A UK ETA Is Now Mandatory Before You Travel to the United Kingdom
Required for every visa-exempt visitor. Whether you arrive by plane, train or ferry
If you hold a passport from a visa-free country, you need an approved Electronic Travel Authorisation before you board. Only British and Irish citizens are exempt. Our guided form takes a few minutes, and your approval is emailed to you and tied digitally to your passport.
The UK ETA, Explained
An Electronic Travel Authorisation is the UK’s pre-travel permission scheme for foreign nationals who don’t need a visa. It sits digitally on your passport record, and airlines, rail operators and ferry companies verify it before you board — no valid ETA, no boarding.
Everything happens online and usually takes only a few minutes: passport details, a photo of your face, your contact information and a handful of background questions. The decision arrives by email — often within minutes, though the Home Office recommends allowing up to three working days.
Who Has to Apply?
- Holidays & Family Visits – Sightseeing, leisure trips, or staying with friends and relatives
- Business Trips – Meetings, trade shows, conferences and client visits
- Short Courses – Study or training lasting less than six months
- Connections – Transiting through a UK airport where you pass border control on the way somewhere else
Each traveller needs an ETA of their own — babies and children included. You’re exempt only if you’re a British or Irish citizen, already hold a UK visa, or have existing permission to live, work or study in the UK.
Validity & Eligibility
UK ETA (Electronic Travel Authorisation) – Before departing for the United Kingdom, visa-free nationals must hold an approved ETA. It’s entirely digital, recorded against your passport, and works alongside — not instead of — a valid passport from an eligible country.
An approved ETA lasts two years, or until your passport runs out if that’s sooner, and covers unlimited trips of up to six months each. Approval comes by email and is attached electronically to the passport you applied with — there’s nothing to print for check-in.
Pricing & Turnaround
Full service fee clearly displayed prior to checkout.
Do You Need a UK ETA?
Tell us which passport you'll travel on and we'll confirm in one click whether the ETA rule applies to you.
British or Irish citizen, already holding a UK visa or immigration status, or an Irish resident arriving from Ireland or the Crown Dependencies?
Takes about 5 minutes · Secure checkout · Human support 24/7 Independent application-assistance service. Not affiliated with the UK Government.
ETA Rules at a Glance
The scheme has covered every visa-free nationality since 2025, and the rule is the same whatever the reason for your trip — holiday, work meetings, a short course, or a connection through a UK airport that takes you past passport control. Everyone in your party needs their own ETA, right down to newborns, each tied to the passport they’ll travel on.
Exempt: British and Irish citizens, plus anyone who already holds a UK visa or immigration status. Not exempt: American citizens and US Green Card holders — both need an ETA. Once approved, it’s stored against your passport automatically, so there’s nothing to print.
What You'll Need to Apply
Have these four things ready before you start:
An Eligible Passport
A current passport from a country on the visa-free list. Your ETA is bound to this exact document — if the passport is renewed or replaced, the ETA doesn't carry over and you'll need a fresh one.
Background Info & Photo
Your basic personal details, a recent photo of your face, and honest answers to a few Home Office questions about criminal history.
Many ways to Pay
Any major credit or debit card. We also take Apple Pay, Google Pay and cards issued outside your home country.
Valid Email Address
This is where your progress updates and the final decision land. Because the approval is linked to your passport electronically, the email is all you need — no printing.
How the Application Works
The whole process is online, and most people are done in a matter of minutes.
Confirm You Qualify
Check your nationality against the visa-free list above and make sure your passport is valid for your dates of travel. If you qualify, you're ready to begin.
Complete the Guided Form
Enter your passport details, upload your photo, answer the background questions and pay securely. Every field must match your passport character for character — small discrepancies are the number-one cause of refusals and manual reviews.
Receive Your Approval by Email
Most applicants have an approved ETA within minutes; the Home Office allows itself up to three working days. It's linked to your passport automatically, so you travel with nothing extra in hand.
After You Submit
Typical Processing Time
The majority of applications are decided automatically within minutes. A minority are routed for closer review and can take up to three working days.
There’s no need to wait until your trip is close — apply as soon as your plans and passport are in place, and your ETA covers you for two full years.
What Can Slow Things Down
-
Extra Checks
A background or security flag can send an application to a human reviewer, and you may be asked for supporting documents. -
Seasonal Demand
Around holidays and peak travel season, decisions can take longer than usual. -
Errors in the Application
Gaps or inconsistencies can hold up a decision or lead to refusal. The usual culprits: names that don't match the passport, passport-number typos and photos that fail the standards.
Should anything more be needed, we’ll reach you by email.
Your ETA Decision
When the Home Office has reviewed your file, the outcome is sent to your inbox. An approved ETA is issued digitally and attached to your passport straight away — nothing physical to carry. It stays valid for two years or until your passport expires, covering repeat visits of up to six months at a time.
How it works
Three Steps With Us
Securing your UK ETA through our service is a three-step process. We take care of the verification; you take care of the packing.
Complete the Guided Form
Enter your personal and passport details in our plain-language form. Our scanner reads your passport's MRZ and fills the data in for you — encrypted end to end.
Pay Securely
Check out with any major card. Before anything goes forward, a member of our review team compares every entry against your passport and the latest Home Office rules.
Get Your ETA
Your approval lands in your inbox, already linked to your passport. Nothing to print, nothing to carry — just go.
Pricing
Fees & What's Included
One clear price, with a real team behind it from start to finish. Here's the breakdown — and everything it buys you.
Price breakdown
Your Total
All amounts are charged in USD.
Included in your service fee
- Passport scan & data verification (MRZ/OCR)
- Human error review before submission
- Ongoing tracking of Home Office rule changes
- No-cost re-submission if a correction is needed
- Round-the-clock human support until you're approved
Takes about 5 minutes · Secure checkout · Human support 24/7
| Feature | Our ServiceWith us | Applying AloneAlone |
|---|---|---|
| Automated passport data capture (MRZ/OCR)Data pulled exactly as printed — removes the typos behind most refusals. | ✓ | ✗ |
| Human review before submissionA specialist checks every field for gaps and mismatches. | ✓ | ✗ |
| Latest Home Office rules applied to your fileFee, photo and eligibility changes tracked continuously. | ✓ | ✗ |
| Service fee refunded if we make a mistakeA refusal caused by our error means your service fee comes back. | ✓ | ✗ |
| Re-submission at no extra costCorrections, or a replaced passport within our support window. | ✓ | ✗ |
| 24/7 support from a real personEvery day — weekends and public holidays included. | ✓ | ✗ |
| Plain-language guided formOne page, clear prompts, no immigration jargon. | ✓ | ✗ |
| Government fee only, no service feeApply direct on GOV.UK and pay just the £20. | ✗ | ✓ |
Start Your UK ETA Application
It takes just a few minutes to complete your application online. Click below to begin the secure process.