The Electronic Travel Authorisation scheme was first announced in the March 2023. The first stage of the scheme launched in October 2023 and it was then gradually rolled out in phases.
So far the scheme has not been fully enforced to allow for a transitional period. However, on 25 February 2026 this transitional period is ending and the scheme will be fully enforced. This will mean that passengers who are required to have an electronic travel authorisation will need to obtain one prior to travelling or risk being refused boarding to their transport to the UK.
What is the Electronic Travel Authorisation scheme?
For those familiar with travel to the United States, the electronic travel authorisation scheme is broadly equivalent to the Electronic System for Travel Authorisation (ESTA): a fairly simple application made before travel in order to notify the government of your details and enable them to conduct security checks on you before you arrive.
Visitors who do not currently need to apply for a visa to visit the UK, and who do not have another immigration status prior to travelling, are now required to obtain an electronic travel authorisation to travel to the UK for short stays, including for tourism and transiting.
An electronic travel authorisation is not a visa, it is a ‘digital permission to travel’. Obtaining electronic travel authorisation allows you to travel to the UK but does not guarantee entry; entry can still be refused by UK border officials.
Electronic travel authorisation is required where the person travelling to the UK intends to do one or more of the following:
- Enter and stay in the UK for up to six months as a tourist, including as a business visitor or for studying
- Enter and stay in the UK for up to three months on the Creative Worker visa concession
- Come to the UK for a permitted paid engagement
- Transit through the UK if passing through UK border control
There is a temporary exemption from needing an electronic travel authorisation for passengers who transit airside and therefore do not pass through UK border control. This exemption is being kept under review.
Who is the Electronic Travel Authorisation scheme for?
The scheme applies to all non-visa national visitors to the UK including EU, EEA and Swiss nationals. A full list of the nationalities who require electronic travel authorisation are set out in Appendix ETA National List.
The application process first opened in October 2023 for Qatari nationals, and was rolled out further in February 2024 to include nationals of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia.
From 8 January 2025, nationals of 48 non-European countries listed in paragraph ETANL 1.1.(c) of Appendix ETA National List were also included. ILPA raised concerns about the timing of this phase of expansion as it coincided with the Home Office’s move to digital immigration status, from biometric residence permits to eVisas.
The last phase opened for applications on 5 March 2025 for European nationals planning to travel to the UK on or after 2 April 2025.
Everyone travelling is required to get an electronic travel authorisation, including babies and children.
Who does not need an electronic travel authorisation?
The guidance confirms that you will not need an electronic travel authorisation if you are a British citizen, travelling with a British Overseas Territory Citizen passport, travelling with a British National (Overseas) passport, or an Irish citizen (except where permission to come to the UK is required because the person is subject to a deportation order, exclusion order decision, or an international travel ban).
Electronic travel authorisation is also not required for those who already have permission to live, work or study in the UK, hold a valid visit visa, or are exempt from immigration control.
There is also an exception for children travelling on the France-UK school trip travel information form.
For a long time there was a fear that residents of Ireland that do not need a visa to be there would need to apply for an electronic travel authorisation. Thankfully, they do not. This is a really significant development that protects the Common Travel Area and the rights of non-visa nationals, particularly in the border communities in Ireland.
Those who are legally resident in and entering the UK from Guernsey, Jersey or the Isle of Man also do not require an electronic travel authorisation.
How does the electronic travel authorisation scheme affect dual British or Irish and ETA nationality citizens?
Individuals who are British or Irish and have dual citizenship with an ETA nationality cannot get an electronic travel authorisation. So far, the scheme has not been strictly enforced which has meant that dual citizens without a valid British or Irish passport have been able to enter the UK using their ETA nationality passport. This will continue until 24 February 2026 (although it is still preferable and advisable for British and Irish citizens to enter the UK on their British or Irish passports).
However, the Home Office guide for dual citizens confirms that from 25 February 2026 dual citizens may not be able to board transport to the UK without a valid British or Irish passport or a certificate of entitlement in their ETA nationality passport.
The Home Office electronic travel authorisation fact sheet also says that “dual British citizens who cannot produce a valid British passport or certificate of entitlement will need to have additional identity checks and will not be able to go through UK passport control until their British nationality is verified.”
With this in mind, it is important that dual British or Irish citizens planning to travel on or after 25 February 2026 ensure they apply for or renew their British or Irish passports before travelling.
How do I make an application for an electronic travel authorisation?
Applications can be made using the UK ETA app, or online. The link to the application form, and instructions to download the app are available here.
When applying via the app, users are asked to place their phones on the front covers of their passports to scan the passport. Holders of United States passports may need to place the phone on the inside of the back cover if scanning the front of the passport does not work.
It costs £16 per person to make the application via the UK ETA app or online through gov.uk.
Getting a decision
A decision should be made within three working days of submitting your application.
The electronic travel authorisation will be issued electronically and applicants will receive an email to confirm that their application has been approved. This will contain the 16 digit ETA reference number.
The electronic travel authorisation is linked to the passport used during the application. The same passport must be used when travelling to the UK.
The electronic travel authorisation is valid for a period of two years or until the expiry of the linked passport, whichever is sooner. While it remains valid, the visitor can enter the UK multiple times; they do not have to apply for a new electronic travel authorisation for each visit. However, if they apply for a new passport they will need to apply for a new electronic travel authorisation to be linked to that passport.
What if the electronic travel authorisation application is refused?
There is no right of appeal or administrative review if an application for electronic travel authorisation is refused. When refusing an application, the Home Office will specify the reason for refusal. Depending on the reasons for refusal, applicants will either need to apply again or apply for a visa to enter the UK, such as a standard visitor or transit visa.
Those who are refused an electronic travel authorisation under the Creative Worker visa concession will need to make an application for a Temporary Work – Creative Worker visa instead.
Why do we need electronic travel authorisation?
The introduction of the electronic travel authorisation scheme is part of the Home Office’s broader digitalisation plan and an additional border security measure.
In a factsheet published in February 2024, the Conservative government said that their priority was to keep the UK safe and “strengthen the security of our border”. Part of the initiative is to make sure that everyone wishing to travel to the UK has permission to do so, and the electronic travel authorisation scheme aims to plug any gaps. A further factsheet initially published in March 2025 confirmed that the scheme “helps prevent the arrival of those who present a threat to the UK”.
In the EU, the EU Entry/Exit System (EES) opened in October 2025 and will be fully implemented by 10 April 2026. The European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) is then due to start in the last quarter of 2026. It will soon be commonplace to have obtained authorisation to travel to a number of countries worldwide, not just the UK.
