About the ETA
How to apply for a UK ETA online
You apply for a UK ETA on the official GOV.UK website or in the official UK ETA app — there is no appointment and nothing to post. It costs £20, and most decisions arrive by email within a day. Last checked against GOV.UK on 15 October 2026.
What to have ready
The passport you will travel on, an email address, and a credit or debit card, Apple Pay or Google Pay. You also need a photo of the applicant's face — you can upload one or take it during the application.
If you apply on the website, you also upload a photo of the passport. The details must match the passport exactly: a name spelled differently or a mistyped passport number can delay your application or lead to a refusal.
Online or in the app: which to choose
In the UK ETA app you scan your passport and your face with your phone's camera. On the website you upload a photo of the passport and a photo of the applicant's face instead. The fee and the decision time are the same either way.
If you cannot download or use the app — for example, your phone has no NFC to read the passport chip — apply on the website.
The steps
1) Open the official GOV.UK ETA page or the UK ETA app. 2) Enter or scan the details from the photo page of your passport. 3) Add the photo of your face. 4) Answer the questions about your address, job, other nationalities and any criminal convictions. 5) Pay £20. The fee cannot be refunded after you apply.
Then you wait for the decision. It usually arrives by email within a day, but allow up to 3 working days (Monday to Friday).
Applying for children and other people
Every traveller needs their own ETA, including babies and children. You can apply on behalf of other people.
In the app you can apply for someone only if they are with you. If they are not with you, apply on the website with a photo of their passport and a photo of their face. People who apply together may get their decisions at different times.
After you apply
The decision email contains a 16-digit ETA reference number. Do not travel until you have the email confirming your ETA. There is nothing to print: the ETA is linked to your passport, and you only show that passport when you travel.
No email after 3 working days? Check your spam or junk folder first, then contact UKVI through the ETA webchat on GOV.UK (UKVI does not handle ETA questions by phone). If your application is refused, or you get a new passport, you need to apply again.
Faster or cheaper elsewhere? No
GOV.UK states that you cannot get a faster decision by applying through another website or app, and that other websites may charge more than £20. Avoid sites that imitate government services.
Note that an ETA does not guarantee entry to the UK, Jersey, Guernsey or the Isle of Man.
Check before you submit
That the passport number and expiry date are copied correctly, that your face is clearly visible in the photo, and that the email address is right — that is where the decision goes.
Apply well ahead of time, not on the day of departure.
Ready to travel to the UK?
Apply for your UK ETA and get a quick decision.