Apply for an Electronic Travel Advisory (ETA) to visit the UK
You can apply for the UK ETA online. It takes minutes to complete.
Travel to the UK
Understand the UK ETA
The UK ETA is part of the Nationality and Borders Act 2022 programme to deliver a fully digital border. It lets border officers review traveller information in advance so journeys stay efficient while security checks remain thorough.
Once approved, the authorisation is digitally linked to the passport used in the application. Travellers only need to show that passport when boarding and when they reach the UK border.
Most applicants receive a decision within three working days.
Having an ETA does not guarantee entry into the UK. Final admission is determined by Border Force officers when you arrive.
Digital pre-travel clearance
The UK Electronic Travel Authorisation screens travellers against security databases before departure.
Once granted, it is automatically linked to your passport—no additional documents needed when you board or arrive.
Flexible short-term visits
An ETA covers tourism, business, family visits, transit, short study and permitted paid engagements.
Each stay can last up to six months, with creative workers able to use a three-month concession.
Two-year validity
Use the same ETA for multiple trips for two years or until the passport used to apply expires.
Frequent travellers should ensure their passport stays valid long enough to enjoy the full ETA period.
Validity and stay rules
A UK ETA is valid for two years, or until the passport you used to apply expires. You can travel to the UK as often as you need during that window, provided the passport and ETA remain in force.
Each entry grants up to six months in the UK. Border officers expect visits to be temporary, so repeatedly spending close to six months at a time can prompt questions. Creative workers can rely on a separate three-month concession to deliver productions and performances.
Travellers may move freely between England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland during each stay. Short trips abroad do not automatically reset the clock; the decision always rests with the officer you meet on arrival.
Using successive short visits to live in the UK can result in refused entry on a future trip.
Application essentials
Gather a valid biometric passport for each traveller, including infants, plus a recent digital photograph that follows UK guidance. The form is completed entirely online—there is no mobile app or consulate visit involved.
The application captures core biographical details and a contact address. A UK phone number is not required. When you pay the fee, the request is submitted for automatic checks against security and immigration databases.
Decisions are sent by email and usually arrive within three working days. Your ETA and reference number are linked to your passport, so simply travel with that document. If you have criminal convictions or past immigration breaches, apply through official UK government services instead of this route.
Who needs an ETA
European Union member states (except Ireland)
Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden
EFTA member states
Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland
Other visa-exempt partners
Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Bahamas, Bahrain, Barbados, Belize, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Hong Kong, Israel, Japan, Kiribati, Kuwait, Macau, Malaysia, Maldives, Marshall Islands, Mauritius, Mexico, Micronesia, Monaco, Nauru, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Oman, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Qatar, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Saudi Arabia, Seychelles, Singapore, Solomon Islands, South Korea, Taiwan, Tonga, Tuvalu, United States, United Arab Emirates, Uruguay, Vatican City
Dual nationals should apply with the passport that qualifies for an ETA. Travellers using British or Irish passports do not require one.
Who is exempt
The following groups do not need an ETA to enter or transit the UK:
- British citizens (including dual nationals travelling on a British passport)
- British Overseas Territories citizens, British Nationals (Overseas), British Overseas citizens, British protected persons
- British subjects and Commonwealth citizens with right of abode in the UK
- Irish citizens unless subject to a UK deportation or exclusion order
- Residents of Ireland travelling from within the Common Travel Area
- Holders of valid UK visas, residence permits, pre-settled or settled status
- People exempt from UK immigration control such as diplomats, military, airline and ship crew
- Children on authorised France–UK school trips using the group travel scheme
- Passengers transiting airside who are already eligible for an ETA
It is a criminal offence to obtain a UK ETA by deception, and carriers may be fined for transporting travellers without valid permission.
UK ETA at a glance
Use this quick reference when you prepare your application.
| Document type | Digital travel authorisation linked to the applicant's passport |
|---|---|
| Validity | 2 years or until passport expiry, whichever is sooner |
| Entries | Multiple entries, subject to border officer discretion |
| Stay per visit | Up to 6 months (3 months for Creative Worker concession) |
| Processing time | Decision email usually within 3 working days |
| Application method | Entirely online form—no app download or embassy visit required |
| Who must apply | Visa-exempt nationals, including EU (except Ireland), EFTA states and listed partner countries |
| Who is exempt | British and Irish citizens, right-of-abode holders, visa holders, diplomats and other exempt categories |
Frequently asked questions
Short answers to the most common queries about the UK ETA programme.
UKvisa.app operates as an independent, professional visa support agency helping travellers secure a United Kingdom Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA). We are not affiliated with the UK government, do not employ solicitors, and do not provide legal advice. You can submit an ETA application yourself for £16 per traveller at apply-for-an-eta.homeoffice.gov.uk, but our service includes round-the-clock assistance, pre-submission document checks, and personalised guidance. Our fees cover the government charge, applicable taxes, and a service fee for our expert review and submission. If an application we have reviewed is refused—and there has been no earlier UK ETA refusal for the traveller—we refund the full amount of your purchase.