UK Visa Requirements: Visa-Free Entry and How to Apply for an ETA
Do you need a visa to visit the United Kingdom, or can you travel with an ETA? The answer depends on your passport nationality, the purpose of your trip and any UK immigration permission you already hold.
For many visitors, visa-free travel still requires advance authorisation. Checking which route applies to you before departure can prevent confusion at check-in.
Who can visit the UK without a visa?
Eligible passport holders can usually visit for up to six months without obtaining a visitor visa in advance. Examples include nationals of the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea and many European countries.
Most visitors in these groups need an ETA unless an exemption applies. These examples are not a complete eligibility list, and passport-specific conditions can matter. For example, eligible Taiwanese passports must include the relevant personal identification number. Check your own nationality rather than relying on another traveller’s experience.
Who needs a visa instead?
If your nationality requires a visa for a visit, you must obtain the appropriate visa before travelling. An ETA is not an alternative available to every passport holder.
Your planned activities matter too. Employment, longer study and moving to the UK generally require the relevant immigration permission. Use the UK government’s visa checker to identify the route for your nationality and purpose of travel.
What does an ETA allow you to do?
An Electronic Travel Authorisation is digital permission to travel. It does not guarantee admission at the border.
Under the relevant visitor rules, it can support trips for tourism, visiting relatives or friends, permitted business activities and eligible short-term study. It does not generally authorise employment with a UK company or self-employment. Repeated visits must not be used to make the UK your main home. Visiting to marry or register a civil partnership normally requires a different route, such as a Marriage Visitor visa.
How to apply and what it costs
As of 31 October 2026, an ETA costs £20 per person. Apply through the official UK ETA app or GOV.UK using your travel passport, an email address, a facial photograph and a payment method. Follow the application prompts and answer the eligibility questions accurately.
Decisions usually arrive by email within a day, but can take up to three working days. Wait for approval before travelling. The application fee is non-refundable, and third-party services cannot obtain a faster decision.
How long is an ETA valid?
An ETA normally lasts for two years or until the passport used to apply expires, whichever comes first. It allows multiple journeys during its validity, with visitor stays generally limited to six months per visit.
Travel with the passport linked to your ETA. If you replace that passport, you need a new ETA for the new document. The authorisation’s validity period does not give you permission to remain in the UK continuously for two years.
Who does not need an ETA?
British and Irish citizens do not need an ETA. Travellers who already hold a valid UK visa or permission to live, work or study in the UK are also exempt.
Other exemptions apply to certain passport holders and travel situations. Eligible lawful residents of Ireland travelling from within the Common Travel Area may be exempt, but visiting Ireland as a tourist does not create that exemption.
Children and airport transit
Each traveller who needs an ETA must have their own approval, including babies and children. A parent’s authorisation does not cover the whole family.
Passengers transiting without passing through UK border control are currently exempt from ETA requirements. If your connection involves entering the UK, eligible non-visa nationals generally need an ETA. Visa-required travellers must check the separate transit visa rules; an ETA cannot replace a required visa. Ask your airline whether your itinerary involves border control.
What to prepare for arrival
Your passport should remain valid throughout your stay. Be ready to explain your visit, where you will stay, how you will cover your expenses and how you plan to leave the UK. Visa-free visitors must still satisfy the visitor eligibility requirements.
If an ETA application is formally refused, you need to apply for a visa if you still wish to travel. This differs from an application rejected because of an application problem, where reapplying may be possible.
Start with the official ETA service, then check that your approval matches the passport you will carry. Before departure, review the requirements again if your passport, immigration status or travel plans have changed.