About the ETA
How long the UK ETA takes
In most cases the answer arrives within 1 day. Even so, it is sensible to allow up to 3 working days.
When to apply
Apply as soon as your flight is booked — not the day before departure. If extra checks are needed, it takes longer.
Without an approved authorisation, the airline can refuse to carry you.
Why it sometimes takes longer
Applications that need to be reviewed by a person (for example when a suitability question is answered « yes ») take longer than those handled automatically.
If nothing arrives
Check your spam folder and that the address you entered is correct. Then look up the status using your passport details.
Ready for your trip?
Ready to travel to the UK?
Apply for your UK ETA and get a quick decision.