• Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA)

Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA)

The Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) gives permission to travel to the UK to those who would typically seek to enter the UK on a temporary basis without a visa, for example as a tourist or for a permitted paid engagement. Only nationals of certain countries are currently eligible to apply for an ETA, with plans to expand eligibility to more people in both November 2024 and March 2025.

An ETA is an additional requirement for those who usually travel to the UK for short visits without needing to apply for and receive a visa in advance (such as under visa waiver programs). In this regard, it is similar to the EU’s ETIAS system, the USA’s ESTA, and New Zealand’s NZeTA program.

What is an Electronic Travel Authorisation for?

Individuals from eligible countries can get an ETA instead of a visa if they are intending to visit the UK for any of the following:

Electronic Travel Authorisations do not permit their holders to:

Who needs to apply for an Electronic Travel Authorisation?

Nationals of the following countries can currently apply for an ETA:

  • Bahrain
  • Kuwait
  • Oman
  • Qatar
  • Saudi Arabia
  • United Arab Emirates (UAE)

Nationals of the countries and territories below should apply for an ETA for travel from 8 January 2025. They can submit their applications no earlier than 27 November 2024.

  • Antigua and Barbuda
  • Argentina
  • Australia
  • The Bahamas
  • Barbados
  • Belize
  • Botswana
  • Brazil
  • Brunei
  • Canada
  • Chile
  • Colombia
  • Costa Rica
  • Grenada
  • Guatemala
  • Guyana
  • Hong Kong
  • Israel
  • Japan
  • Kiribati
  • Macao
  • Malaysia
  • Maldives
  • Marshall Islands
  • Mauritius
  • Mexico
  • Federated States of Micronesia
  • Nauru
  • New Zealand
  • Nicaragua
  • Palau
  • Panama
  • Papua New Guinea
  • Paraguay
  • Peru
  • Samoa
  • Seychelles
  • Singapore
  • Solomon Islands
  • South Korea
  • St Kitts and Nevis
  • St Lucia
  • St Vincent and the Grenadines
  • Taiwan
  • Tonga
  • Trinidad and Tobago
  • Tuvalu
  • United States
  • Uruguay

Nationals of the countries and territories below should apply for an ETA for travel from 2 April 2025. They can submit their applications no earlier than 5 March 2025.

  • Andorra
  • Austria
  • Belgium
  • Bulgaria
  • Croatia
  • Cyprus
  • Czechia
  • Denmark
  • Estonia
  • Finland
  • France
  • Germany
  • Greece
  • Hungary
  • Iceland
  • Italy
  • Latvia
  • Liechtenstein
  • Lithuania
  • Luxembourg
  • Malta
  • Monaco
  • Netherlands
  • Norway
  • Poland
  • Portugal
  • Romania
  • San Marino
  • Slovakia
  • Slovenia
  • Spain
  • Sweden
  • Switzerland
  • Vatican City

Who doesn’t need an Electronic Travel Authorisation?

Only individuals who are nationals of the countries and territories above currently need to apply for an ETA, and only after the dates specified above each list. You do not currently need an ETA if you are a national of any other country.

You also do not need to apply for an ETA if you have:

  • a valid UK visa
  • a British passport
  • an Irish passport
  • a British overseas territories citizen passport
  • existing permission to live, work or study in the UK (e.g. Indefinite Leave to Remain, settled/pre-settled status)

You also do not need an ETA if you live in Ireland and are travelling to the UK from elsewhere within the Common Travel Area.

Electronic Travel Authorisation – Application Process and Costs

Applying for an ETA costs £10 per traveller. Applications must be submitted for all travellers regardless of age – this includes children and babies. It is possible for one person to submit applications for multiple people in their party e.g. if they are intending to travel to the UK with their family – however, these applications must be submitted separately.

ETA applications can be submitted via the UK Government’s official app (on iPhone and Android) or using the online form on Gov.uk

Whichever way you choose to apply, you will need to ensure you have the following to hand:

  • the passport you intend to travel with
  • a photo of the passport and of the face of the applicant, or the ablility to take these photos

Once you have applied, you will usually receive a decision within three working days. If you need to travel at short notice, you can apply for an ETA and travel to the UK while you are still waiting for a decision.

You will receive an email to confirm whether your application for an ETA has been succesful. If it has, your ETA will be linked to your passport and will remain valid for two years, providing you do not get a new passport. If you do, you will have to reapply for an ETA.

If you need a visa, discuss your options with an immigration solicitor

Demetris Demetriou

Demetris is a dual-qualified lawyer in the UK (Solicitor) and Cyprus (Advocate) with 10+ years of experience in UK immigration. He completed his legal studies at University College London and City University London. Over the course of his career, he held key roles as Head of Immigration at Legal 500 firms and within the Big4, overseeing teams of 15+ fee earners handling 2000+ applications annually.

Demetris went on to co-establish his firm in London and continues to offer innovative solutions and strategic immigration planning to multinationals, SMEs, and private clients.

He personally represented 1500+ clients in 30+ visa routes including investors, entrepreneurs, innovators, sole representatives, students, family visas, global talent, UK ancestry, administrative reviews and appeals. Demetris has managed corporate relocations, conducted immigration law training and implemented post-Brexit immigration policies for corporate clients.

Demetris has been featured in various events and publications focusing on UK immigration, notably at the Cambridge Network, the Westminster Policy Forum and most recently at DGEMS, a global mobility summit hosted by Forbes India.

If you would like to discuss your UK immigration matter or have any questions about your options for immigrating to the UK, you can book a consultation here.

Tatiani Preifelt

Tatiani has a wealth of expertise in global mobility and corporate immigration. Her ample skills were acquired within leading immigration practices including three out of the Big4 firms in both the UK and Sweden. Tatiani went on to co-establish her firm in London where she continues to advise clients predominantly in corporate, business and skilled work migration.

Having personally relocated to 10 different countries, Tatiani understands the importance of an expedient and successful immigration process and takes pride in delivering a seamless experience to her clients as well.

Over the course of her career, she has assisted over 500 individuals and businesses to obtain the appropriate visa permits in the UK.

Her awarded academic work at The University of Oxford, The London School of Economics, and at The Geneva University is in the fields of Political Science, International Human Rights Law, and Global Migration Governance.

She regularly provides immigration training and has recently participated as a speaker and panellist at DGEMS 2023, a global mobility summit hosted by Forbes India.

If you would like to discuss your UK immigration matter or have any questions about your options for immigrating to the UK, you can book a consultation here.