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UK Home Office rule check
Do I need a UK ETA for this trip?
Most non-UK/Irish travellers now need a UK Electronic Travel Authorisation before boarding — £20 from 8 April 2026, valid for 2 years with multiple visits of up to 6 months. Airside transit at Heathrow and Manchester is currently exempt but under Home Office review. Apply on GOV.UK; this checker compares your trip against the published rules in seconds.
Last verified17 May 2026SourceGOV.UK
Do you need a UK ETA? The short answer
Most non-UK/Irish nationals now need a UK Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) before boarding any flight, ferry or train that crosses the UK border. A UK ETA costs £20 for applications submitted from 08 Apr 2026 (it was £16 before that), is valid for 2 years or until your passport expires — whichever comes first — and lets you make multiple visits of up to 6 months each. There is one carve-out: passengers transiting airside (international-to-international, never passing through UK immigration) at London Heathrow or Manchester are exempt under a temporary Home Office concession in force since 16 Jan 2025.
| What | Detail |
|---|---|
| Cost | £20 per applicant, paid once on GOV.UK (08 Apr 2026; £16 before) |
| Validity | 2 years, or until your passport expires — multiple visits, max 6 months each |
| Airside transit | Exempt at Heathrow & Manchester only — temporary, under review (since 16 Jan 2025) |
| Who needs one | Visa-exempt nationals crossing the UK border; British & Irish passport holders never do |
The airside-transit exemption is explicitly temporary and under Home Office review — if it is withdrawn, airside transit passengers will need an ETA too. Landside transit and changing UK airports already require one, because both cross the UK border.
Last updated: 2026-06-12 · Fee, validity and airside rules verified: 17 May 2026 against GOV.UK — Apply for an ETA · Home Office ETA factsheet (April 2026) · Airside transit exemption (16 Jan 2025) — Lewis Silkin
How this checker decides
We model the UK Home Office decision tree as published on GOV.UK. Inputs are mapped against the ETA eligibility list, the airside transit exemption (active since 16 January 2025), the £16 → £20 fee change on 8 April 2026, and the dual-citizenship override for UK and Irish passport holders. Diplomatic and other special documents short-circuit to a manual GOV.UK check.
- Eligibility list
- GOV.UK guidance — Check when you can get an ETA
- Fee + validity
- Home Office ETA factsheet — April 2026
- Airside transit exemption
- UK drops ETA for airside transit (16 Jan 2025) — Lewis Silkin
- Edge cases handled
- Pre-scheme travel dates, fee-window crossing, airside-at-non-airside airports, dual UK/Irish passport advisory, diplomatic short-circuit, stale-data warning when our last verification is older than 90 days.
UK ETA — frequently asked questions
Do US citizens need a UK ETA?
Yes. US passport holders have needed a UK Electronic Travel Authorisation since 8 January 2025 for any trip that crosses the UK border — including landside transits at Heathrow, Gatwick, Manchester and other UK airports. Apply on GOV.UK; the fee is £20.
How much does a UK ETA cost in 2026?
£20 from 8 April 2026 (previously £16). Apply directly on GOV.UK to pay the official price — never via a third-party reseller charging a surcharge.
How long is a UK ETA valid for?
Two years from the date it's issued, or until your passport expires — whichever comes first. It allows multiple visits of up to 6 months each.
Do I need a UK ETA for airside transit at Heathrow or Manchester?
No. Since 16 January 2025 the Home Office grants a temporary exemption for passengers transiting airside (international-to-international, never crossing the UK border) at London Heathrow or Manchester. The exemption is explicitly temporary and under review — always verify on GOV.UK before booking.
Do EU citizens need a UK ETA?
Yes. EU and EEA nationals must have an ETA for trips to the UK from 2 April 2025 (applications opened 5 March 2025). Same £20 fee and 2-year validity as other nationalities.
Do I need a UK ETA when arriving via Ireland (Common Travel Area)?
Not if you're a legal resident of Ireland and your nationality doesn't normally need a UK visa — the Common Travel Area carve-out exempts you when entering the UK from Ireland, Jersey, Guernsey or the Isle of Man, provided you can show proof of legal residency at the border.
What if I have dual UK or Irish citizenship?
You don't need an ETA. Travel on your UK or Irish passport — the ETA scheme does not apply to British or Irish citizens.
Not legal or immigration advice. The airside transit exemption is explicitly temporary and under Home Office review. Always verify on GOV.UK before booking or boarding.
Transit kit
Connecting through a UK airport? Three things seasoned transit passengers keep in the cabin bag:
- UK sockets are Type G — most EU and US plugs won't fit — compare universal UK plug adapters on Amazon
- Border officers ask for your documents more than once on a transit — see well-reviewed travel document wallets on Amazon
- Tight connections are where checked bags go missing — browse luggage trackers on Amazon
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