UK ETA for Children and Families: Age Rules, Parental Consent, and What Catches People Out

Family travel to the UK sounds straightforward until you’re three days before departure and someone in a Facebook group mentions that your five-year-old might need their own Electronic Travel Authorisation. Suddenly you’re not sure what you’ve missed, whether your toddler counts, or whether the consent letter you printed off a random website is actually going to hold up at Heathrow.

Here’s what you need to know - all of it, laid out properly.

Every Child Needs Their Own UK ETA - No Exceptions

This is the single most important thing to understand before anything else. There is no family ETA. There is no “covered by parent” option. Every individual travelling to the UK under the ETA requirement needs their own separately approved ETA linked to their own passport. Full stop.

A lot of families assume there’s some kind of group arrangement, similar to how some countries used to allow children to be listed on a parent’s passport. The UK does not operate that way. If your passport requires an ETA, your child’s passport requires one too - regardless of whether they’re 14 or 14 months old.

Which nationalities require an ETA for children travelling to the UK?

The UK ETA requirement applies to nationals of countries that are visa-exempt for short stays but now fall under the Electronic Travel Authorisation scheme. As of 2026, this includes nationals of countries such as the United States, Canada, Australia, the Gulf Cooperation Council states, Japan, South Korea, and many others. The full list is maintained on GOV.UK.

Nationality is what triggers the ETA requirement - not age. So if an American family travels to the UK, the American parents need ETAs, and their American children need ETAs. There are no age-based exemptions written into the scheme.

Age thresholds: does a newborn or infant need an ETA?

Yes. Even an infant travelling on their own passport - which is now standard practice in most countries - requires an ETA. A six-week-old baby with a valid Canadian passport needs a valid ETA. It sounds excessive, but that’s how the system works.

The only scenario where this doesn’t apply is if a baby is travelling on a parent’s passport, which some countries still permit for very young children. But if the child has their own passport, the ETA must be linked to that passport. Don’t assume otherwise.

How to Apply for a UK ETA on Behalf of a Child

You don’t need to be a lawyer or an immigration expert to do this. Honestly, the application itself is fairly straightforward if you have everything ready before you start. The complication usually comes from gathering the right documents, not from filling in the form.

Who is legally allowed to submit a child’s ETA application?

A parent or legal guardian can apply on behalf of a child. You don’t apply “as” the child - you apply as yourself and indicate that you are completing the application on their behalf. The application is still for the child and will be linked to their passport. The person submitting the application takes responsibility for the accuracy of the information provided.

That said - and this matters for later sections - a grandparent, aunt, or family friend can also submit the application if the parents are unavailable, provided they are acting with the parents’ knowledge and can confirm the details accurately. There’s no formal notarisation requirement to submit an ETA application on a child’s behalf.

Step-by-step: completing the application for an under-18

The process mirrors an adult ETA application closely. You’ll go through the official UK ETA application portal, enter the child’s passport details, answer the standard eligibility questions (criminal history, previous refusals, health declarations), and pay the fee. The questions relating to criminal history and security are answered in the context of the child - for very young children, these will almost always be answered in the negative.

One thing people miss: you’ll also need to provide a photograph of the child. The photo requirements are the same as for adults - recent, clear, correct dimensions. Getting a compliant passport-style photo of a wriggling two-year-old is genuinely one of the more frustrating parts of the process. I’d recommend taking several and choosing the best one.

Passport details, photos, and information you’ll need before you start

• The child’s passport (must be valid for the duration of the trip)
• Passport number, issue date, expiry date, and issuing country
• Full name exactly as it appears on the passport
• Date of birth
• A compliant digital photograph of the child
• Email address for the confirmation (yours, as the applicant)
• Payment card

Check the name on the passport very carefully. This is not the place to use a nickname or a common name variation. If the passport says “Mohammad,” the ETA application should say “Mohammad” - not “Mohammed” or “Mohamed.” Any discrepancy can cause problems at the border.

Paying for a child’s ETA: costs and whether family discounts exist

As of 2026, the UK ETA costs £10 per person, per application - as of 2026; fees are subject to change, so always verify with GOV.UK before applying. There is no family discount. There is no reduced fee for children. A family of two adults and three children will pay five separate £10 fees, totalling £50. It’s not enormous, but it’s worth budgeting for if you’re travelling with several children.

Travelling with Children Who Have Different Nationalities to Their Parents

This is where things get genuinely complicated, and it’s the area that catches the most families off guard in my experience. Mixed-nationality families - which are increasingly common - face questions that aren’t always answered clearly in the official guidance.

Dual-national children: which passport should be used for the ETA?

If a child holds dual nationality and one of those nationalities is British, they don’t need an ETA at all - they should travel on their British passport and enter as a British national. This applies even if their other nationality would normally require an ETA. Using a British passport removes the ETA requirement entirely.

If neither nationality is British but one requires an ETA and the other doesn’t - for example, a child who holds both Australian and Japanese citizenship - you have more flexibility. Use whichever passport you intend to travel on, and apply for the ETA on that passport if it’s required. The ETA is tied to the specific passport used. If your child travels on a different passport than the one linked to their ETA, the ETA is effectively useless.

When one parent needs an ETA but the other does not

This is more common than people expect. Imagine a British-Australian couple with children. The British parent and any children with British citizenship need no ETA. The Australian parent and any children travelling on Australian passports need ETAs. Each person’s requirement is assessed individually.

Don’t assume that because one parent is ETA-exempt, the children are too. The child’s requirement follows the child’s passport nationality - not the parents’.

Children born in a different country to their parents - does nationality follow the passport?

For the purposes of the UK ETA, it’s the passport that matters, not where the child was born. A child born in the UAE to American parents, travelling on a US passport, needs a US ETA. Birthplace is not a factor in ETA eligibility. What matters is which country issued the travel document.

The Consent and Documentation Rules That Catch Families Off Guard

The ETA gets a child onto the plane. But getting through UK Border Force is a separate matter. And this is where families - particularly those travelling with children who aren’t accompanied by both parents - can find themselves in a genuinely stressful situation.

Travelling with a child when one parent is not present

The UK does not have a blanket legal requirement for a consent letter when a child travels with one parent. But UK Border Force officers have discretion. If a child is travelling with one parent, with a grandparent, or with another adult who is not a parent, a Border Force officer can and sometimes does ask questions about the relationship and the other parent’s whereabouts.

In practice, I’d recommend carrying a consent letter regardless. It doesn’t guarantee smooth entry, but it demonstrates you’ve anticipated the question and have nothing to hide.

What UK Border Force may ask for when a child arrives without both parents

• Evidence of the relationship between the child and the accompanying adult (birth certificate, adoption order, etc.)
• Confirmation of the absent parent’s awareness and consent
• Contact details for the absent parent
• Evidence of the purpose of the trip (school trip letter, hotel booking, relative’s address in the UK)

Border Force will not always ask for this. Many families travel without both parents every day without being questioned. But if an officer does ask and you have nothing to show, the conversation becomes much harder.

Recommended consent letters: what to include and how to format them

Practical tip: A consent letter doesn’t need to be notarised to be useful, but having it witnessed or signed by a notary does add credibility - particularly if you’re travelling from a country where notarised documents carry significant weight. At minimum, the letter should be signed, dated, and include contact details for the absent parent that can be verified on the spot.

A solid consent letter should include the full names and passport numbers of both parents, the child’s full name, date of birth, and passport number, the dates and purpose of the trip, the name of the adult the child is travelling with, and a signed statement from the absent parent confirming their consent. Include a direct phone number where the absent parent can be reached - and make sure they’re actually reachable during travel dates.

Adopted children and children with legal guardians: extra documentation to carry

If a child is adopted or is travelling with a legal guardian rather than a birth parent, carry the adoption order or guardianship documentation. This is not optional - it’s the document that establishes your legal authority over the child. Without it, explaining a different surname or a different ethnicity between adult and child to a Border Force officer becomes unnecessarily complicated.

ETA vs Child Visitor Visa: When an ETA Is Not Enough

The ETA covers short visits for tourism, transit, and certain business activities. It does not replace a visa for nationalities that require one, and it does not cover purposes of visit that fall outside its permitted scope - regardless of the traveller’s age.

Nationalities where children require a full UK visa rather than an ETA

Nationals of countries that are not included in the ETA scheme need a standard UK visitor visa (or the appropriate category of visa) regardless of age. As of 2026, this includes Indian, Pakistani, Sri Lankan, and many other nationals. A child from India does not get an ETA simply because they are a child - they require a child visitor visa, which is a full visa application with its own requirements.

Long stays, school trips, and study: when an ETA does not cover a child’s purpose of visit

An ETA permits a stay of up to six months for most purposes - but it does not permit study that goes beyond certain incidental limits, and it does not permit a child to enrol in a UK school as their primary purpose of visit. If a child is coming to the UK to attend school for a term or longer, they need a Child Student visa, not an ETA. This is an area where families sometimes get confused because the initial entry seems to go through - the problem arises when the intended purpose doesn’t match the permission granted.

School Trips and Group Travel: ETA Rules for Minors Not Travelling With Family

School trips are a specific scenario that generates a lot of questions. Here’s the simple answer: the ETA requirement doesn’t care whether the trip is organised or independent. Every child on an ETA-required passport needs their own ETA.

Responsibility for ETA applications when a travel agent or school is organising the trip

The legal responsibility for ensuring a child’s ETA is approved before travel sits with the parent or guardian - not the school, not the travel agent, not the group leader. A school trip organiser might remind parents, might even provide guidance, but they cannot apply on a child’s behalf without parental involvement, and they are not the responsible party if a child is denied boarding because their ETA wasn’t sorted.

That said, a travel agent can help facilitate the application process and may apply on the child’s behalf with parental consent. If you’re working with a travel agent for a school trip, confirm explicitly who is handling the ETA applications and get written confirmation that each child’s ETA has been approved before the trip departs.

What teachers and group leaders need to carry at UK entry

• A list of all children in the group with their passport numbers and ETA approval confirmations
• Contact details for each child’s parents or guardians
• The school’s official trip documentation (itinerary, accommodation details, educational purpose)
• Parental consent letters authorising the school or trip leader to travel with each child

Border Force is familiar with school groups. But being organised and having documentation accessible - not buried in a bag - makes the entry process significantly faster for everyone.

Processing Times and When to Apply for a Child’s ETA

The UK ETA is typically processed within three working days, and in many cases the decision comes through much faster - sometimes within hours. This applies to child applications just as it does to adult applications. There’s no different processing lane for minors as of 2026.

What happens if a child’s ETA is refused or flagged for further review

Refusals are relatively uncommon for first-time applicants with clean travel histories, but they do happen. If a child’s ETA is refused, the refusal letter will explain the reason. Common grounds include discrepancies in the application, previous immigration issues, or security-related concerns - the last of which is obviously more relevant to adults than children, but can affect children who have previously been refused entry to the UK or other countries.

If a refusal happens, don’t panic - but do act quickly. You have the option to apply for a standard visitor visa instead, which involves a more detailed application process. For complex refusal situations, consulting a regulated immigration adviser is the right move. The Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner (OISC) maintains a register of authorised advisers.

Applying close to departure: minimum safe lead times for families

Don’t cut it fine. Yes, most ETAs are approved quickly - but “most” is not “all.” Apply at least two weeks before travel. For school groups or large families where multiple applications are being submitted simultaneously, apply even earlier. If one application flags for review, you want time to resolve it without scrambling the night before departure.

Common Misconceptions That Lead to Boarding Denials

These three myths come up again and again. They’re worth addressing directly because they’re exactly the kind of thing that results in families being turned away at check-in - not even at the UK border, but at the airline desk.

Myth: a child listed on a parent’s passport does not need a separate ETA

This used to be valid in the era when some countries allowed children to be endorsed into a parent’s passport. Most countries have moved away from this practice, and even where it technically still exists, the UK requires the child to have their own valid ETA linked to their own travel document. If the child is travelling on their own passport, they need their own ETA. No exceptions.

Myth: children under a certain age are automatically exempt

There is no age exemption in the UK ETA scheme. Not for infants. Not for toddlers. Not for under-fives. The exemptions that exist are nationality-based and status-based (British citizens, those with existing leave to enter or remain, etc.) - not age-based. A three-month-old Australian national travelling to the UK needs an ETA.

Myth: an approved ETA guarantees entry into the UK for a child

An ETA is permission to travel to the UK and present yourself at the border. It is not a guarantee of entry. UK Border Force officers retain the right to question anyone - including children travelling with adults - and to deny entry if they have concerns. An approved ETA simply means the pre-travel screening has passed. What happens at the physical border is a separate assessment.

Frequently Asked Questions: UK ETA for Children and Family Travel

Can I apply for my child’s ETA at the same time as my own?

Yes. You can submit applications for multiple family members, including children, in sequence during the same session on the UK ETA application portal. Each application is separate and results in a separate approval. There’s no “family application” as such, but nothing stops you from completing them back to back.

My child has a UK-born parent - do they still need an ETA?

It depends entirely on the child’s passport nationality, not the parent’s. If the child holds British citizenship and travels on a British passport, no ETA is required. If the child does not hold British citizenship - perhaps because they were born abroad and the British parent hasn’t registered their British citizenship - then yes, the child needs an ETA (or a visa, depending on their nationality). Registering a child’s British citizenship before travel, if they’re entitled to it, is well worth exploring. Check the GOV.UK guidance on registering a child as a British citizen.

What if my child’s name is spelled differently on their passport versus their birth certificate?

Use the exact spelling on the passport for the ETA application. The ETA is tied to the passport, not to the birth certificate. If there’s a discrepancy between the two documents, carry the birth certificate anyway and be prepared to explain it - but for the ETA itself, the passport is the source of truth.

Does a child with indefinite leave to remain need an ETA?

No. A child who holds indefinite leave to remain (ILR) in the UK does not need an ETA. ILR gives the holder the right to live and work in the UK without time restriction, and it supersedes the ETA requirement. That said, make sure the ILR documentation is current and accessible - a biometric residence permit or equivalent - and carry it when travelling.

My child’s ETA was approved but their passport has since been renewed - is it still valid?

No. This is a critical point. The ETA is linked to the specific passport it was applied on. If your child’s passport has been renewed or replaced since the ETA was granted, the old ETA is no longer valid. You must apply for a new ETA linked to the new passport before travel. Don’t assume the approval carries over - it doesn’t.

Can a grandparent or other relative apply for a child’s ETA if the parents are unavailable?

Yes, technically another adult can submit the application on behalf of the child, provided they have the accurate passport details and other required information, and are acting with the parents’ knowledge. The ETA application system does not demand proof of the relationship between the applicant and the child at the point of submission. However, if there are any complications - refusal, review, or questions at the border - it will be important to establish that the grandparent or relative had authority to act. A brief written note from the parents authorising this, kept with the travel documents, is sensible.

Before You Travel: A Family ETA Checklist

Running through this list a week before departure is a much better idea than doing it the morning of your flight.

Documents to verify before departure day

• Every family member’s passport is valid for the full duration of the trip
• Every ETA-required family member - including every child - has an approved ETA linked to the passport they are travelling on
• ETA approval confirmation emails are saved (screenshot them and save offline in case of internet issues)
• If travelling with a child without both parents: consent letter signed, dated, and with contact details for the absent parent
• Birth certificates packed (especially for children with different surnames to the accompanying adult)
• Adoption orders or guardianship documents if applicable
• Any existing ILR or other UK leave documentation
• School trip documentation if applicable

What to have accessible on your phone and in paper form at UK border control

The ETA is electronic - Border Force will see it when they scan your passport. You don’t technically need to show a paper confirmation. But having the approval email accessible on your phone (or printed) is useful if there’s any question about whether the ETA was approved. I’d always carry a printed copy for each family member, tucked with the passports. It takes two minutes to print and removes one possible source of stress.

Contact points if something goes wrong with a child’s ETA on arrival

If there’s a problem with a child’s ETA at the UK border, the immediate point of contact is the Border Force officer and, if escalated, the Border Force duty manager at the port of entry. For issues before travel - a refusal, a delay, or a technical problem with the application - contact the UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) helpline. Details are available on GOV.UK.

And if the situation is genuinely complex - a refusal with unclear grounds, a child who has had previous immigration complications, or a situation involving custody disputes - don’t rely on online forums. Speak to a regulated immigration adviser or solicitor before travel. It’s a much better use of your time and money than trying to resolve it on the day.

This article is for informational purposes only and reflects information available as of 2026. Immigration rules, fees, and processing times change frequently. Always verify with the relevant official government authority before applying. Nothing here constitutes legal or immigration advice.