The 2025 UK ETA: The Essential Guide (Eligibility, Cost, Validity & How to Apply)

Summary: The UK’s Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) is a pre‑travel permit that lets eligible visitors travel to the UK for short stays. Below you’ll find an up‑to‑date, plain‑English guide covering who needs it, how much it costs, what it lets you do, and how to apply correctly.

Who needs an ETA in 2025?

The UK is rolling out the ETA in phases by nationality. Most European nationals (except Irish citizens), as well as many visa‑exempt nationals from outside Europe, need an ETA to visit the UK. The official list changes from time to time. Always check the latest eligible nationalities on GOV.UK before you apply.

Important exceptions: British and Irish passport holders don’t need an ETA. Travellers who already hold a valid UK visa or permission to live, work, or study in the UK don’t need an ETA either.

Cost, validity and multiple trips

• Cost: A fixed government fee applies per applicant.
• Validity: up to 2 years from approval (or until your passport expires—whichever comes first).
• Multiple entries: you can make multiple visits, with each stay usually up to 6 months, as long as you follow UK visitor rules.

What you can (and cannot) do with an ETA

You can: visit for tourism, see family/friends, attend business meetings, do short‑term study, transit the UK, do a permitted paid engagement, or come under the Creative Worker visa concession (up to 3 months).

You cannot: work in the UK (outside of the specific concessions above), access public funds, stay beyond 6 months, live in the UK through frequent visits, or marry/register a civil partnership on an ETA.

How to apply (and when you’ll hear back)

1. Prepare your passport (valid for the whole trip), a payment method, and an email address.
2. Apply online or via the official UK ETA app.
3. Enter details exactly as shown on your passport (names, number, date of birth).
4. Pay the fee and submit.

Decisions often arrive within minutes, but applicants are advised to allow up to 3 working days—especially during busy travel periods or if extra checks are needed. You’ll receive the decision by email with a 16‑digit reference. Your ETA is linked to your passport, so just travel with the same passport you used to apply.

Quick checklist before you submit

• Your passport has at least 6–24 months left (to benefit from the ETA’s 2‑year validity).
• Your name and passport number are entered exactly as printed.
• You have access to the inbox you used to apply (and you’ve checked spam).
• Your payment method allows international transactions.
• Your travel purpose fits visitor rules; if in doubt, check if a visa is more appropriate.

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