The UK’s new Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) scheme is set to fully come into force on 25 February 2026, marking a significant change for many travellers entering the country.
The ETA is a digital permission that certain travellers will be required to obtain before travelling to the UK. Similar to the ESTA scheme in the United States, the ETA is intended to enhance border security by enabling pre-travel screening of individuals who do not currently require a visa to enter the UK.
Who Needs an ETA?
The ETA requirement applies primarily to non-visa nationals – that is, individuals who do not normally require a visa to visit the UK. This includes people visiting from countries such as the United States, Canada, Australia and EU member states (among others). The scheme has already been rolled out to some non-visa national countries but from 25 February 2026 will be mandatory for all non-visa nationals.
You will not need to apply for an ETA if you:
- Have/require a UK visa;
- Are a British or Irish Citizen;
- Are travelling with a British overseas territories citizen passport;
- Are legally resident in Ireland and are entering the UK from the Common Travel Area;
- They are a British National (Overseas) passport holder.
Dual nationals who hold British citizenship must ensure they travel in the UK using their British passport. Entering the UK on the correct passport avoids complications at the border and ensures the ETA requirement does not apply.
Making an ETA application
An ETA application costs £16 and, in most cases, will be issued immediately following submission, provided the suitability criteria is met (see below). People travelling in groups cannot make an application together so an individual traveller will need to make their own application prior to travelling to the UK.
Once granted, an ETA allows visitors to stay in the UK for up to six months at a time for the purposes of tourism, visiting family and friends, business, short term study or coming to the UK for a paid engagement. Applicants can come to the UK for three months on the Creative Worker visa concession.
Suitability Criteria and Grounds for Refusal
An ETA can however be refused on both mandatory and discretionary grounds.
Reasons relating to a mandatory refusal include where the individual:
- has been convicted in the UK or overseas (for an offence with a clear UK equivalent) and received a custodial sentence of 12 months or more;
- has been convicted—regardless of sentence—of an offence with a UK equivalent within the last 12 months;
- is not conducive to public good because of their conduct, character, associations or for any other reason;
- has previously breached immigration law;
- Made false representations in a previous ETA application;
- has had a previous application for entry clearance as a visitor refused and has had no further entry clearance or ETA granted.
If the applicant has been convicted of a criminal offence overseas that does not have an equivalent in the UK, the Home Office will have discretion as to whether the application will be refused. Any criminal convictions not falling under the mandatory ground for refusal listed above will be considered by the Home Office on a case-by-case basis.
If an ETA is refused, there is no right of appeal. The only alternative is to apply for a standard visitor visa, which is more expensive and can be time‑consuming.
Given the breadth of the refusal grounds, individuals with previous criminal convictions or UK immigration history issues may wish to seek advice in advance and consider whether a visitor visa application may be more appropriate.
The introduction of the ETA represents a significant shift in how people travel to the UK. If you have questions about how the ETA may affect you or your organisation, professional advice should be sought at an early stage.
European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS)
Later in 2026, travellers to the European Union will face a requirement similar in principle to the UK’s Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA): the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS).
ETIAS will apply to non-EU nationals from visa-exempt countries planning short stays in the Schengen area (generally up to 90 days in any 180-day period) and will require applicants to submit personal and travel information online before departure, pay a set fee and receive approval linked to their passport. Although ETIAS is not a visa, it functions much like the UK’s ETA or the US ESTA in that no boarding or entry will be permitted without prior authorisation once the system becomes operational in the last quarter of 2026.
Approved ETIAS authorisations will be valid for multiple entries over up to three years (or until passport expiry),and will be checked electronically at the border alongside the EU’s new Entry/Exit System.