You can easily apply for the ETA UK online. The application process begins by filling out a digital form. You fill in some personal information and you need to answer some questions. Afterwards, you make the payment and have to upload two documents per traveller. The entire application process is done online.

Apply for an ETA UK online

The countries of the United Kingdom, which are England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, have a common visa policy. If you are planning to travel to one of these countries by the end of 2024 or later, you will need a visa or an ETA. Applying for an ETA UK is much easier, faster and cheaper than applying for a visa. You can apply for an ETA online, and you will receive the ETA digitally once it has been granted. When your application is approved, you can immediately travel to England or another country of the United Kingdom. Please make sure you meet all ETA requirements. Also check how long your ETA is valid for.

Directly apply for the ETA UK

Summary of the ETA application process

You can easily apply online for an ETA when planning a trip to the United Kingdom. You can submit an individual application, but you can also apply for multiple people at the same time. You will need the following to submit the application:

• a computer, tablet or smartphone with an internet connection.
• a digital photograph of each traveller that you wish to include in the ETA application*.
• a digital copy of the passport of each traveller that you wish to include in the ETA application.
• the requirements to make an online payment.

* This does not have to be an official passport photo. You may also take the photo yourself. Make sure the photo is sharp and in colour.

Open the online application form to start the application. Make sure you fill in all the details carefully. Errors could result in an invalid ETA, or could cause your application to be rejected altogether. You will need the contact details, travel details and passport details of each traveller you want to include in the application form. After completing the application form, you make the payment and provide a digital copy of the passport and a digital photograph for each traveller. Once your application is approved, you will receive a confirmation e-mail. This e-mail will contain a clear explanation on how to download the ETA.

London's red double-decker buses

Step 1 | Filling in the ETA application form

You begin the ETA application by filling in the digital application form. First, you enter your contact details, which includes your home address, email address and phone number. You only need to do this once, regardless of the number of travellers you include in the application. Next, you need to fill in a few personal details for each traveller, including some passport details. This part of the application form requests information about each traveller's occupation and possible criminal history. By clicking on the 'Add traveller' button at the bottom of the ETA form, you can add multiple travellers to the application form. Once you have provided the required details for all travellers, you can submit the completed form by clicking on the green button at the bottom right of the page.

Step 2 | Making the payment

After you submit the application form, you are directed to the verification page. On this page, you can check all the details you filled in. Check the details carefully, especially the e-mail address and passport details. If you have made a mistake in these details, you may face problems. After you have checked the details and concluded that they are correct, you can choose a payment method to pay for the fees of the ETA UK. You can choose from a number of widely used and secure payment methods, such as Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Google Play, Apple Pay or PayPal.

As soon as you have selected a payment method, you can confirm that you wish to submit the application. Upon confirmation, you will be redirected to a secure online environment where you can make the payment. You do not have to pay the ETA fee immediately, but please do not delay the payment either. Any unpaid application will be automatically cancelled after about a week. At that moment, all information you have entered will be deleted. Should you still wish to apply for an ETA, you will have to fill in all the details again.

Step 3 | Providing the required documents

After filling in the form and paying the fee, you will need to provide a number of documents to complete your ETA application. You also do this online. There will be no need to send documents by post or bring them in person. You can submit the documents immediately after paying for the application, though you can also submit them at a later time. In this case, you will receive an e-mail with instructions on how to submit the documents at a later time. You must provide the following documents for each traveller within the application:

• a photo or scan of the passport;
• a passport photograph or other clear photo of the traveller's face.

Both documents should be sharp and in colour. All details on the passport should be legible and the signature should be clearly visible. The passport photo should show the traveller's face completely, including the neck and a small part of the shoulders. The traveller should have a neutral facial expression and the background of the photo should have a neutral, even colour. Make sure the photo is properly exposed.

Step 4 | Receiving the ETA UK

Once you have correctly submitted all the required documents, your ETA application will be processed. First, a visa specialist from e-Visa.ie checks whether the documents meet the requirements and whether any common mistakes were made when filling in the data. If anything is unclear or missing, you will be contacted immediately to correct any errors.

Once your application meets all the requirements, it will be processed and forwarded to the British Immigration Service. The immigration service is responsible for assessing all submitted ETA applications. In the vast majority of cases, applications are processed without any problems. As soon as your application is approved, you will receive an email and a text message. From that moment, you can download your ETA from your secure personal status page and you can travel to the UK.

Apply directly for an ETA for your trip to the United Kingdom