Visa and entry in the United Kingdom
Most visitors now need an ETA, it costs GBP 20 since April 2026, and Europeans have only needed one since 2025. It covers 6 months a visit and lasts 2 years.
- An Electronic Travel Authorisation is now required before you board, and it costs GBP 20 since it rose from GBP 16 on 8 April 2026 - anything quoting GBP 10 is out of date.
- It is valid 2 years or until your passport expires, allows multiple entries of up to 6 months, and covers the UK, Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man on one authorization.
- Everyone needs their own, babies included - there is no family application.
- European travellers are the group most likely to be caught out. EU, EEA and Swiss passports have needed an ETA since 2 April 2025, national ID cards are no longer accepted, and airlines refuse boarding without one.
- Apply on GOV.UK or the official app and pay GBP 20, no more. Copycat sites charge several times the fee for the identical form and rank well in search results.
The authorization almost everyone needs now
The UK spent decades letting most Western visitors turn up with just a passport. That ended. An Electronic Travel Authorisation is now required before you board.
- The ETA costs GBP 20. It rose from GBP 16 on 8 April 2026, so anything quoting GBP 10 or GBP 16 is out of date.
- It is valid for 2 years or until your passport expires, whichever comes first, and allows multiple entries with up to 6 months in the UK each visit.
- Everyone needs their own, including babies. There is no family application.
- It covers the UK, Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man on one authorization.
- Most applications come back within minutes, though the Home Office asks for up to 3 working days. Apply when you book, not the night before.
Who needs what
| You hold | What you need |
|---|---|
| British or Irish passport | Nothing |
| EU, EEA and Swiss passports | ETA since 2 April 2025 |
| US, Canada, Australia, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Taiwan, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia | ETA |
| China, India, Cambodia, Russia | Standard visitor visa, GBP 135 |
- European travellers are the group most likely to be caught out. Before 2025 an EU passport was enough on its own. It is not any more, and airlines will refuse boarding without an approved ETA.
- National identity cards are no longer accepted from EU citizens. You need a passport.
- Saudi and Gulf nationals use the ETA now, which replaced the older and more expensive Electronic Visa Waiver.
- The standard visitor visa costs GBP 135 for 6 months, up from GBP 127 on 8 April 2026, and takes about 3 weeks in normal conditions.
Two traps
- Transiting counts. If you pass through UK border control to change flights, you need an ETA. Some airside transfers do not, but the rule depends on the airport and your route, so confirm with the airline rather than guessing.
- Pay GBP 20 and no more. The official route is the GOV.UK site or the official ETA app. Copycat sites charge several times the fee to submit the identical form, and they rank well in search results.
The border, and what has changed about it
Passports are scanned at eGates rather than stamped, so there is often no record in your passport of when you arrived. Keep your own.
- The UK has largely stopped stamping passports - eGates read the chip, which is fast and leaves you no evidence of your arrival date.
- Keep your own proof of when you arrived: boarding passes, bookings, card transactions. If a question about your stay arises later, the burden is yours.
- An ETA is permission to travel, not permission to enter. An officer can still refuse you, and a valid ETA changes nothing about that.
- Visitors may not work, and the definition is broader than people expect - remote work for a foreign employer is tolerated, taking on UK clients is not.
- Do not bring meat or dairy from outside the UK. Personal imports from most countries are banned outright and confiscated at the border, and cash over GBP 10,000 must be declared.
No stamp, no argument
The UK has largely stopped stamping passports. eGates read the chip and let you through, which is fast and leaves you with no evidence of your arrival date.
- Keep your own proof of when you arrived. Boarding passes, booking confirmations and card transactions all serve. If a later question arises about how long you stayed, the burden is yours.
- eGates are open to British, Irish, EU, EEA, Swiss, US, Canadian, Australian, New Zealand, Japanese, South Korean and Singaporean passport holders, among others, from age 10 upwards.
- An ETA is permission to travel, not permission to enter. An officer can still refuse you, and holding a valid ETA changes nothing about that.
What they may ask
- Where you are staying, how long, and how you are paying for it. Have an address and a return booking.
- Whether you intend to work. Visitors may not work in the UK, and the definition is broader than people expect: remote work for a foreign employer is tolerated, but taking on UK clients is not.
- Cash over GBP 10,000 must be declared when entering from outside the UK. Undeclared cash is seized.
- Do not bring meat or dairy from outside the UK. Personal imports from most non-UK countries are banned outright and are confiscated at the border.
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