Do US citizens need an ETA for the UK?

The ETA is a digital travel authorization, the UK's version of the US ESTA or Canada's eTA. It is not a visa: it does not let you work, study long-term, or stay beyond the visitor rules. It is linked electronically to the passport you apply with, so there is nothing to print, and you must travel on that same passport.

It covers short visits, tourism, seeing family, business meetings and short study, and it lasts 2 years (or until your passport expires), with multiple entries of up to 6 months each. Every traveler needs their own, including children and infants.

The fee is £20 per person, roughly 25 US dollars, paid by card, and it is non-refundable. It went up from £16 in April 2026, so older guides may quote less.

There are exactly two official routes: the UK ETA app or gov.uk. The app is easiest because it scans your passport chip and takes the photo for you. Both charge the same £20. A wall of other sites advertise ETA assistance and charge more to file the very same form, so go straight to the official app or site.

This is the part that surprises people, and the rule turns on one thing: do you cross the UK border? A pure airside connection at Heathrow or Manchester, where you stay in the international transit zone and never reach passport control, is temporarily exempt. But the moment you go landside (to collect and recheck a bag, change terminals in a way that crosses the border, change airports, or you booked separate tickets), or you connect at any other UK airport, you need an ETA. The exemption is temporary and under review, so the safe assumption for any UK connection is that you need one.

British and Irish citizens, including dual citizens, cannot get an ETA and must travel on a UK or Irish passport instead. If you hold another passport alongside your US one, check which document you should travel on before you book.

It takes most people under ten minutes.

1. Download the UK ETA app, or open gov.uk and search for ETA. Use only the official app or gov.uk.
2. Scan or enter your US passport details. The app can read the chip, which is quickest.
3. Take the passport-style photo the app prompts for, and answer the short security questions honestly.
4. Pay the £20 by card. You will get a confirmation with a reference number by email.
5. Wait for the decision. Most Americans are approved within minutes, but allow up to 3 working days, so do not leave it to the airport.

Common questions

Quick answers.

More on United Kingdom

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