Travel authorisations / UK ETA
UK ETA: do you need one?
Check your passport
Based on the official eligible-nationality list. Dual nationals, residents and transit passengers can have different rules, so confirm on the official site.
UK ETA at a glance
| Official fee | £20 (per person, babies and children included) |
| Valid for | 2 years, or until your passport expires if that is sooner |
| Each stay | up to 6 months per visit |
| Entries | Multiple |
| Decision time | Most applicants get an automatic decision within minutes in the app |
| Apply | Apply at least 3 working days before you travel |
| Status | Required since 2 April 2025 for every nationality on the ETA list (from 8 January 2025 for non-Europeans) |
| For | tourism, visiting family or friends, business, transit through UK border control |
| You need | passport, photo of your face, email address, payment card |
Rules to know
- Covers the UK, Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man.
- Every traveller needs their own ETA, including babies and children.
- British and Irish citizens, including dual citizens, do not need one.
- Legal residents of Ireland from visa-exempt nationalities can travel within the Common Travel Area without one if they carry proof of residence.
- You need one to transit only if you pass through UK border control; airside transit at Heathrow and Manchester does not currently require it.
- People who already hold a UK visa or permission to live, work or study in the UK do not need one.
Data in the UK from the moment you land
Install a Slashtel travel eSIM before you fly. It connects when you arrive, your own number stays on for calls and bank codes, and the QR code arrives by email in minutes.
See the UK eSIM plansNationalities that need a UK ETA (83)
Andorra, Antigua & Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Bahrain, Barbados, Belgium, Belize, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Hong Kong SAR China, Hungary, Iceland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kiribati, Kuwait, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macao SAR China, Malaysia, Maldives, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritius, Mexico, Micronesia, Monaco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Oman, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Samoa, San Marino, Saudi Arabia, Seychelles, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, South Korea, Spain, St. Kitts & Nevis, St. Vincent & Grenadines, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Tonga, Tuvalu, United Arab Emirates, United States, Uruguay, Vatican City.
Questions
Who needs a UK ETA?
Citizens of 83 countries and territories who can visit the UK without a visa must have a UK ETA before they travel, including Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia. United Kingdom, Ireland citizens do not need one. Other nationalities generally need a visa.
How much does a UK ETA cost?
The official fee is £20 (per person, babies and children included). Apply only on the official site; other websites that charge more are not the government.
How long is a UK ETA valid?
2 years, or until your passport expires if that is sooner. Each visit can last up to 6 months per visit.
How long does a UK ETA take?
Most applicants get an automatic decision within minutes in the app. Apply at least 3 working days before you travel.
Where do I apply for a UK ETA?
Only on the official government site or the official UK ETA app: www.gov.uk/eta/apply. Slashtel does not sell or process applications.
Will my phone work in the UK?
Your own SIM works if your network roams there, often at a daily charge. A travel eSIM gives you local data from the moment you land while your own number stays on for calls and bank codes.
Sources
- GOV.UK: Apply for an electronic travel authorisation (fee, who needs one, transit)
- Home Office: ETA factsheet, April 2026 (validity, decision time, app, exemptions)
- Immigration Rules: Appendix ETA National List (83 nationalities)
Slashtel is not a government agency and does not process applications. Checked 23 October 2026; rules can change, so confirm on the official site.
Other travel authorisations: ESTA · ETIAS · Canada eTA