Apply for your UK ETA online

A UK ETA is an Electronic Travel Authorisation, or 'authorization'. It is a digital permission for visa-exempt travelers to enter the United Kingdom for short stays. It is not a visa, and it is not a card or a document you carry: it is linked electronically to the passport you apply with. One ETA is valid for two years and allows multiple entries, with a stay of up to 6 months per entry.

Citizens of 'non-visa national' countries, such as the US, Canada, Australia, Japan and EU nations, need a UK ETA. If you hold a passport from a 'visa national' country such as India, China, Nigeria, Pakistan or South Africa, you need a Standard Visitor Visa instead. British and Irish citizens do not need an ETA, and neither do holders of a valid UK visa or EUSS status.

You apply online: there is no paper UK ETA application form. You answer questions about your passport, your trip and your eligibility, then upload a passport scan and a photo. With iVisa the form is shorter than the official one and your progress is saved, so you can finish in a later session. Our experts review the application before it is filed with the Home Office, and you get an email as soon as a decision arrives. Most travelers finish the form in about 3 minutes.

No. The Home Office's UK ETA app is one route to apply, and it reads your passport chip using your phone's NFC reader. With iVisa you can apply from any browser, on a phone or a laptop, with no app to download and no chip scan - something that many applicants find tricky. If you would rather apply on your phone, iVisa has its own UK ETA app for iOS and Android. It is an iVisa app, not the government one, and either way the application is filed with the Home Office.

No. The UK ETA is issued by the UK Home Office, and iVisa is an independent service rather than a government agency or the official portal. We prepare and file the application on your behalf: a shorter form, an expert review of your passport details and photo before anything is submitted, and human support if something comes back. You pay the government fee for the ETA plus an iVisa service fee, and the Home Office makes the decision.

Once approved, you will receive an email confirmation. There is no physical sticker. You do not need to print your UK Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) because it is digitally linked to the passport you used to apply. Carriers will verify your permission to travel before you board.

You can stay for up to 180 days (6 months) per visit. The ETA itself is valid for two years (or until your passport expires), allowing for multiple entries during that period.

Official UK government guidance advises allowing up to 3 working days in case an application needs a manual review. With iVisa, you choose your processing speed at checkout, and the option you pick is shown with its delivery time before you pay.

Yes. Every traveler, including infants and children, must have their own individual ETA. You can manage applications for your entire family together in one session on the iVisa platform.

Yes, if you pass through UK Border Control. Eligible visitors who take connecting flights and pass through passport control (for example, to change airports or collect baggage) must have an ETA. As of 2026, airside transit passengers at specific airports like Heathrow who do not pass through border control may not currently need one, but rules are subject to change. We recommend checking the latest transit requirements before booking.

If denied, you cannot board your flight. You will receive a notification from the Home Office. You may be able to re-apply if the denial was due to a simple typo. However, if the refusal was based on suitability or criminal history, you may need to apply for a Standard Visitor Visa instead. iVisa offers denial protection to support you in these cases.

The most common reasons include uploading a photo that doesn't meet standards, providing an incorrect passport number, or failing to disclose relevant history. iVisa's experts check these details specifically to prevent rejections.

No. An ETA cannot be extended. If you wish to stay longer than 6 months or change your status to work or study, you must apply for a specific visa from outside the country.