No permission, no travel. Since 25 February 2026, the United Kingdom strictly enforces its Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) scheme: visa-free visitors must hold an approved ETA — or an eVisa — before they travel, and airlines and other carriers must check digital permission before boarding. Anyone who needs one and does not have it will be denied boarding.
The ETA is not new. It launched in October 2023 and was rolled out nationality by nationality, reaching EU, EEA, and Swiss citizens in April 2025. What changed in February 2026 is enforcement: during the rollout, travelers with a pending application were still allowed to travel. That grace period is over. The requirement now applies to visitors from 85 nationalities, and more than 13.3 million ETAs had already been issued by the time enforcement began.
An ETA is a digital permission to travel, not a visa — and it does not guarantee entry. It confirms that the Home Office has checked your details in advance and cleared you to board. A Border Force officer still makes the final decision when you arrive. For most short trips, though, the ETA is now the document that decides whether you get on the plane at all.
This is who needs one, what it costs, how to apply, and the exemptions that still apply — including the temporary one for airside transit.
Information checked: October 28, 2026.
What Changed on February 25, 2026?
From 25 February 2026, the ETA requirement is strictly enforced. Everyone who wants to come to the UK must hold digital permission in advance, through either an ETA or an eVisa, and carriers check permission before travel — not only on arrival.
The practical change is at the departure airport. Airlines and other carriers are responsible for verifying each passenger's digital permission before departure, and travelers without appropriate permission risk being denied boarding. Permission is verified before you fly, not sorted out when you land.
The scheme covers 85 nationalities whose citizens do not need a visa for a short visit — including the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Korea, Japan, and all EU countries. British and Irish citizens are exempt, as are people who already hold UK immigration permission.
The enforcement is part of a wider move to a fully digital UK border. The long-term objective, in the government's words, is a more contactless border experience — and the ETA is now a routine part of travel, including for visitors who take connecting flights and pass through UK passport control.
Who Needs a UK ETA?
You usually need an ETA if you can visit the UK without a visa. That includes citizens of EU and EEA countries and Switzerland, the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, South Korea, Japan, Hong Kong, and many other visa-free nationalities — 85 in total.
Every traveler needs their own ETA, including babies and children. There is no family application and no child rate: each person applies separately, and each pays the fee.
You need an ETA for visits of up to 6 months for tourism, visiting family and friends, business trips, and short-term study. It also covers transit through a UK airport if you will pass through border control — if you are not sure whether your connection passes through control, check with your airline.
If you are coming for another reason — for example, to work, to study for longer, or to get married — check whether you need a visa instead. An ETA does not cover those trips.
Who Does Not Need One?
British and Irish citizens never need an ETA. Dual British citizens should travel with a valid British passport or a certificate of entitlement, so carriers can verify their status and they are not denied boarding.
People who already have permission to live, work, or study in the UK — for example, a visa or indefinite leave to remain — do not need an ETA either. They should make sure their UKVI account is up to date and generate a share code ahead of travel, so they can prove their immigration status to carriers or Border Force if asked.
People who need a full UK visa apply for the visa instead; the ETA is only for those who do not need one. And if you have a criminal record or were previously refused entry into the UK, GOV.UK advises that you may want to apply for a Standard Visitor visa instead of an ETA.
How Much Does It Cost, and How Long Does It Last?
An ETA costs £20 per person, and the fee is not refundable. Older articles still quote £16 — that was the fee until 7 April 2026, when the Home Office raised it. If a website quotes anything else, it is not the official price.
An ETA is valid for 2 years, or until your passport expires — whichever comes first — and it covers as many trips as you like while it is valid, each of up to 6 months. It is linked electronically to the passport you apply with: if you get a new passport, you need a new ETA, and you must apply using the passport you will travel with.
An ETA lets you visit the UK, Jersey, Guernsey, and the Isle of Man. It does not let you stay longer than 6 months on any one visit, live in the UK through frequent or successive visits, or use it as a way to make the UK your main home.
How Do You Apply?
Apply only through the official UK ETA app or GOV.UK. You cannot get a faster decision by applying through another website or app, and third-party sites may charge more for the same permission.
You will need the passport you will travel with, an email address, and a way to pay — a credit or debit card, Apple Pay, or Google Pay. When you apply, you will need to upload or take photos of your passport and of your face. You do not need to provide specific travel details.
Most decisions arrive by email within a day, but GOV.UK allows up to 3 working days, and the government recommends applying at least 3 working days before travel to allow for the small number of cases that need additional checks. Wait for the confirmation email before you travel — do not fly on a pending application.
If your application is refused, there is no appeal and no administrative review; the remaining route is a visa application. A rejection for a validity problem, such as a photo that failed the rules, is different: you are told the reason and can apply again.
What About Transit, and What Can't You Do on an ETA?
Transit is where travelers get caught out. If your connection passes through UK border control, you need an ETA — including changing airports, which always crosses the border. If you stay airside and never pass through border control, you currently do not need one at London Heathrow or Manchester, under a temporary Home Office concession in force since 16 January 2025. That exemption is explicitly temporary and under review, so verify it again close to departure, and check with your airline if you are unsure.
What you can do on an ETA: come to the UK for up to 6 months for tourism, visiting family and friends, a business trip, or short-term study; come for up to 3 months on the Creative Worker visa concession; come for a permitted paid engagement; and transit if you pass through border control.
What you cannot do: stay longer than 6 months; do paid or unpaid work for a UK company or as a self-employed person, outside the permitted engagements; claim public funds; live in the UK through frequent visits; or marry or register a civil partnership — that needs a Marriage Visitor visa.
Before you fly, run through this checklist:
Check whether your nationality needs an ETA on GOV.UK — do not rely on a search result or a third-party site.
Apply with the passport you will actually travel with, at least 3 working days ahead.
Wait for the confirmation email before you travel.
If you get a new passport after applying, apply for a new ETA.
If you are transiting, confirm with your airline whether your route passes through UK border control.
Keep your ETA confirmation and your return or onward travel details with you.
The ETA is a small form and a £20 fee — but since February 2026 it is also the difference between boarding and staying home. Check the rules on GOV.UK before you book, not at the airport.
Official Sources
GOV.UK — Get an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) to visit the UK
Breaking Travel News — No permission, no travel: UK set to enforce ETA scheme
Bates Wells — Government to fully enforce Electronic Travel Authorisations from 25 February 2026
This article reflects the ETA rules and fees available on October 28, 2026. Fees, the nationality list, and the airside-transit exemption can change — confirm the current rules on GOV.UK before you travel.