UK ETA for visitors: what you need before you fly to London
Most visitors who don’t need a visa now need an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) before they travel to the UK. It is a digital permission linked to your passport, it costs £20, and without it your airline will not let you board. Here is what it covers, who needs one and how to get it without paying a third-party site more than you have to.
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What the ETA gives you
One ETA covers multiple journeys to the UK over two years, or until the passport you applied with expires, whichever comes first. Each visit can last up to six months, for tourism, visiting family, business meetings or short courses. It is not a visa and it does not guarantee entry: a Border Force officer still makes the decision when you arrive.
Who needs one, and who doesn’t
You usually need an ETA rather than a visa if you are visiting from Europe, the USA, Canada, Australia or another country that doesn’t require a UK visa. British and Irish citizens don’t need one, including dual nationals travelling on either passport, and neither do people who already have permission to live, work or study in the UK. Everyone else in the party needs their own ETA, including babies and children.
How and when to apply
Apply in the official UK ETA app on the App Store or Google Play, or online through GOV.UK. You need your passport, a photo that meets the GOV.UK standard, your contact details and the £20 fee, and you answer a short set of suitability questions. Most people get an automatic decision within minutes, but the Home Office recommends applying at least three working days before you travel. Other websites offer to apply for you and charge more for the same thing; the official fee is £20.
Changing planes in London
If you are connecting at Heathrow or Manchester and stay airside without going through UK passport control, you currently don’t need an ETA. If your connection means passing through border control, for example to change airports or collect bags, you do.
On the day
Travel on the same passport you used to apply, because the ETA is linked to it electronically. Airlines check it at check-in and at the gate. If you have no ETA and aren’t exempt, you won’t be allowed to board.
After you land
Once you are through the border and have your bags, your driver is already in the arrivals hall with a board showing your name. We track your flight, so your pick-up time is your actual landing time, with 60 minutes of free waiting included. You get the driver’s name, phone number and car details before you travel, and the fare is fixed in pounds when you book, so there is nothing to sort out with cash on arrival.
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Official information: GOV.UK – Electronic Travel Authorisation. Facts on this page are from GOV.UK and the Home Office ETA factsheet (April 2026); check GOV.UK before you travel, as rules can change.
Questions
How much does a UK ETA cost?
The official fee is £20 per person, paid in the UK ETA app or on GOV.UK. Other websites that apply on your behalf charge more.
How long is a UK ETA valid?
For multiple journeys over two years, or until the passport you applied with expires, whichever is sooner. Each visit can last up to six months.
How long does an ETA take?
Most applicants get an automatic decision within minutes, but the Home Office recommends applying at least three working days before you travel.
Do children need their own ETA?
Yes. Everyone who needs one must have their own, including babies and children.
Do I need an ETA to change planes at Heathrow?
Not if you stay airside and don’t go through UK passport control. If your connection takes you through border control, you do.
