Apply for an electronic travel authorisation (ETA)

An ETA gives you permission to travel to the UK.

Who can apply

You can apply now if you’reyou are a national of:

• Bahrain
• Kuwait
• Oman
• Qatar
• Saudi Arabia
• United Arab Emirates

You must be a national of one of these countries and travel using a national passport. You cannot use other types of passports or travel documents.

Who does not need an ETA

If you’reyou are a national of another country, you do not currently need an ETA. Check if your nationality can apply later.

You also do not need an ETA if you have any of these:these apply to you:

• a visayou have a visa
• you have permission to live, work or study in the UK (including settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme)
• you are a British or Irish passportcitizen
• you are travelling with a British overseas territories citizen passport

You do not need an ETA if 

you live in Ireland and you’reyou are travelling from Ireland, Guernsey, Jersey or the Isle of Man

Dual citizens

If you are a dual citizen with British or Irish citizenship, you do not need an ETA. Prove your permission to travel using your British passport, Irish passport or other passport containing a certificate of entitlement.

What you can do with an ETA

You can get an ETA instead of a visa if you’re:you are:

• coming to the UK for up to 6 months for tourism, visiting family and friends, business or short-term study
• coming to the UK for up to 3 months on the Creative Worker visa concession
• coming to the UK for a permitted paid engagement
• transiting through the UK – including if you’reyou are not going through UK border control

If you’reyou are coming to the UK for another reason, check if you need a visa instead.

What you cannot do with an ETA

You cannot:

• stay in the UK for longer than 6 months
• do paid or unpaid work for a UK company or as a self-employed person, unless you’reyou are doing a permitted paid engagement or event or work on the Creative Worker visa concession
• claim public funds (benefits)
• live in the UK through frequent or successive visits
• marry or register a civil partnership, or give notice of marriage or civil partnership - you’llyou will need to apply for a Marriage Visitor visa

How much it costs

It costs £10 to apply. Everyone travelling needs to get an ETA, including babies and children. You can apply for other people.

You cannot get a refund after you apply.

Before you start

You need:

• the passport you’llyou will travel with - not a photocopy or digital passport
• access to your emails
• a credit card, debit card, Apple Pay or Google Pay

You’llYou will need to upload or take photos of the:

• passport
• face of the person applying

You do not need to enter your travel details.

Apply for an ETA

The fastest way to apply is using the UK ETA app.

Download on the App Store

Download on Google Play

Help with the app

You can read the guide on using the UK ETA app.

If you cannot use the app

You can apply online.

How long it takes

You’llYou will usually get a decision within 3 working days, but you may get a quicker decision.

Occasionally, it may take longer than 3 working days.

Group applications

Each person must apply separately.

You may get a decision at a different time from someone else in your group - even if you applied at the same time.

If you need to travel soon

You must apply for an ETA before you travel to the UK. You can travel to the UK while waiting for a decision.

After you apply

You’llYou will get an email confirming you’veyou have got an ETA. We’llIt linkwill itbe linked to the passport you applied with.

Your ETA lasts for 2 years. You can travel to the UK as many times as you want during that time.

You still need to see a Border Force officer to enter the UK.

An ETA does not guarantee entry to the UK.

Get help

You can ask about ETA if you need help.

You can also watch videos on:

• what an ETA is
• how to apply for a UK ETA