At the beginning of April, the UK government extended the UK ETA scheme to include travellers coming to the UK from Europe.
Many nationalities (including Australians, Canadians and Americans) already needed to have an ETA in place before travelling to the UK.
Here we take a look at what exactly an ETA is, who needs it and how you can apply for it.
What is the ETA?
The ETA is an electronic travel authorisation. It permits you to travel to the UK (but does not guarantee entry).
How much does the ETA cost?
The ETA costs just £16 and you should apply for it via the UK ETA app or the UK government’s website.
Don’t bother applying for it via any third-party websites – despite what they say, it won’t speed up the process and may cost you more.
How long is the ETA valid for?
Your ETA will last you two years, or until your passport expires – whichever is soonest.
It will be digitally linked to the passport you used to complete your application (so, if you hold more than one, you’ll need to make sure you travel with the one linked to your ETA).
There’s no limit to the number of trips you’re able to make on your ETA.
Who can apply for an ETA?
This is determined by the nationality as shown on your passport. You can check whether you can apply for an ETA on the UK government’s website.
There’s no age limit for the ETA, so any children you’re travelling with will need to apply for one (their parents can apply on their behalf – if they aren’t with the child at the time of application, they should use the website rather than the app).
You won’t need to worry about getting an ETA if you already have a visa, are transiting through a UK airport (and not passing through border control), or are a child travelling on the France-UK school trip travel information form.
You also won’t need an ETA if you are a British or Irish citizen (or hold dual citizenship of both), are travelling with a British overseas territories citizen passport or a British National (Overseas) passport or have permission to live, work or study in the UK.
And if you’re exempt from immigration control, you also won’t need one. Again, you can check the full list on the UK government’s website.
How do I apply for an ETA?
The best way to apply for the ETA is via the UK ETA app (available on Android or Apple) or the UK government’s website.
To apply, you’ll need to have in front of you the passport you’ll be travelling on (and not a copy), access to your emails and the payment method ready.
You’ll be asked to take a photo of both the passport and your face (or the face of whoever is applying for the ETA).
If a parent is applying on behalf of a child and they are not physically with the child at the time of application (and therefore cannot take a picture of their face), then they should apply via the UK government’s website.
If you apply via the app, you’ll usually get a decision within minutes (although make sure you leave at least 3 working days for a decision to come through, as some applications may need to be reviewed further).
Don’t worry if you’ve left it to the last minute to apply – as long as you apply before you travel, you can travel to the UK while you wait for the decision.
We hope that’s answered some of your questions about the ETA. For more information, please visit the UK government’s website.