Get your UK visa from the USA

No. A traditional UK visa isn’t required for a short trip from the USA, but US citizens must hold a UK ETA (Electronic Travel Authorisation) before they travel — unless they also hold a British or Irish passport, or already have UK immigration permission such as a visa or settled status. Airlines check for it at check-in, so the ETA has to be approved before you fly, not on arrival.

The whole application is online and takes most travelers about 10 minutes.

• Answer iVisa’s questions about your trip and your passport, and choose how fast you want the ETA processed
• Upload a photo of your passport photo page and a recent photo of yourself, then pay securely
• iVisa checks your answers for the errors that cause rejections and files the application with the UK Home Office for you
• Your approved UK ETA arrives by email, linked electronically to your passport

No. There is no appointment, no interview, and no biometrics for the UK ETA, and you never send your passport anywhere. Everything is done online from wherever you are in America. Biometric appointments at a US visa application centre only apply to the UK Standard Visitor Visa, which US passport holders only need in specific cases, such as private medical treatment (up to 11 months) or an accredited academic visit (up to 12 months). A trip to marry or register a civil partnership needs the separate Marriage Visitor visa instead.

No. England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are all part of the United Kingdom, and one UK ETA covers all four. There is no England visa or London visa to apply for separately, so a single authorisation works for a London city break, the Scottish Highlands, or a trip that mixes them. Ireland is a separate country outside the UK ETA scheme, so a US citizen needs no visa and no ETA for Ireland itself — but you still need the UK ETA for any UK leg of the trip, including Northern Ireland — even if you enter from Ireland across the land border. Legal residents of Ireland don't need one for that crossing, on top of the general exemptions above.

UK ETA decisions for American travelers are usually fast. 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.

Your passport decides, not your US address or green card. India is a visa national country, so Indians living in the USA can’t use the ETA and need the UK Standard Visitor Visa even when applying from the USA. That route includes a biometrics appointment at a US visa application centre and takes considerably longer than an ETA, so start well ahead of your trip.

With the UK ETA, US citizens can stay in the United Kingdom for up to six months per visit, and the authorisation is valid for two years (or until the passport expires). Multiple trips are permitted within the validity period.

No, an ETA does not allow you to work in the United Kingdom. If you wish to work while you're in the country, you must apply for a suitable work visa.

In addition to holding a valid United Kingdom ETA, US travelers should ensure they:

• Comply with the United Kingdom’s customs regulations
• Have proof of onward travel and sufficient funds if requested

While a return ticket is not mandatory, you must be able to show that you intend to leave the United Kingdom before your ETA expires. This can include proof of onward travel or evidence that you have sufficient funds to support yourself and purchase a ticket to depart.

There are no mandatory vaccines for entry from the United States, but it’s advisable to be up to date with routine vaccinations.

If you have any criminal convictions, it’s essential to declare them when applying for your United Kingdom ETA. You may be refused an ETA or entry if you have been convicted of a crime in the last 12 months.