when entering the UK from Ireland, Guernsey, Jersey or the Isle of Man. Travellers aged 16 or over need accepted, valid proof of Irish residence. This exemption does not remove a visa requirement for visa nationals, and it does not apply to every journey originating outside those places. Check the official residence-document list before departure.

Dual British or Irish citizens

Dual citizens with British or Irish citizenship cannot obtain an ETA. Check which document establishes your right to travel: the official guidance includes a valid British or Irish passport, or another valid passport with a certificate of entitlement proving right of abode. Do not apply on another nationality as a workaround.

What the application costs

The government fee is £20 for each application, including a child's application. The 8 April 2026 fee table records the increase from £16 to £20. Do not confuse that change with the earlier fee increase in 2025.

The fee is not refundable after applying. A third-party service may charge an additional assistance fee, but it cannot obtain a faster government decision. You can apply directly without paying an agent.

Prepare the passport, photos and payment

Use the passport you will travel with. Have an email address you can access and an accepted payment method ready. The app scans the passport and face; the online route requires passport and face photos. Follow the official photo requirements rather than substituting an old image because it looks suitable.

If you are applying for someone else, the app route requires that person to be with you. If they are elsewhere, use the online route. Each traveller has a separate application; a parent's approval does not cover a baby or child.

Apply through the official service

1. Open GOV.UK Apply for an ETA and follow its official app or online links.
2. Provide the passport details and required photos. Check scanned details carefully.
3. Answer the questions truthfully. Follow the exact wording shown by the service rather than a third-party list of supposed questions.
4. Check the information and pay the government fee.
5. Wait for the decision email before travelling. Keep access to the email account used.

If the app is unavailable on your phone, GOV.UK provides the online alternative. For technical problems, use the official help links. Do not keep paying for fresh applications merely because you cannot find an email.

Waiting for a decision

Allow at least three working days before travel, and leave more time if your plans depend on the outcome. Processing times are not an approval guarantee. Family members can receive decisions at different times.

If no decision arrives after three working days, check junk mail and contact UKVI using the links on the official application page. A payment receipt or acknowledgement is not confirmation of approval.

Check an existing ETA, not a pending application

Use GOV.UK Check your ETA, with the passport used to apply, to check existing permission and expiry. The service cannot track a recent application for which you have not received an ETA. Keep the distinction between an existing permission check and a pending decision clear.

If you have lost the approval email, check the existing record before deciding to pay again. If you replace your passport, you need a new ETA linked to the replacement passport.

After approval: travel and stay are separate

An ETA normally lasts two years or until the linked passport expires, whichever comes first. It can also be cancelled. Travel using that passport, and follow the actual conditions of each visit. A two-year ETA is not permission to remain for two years.

Approval does not guarantee entry. Border officers can assess your visit and supporting information. Do not assume a biometric passport alone guarantees eGate eligibility: use the current border-control guidance for nationality, age and other conditions.

If information is wrong or the application is refused

Follow the decision notice and official help. A rejected application and a refused application are different outcomes; do not assume paying again cures a refusal. The Home Office factsheet explains that a refused ETA has no appeal and points to the visa route for people who still wish to travel.

Do not travel on an unresolved assumption about permission. Where passport information needs changing, follow the official new-application guidance rather than expecting an edit to the existing record.

Practical example: a changed passport

Illustrative example, not a reported traveller case: a traveller renews their passport after receiving an ETA. Even if the old ETA's two-year period has not ended, they need a new application on the new passport. Check this before arranging departure; no approval time is promised.

Key takeaways

• Check eligibility and exemptions first.
• Airside transit without border control is exempt; confirm the actual connection.
• Apply directly through GOV.UK or the official app; the government fee is £20.
• Check existing permission through GOV.UK, but use decision emails and official support for a pending application.
• A new passport requires a new ETA, and approval never guarantees admission.

For more detail, see our validity and stay limits guide and ETA checker guide. Confirm live rules with the authority before travelling.