UK ETA 2026: Fee Rises to GBP 20 as Boarding Enforcement Bites

The UK's Electronic Travel Authorisation stopped being optional on 25 February 2026, and its price just went up. From that date, airlines started refusing to board any non-visa-national traveller who doesn't already hold an approved ETA, an eVisa, or another valid UK document — no exceptions at the gate. Then, on 8 April 2026, the Home Office raised the ETA fee from GBP16 to GBP20, part of a wider immigration and nationality fee increase confirmed in that date's official fee table.

Who actually needs one

An ETA is required for nationals of 85 countries and territories who previously travelled to the UK visa-free, including the United States, Canada, Australia, and every EU member state. It is not required for British or Irish citizens, including dual nationals, and it does not apply to anyone who already needs a visa to enter the UK — those travellers apply for that visa as before. If you're unsure which category you fall into, the UK government's official eligibility checker confirms it by passport nationality before you pay anything.

An approved ETA covers entry to the UK itself and to the Crown Dependencies — Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man — for stays of up to six months at a time, and it applies to transit passengers who clear UK passport control, not just people staying for a holiday or a business trip. It is a permission to travel, not a guarantee of entry; border officers still make the final call at the border itself.

What it costs now, and how long it lasts

The GBP20 fee took effect on 8 April 2026, confirmed in the Home Office's revised fee table published that day, which lists the ETA moving from GBP16 to GBP20 — a GBP4 increase. Once approved, an ETA is valid for multiple trips over two years, or until the holder's passport expires, whichever happens first; there's no way to extend it beyond either limit, so a new application is needed once either one lapses. That two-year window means a family travelling together can end up with ETAs that expire on different dates if passports were renewed at different times, so check each traveller's individual expiry rather than assuming a group booking shares one date.

Most applications are decided within minutes through the official UK ETA app, though the government advises building in up to three working days in case additional checks are needed — worth doing before you book non-refundable flights, not the night before you fly.

Since 25 February 2026, airlines will deny boarding to anyone without a valid ETA, eVisa or equivalent document. There is no exception for arriving without one and applying at the UK border — the check happens before you get on the plane.

What you need to apply, and who's exempt

An ETA is different from a visa or an eVisa, and the distinction matters at boarding. If you already hold a UK visa or an eVisa — the digital immigration status the UK has been rolling out to replace physical visa vignettes and biometric residence permits — you don't need an ETA on top of it; the enforcement check looks for any one of an ETA, an eVisa or other valid documentation, not all of them. The application itself runs through the official UK ETA app or the gov.uk website, and asks for your passport details, a digital photo, and answers to a short set of eligibility questions before payment. Apply with time to spare: most decisions land within minutes, but the Home Office advises budgeting up to three working days in case your application needs a manual review, which is not something you want discovered at check-in.

• Passport from one of the 85 eligible non-visa nationalities
• A digital photo taken during the application
• GBP20 payment (as of 8 April 2026)
• A few days' buffer before travel, in case of manual review

Crossing into Northern Ireland from Ireland

The rule catches people who don't expect it: there are no immigration checks at all on the Ireland-Northern Ireland land border, since the UK doesn't operate routine controls within the Common Travel Area. That doesn't mean the ETA requirement disappears if you drive across it. Per the Home Office's own factsheet, anyone arriving in the UK — including by crossing into Northern Ireland from Ireland — still needs to hold a valid ETA under UK immigration rules, even though no one checks a passport at the physical border itself. The practical exception is for non-visa nationals who are legal residents of Ireland and can show proof of that residency; they're exempt from the ETA when travelling within the Common Travel Area. Everyone else on a non-visa passport, including a straightforward day trip from Dublin to Belfast, should have an ETA sorted before crossing, not after.

Getting connected once you land

Sort your ETA before you sort anything else about the trip, since a denied boarding costs a lot more than a GBP20 fee, and get your data plan settled at the same time so you're not hunting for a SIM counter at Heathrow or Gatwick arrivals. A UK eSIM plan installs before you fly and activates the moment you land, which matters if you need to pull up your ETA confirmation, a hotel booking or a train ticket the minute you clear the border. Check device compatibility first, since eSIM support varies by phone model and carrier lock status, and remember that as a reseller, Roameo's actual coverage and speed depend on the local network it resells, not a guarantee independent of that network. It's also worth having working data before you even leave home: the ETA application itself is done through a phone app or a browser, and if something needs correcting close to your flight date, you don't want to be relying on hotel wifi to fix it.

An ETA does not by itself decide family eGate use

Families should run a separate eGate check after the ETA question. The Border Force guidance updated 6 October 2026 says a child must be at least 8 years old, at least 120cm tall, have a biometric passport and meet the citizenship or valid-status route; ages 8 to 17 must be accompanied by an adult. Only one person uses a gate at a time. A sole adult goes first, while a group with two or more adults uses Adult 1, child or children, then the final adult. The focused UK family eGate eligibility guide turns those conditions into two worked family sequences and keeps the newer contactless pilot separate.

FAQ

Do I need a UK ETA if I'm just transiting through London?

Yes, if you clear UK passport control during your connection and hold the passport of one of the 85 non-visa nationalities. Passengers who stay airside and never pass through UK border control on a connecting flight are handled differently; check your specific itinerary against the official guidance before you fly.

How much does a UK ETA cost in 2026?

GBP20, as of 8 April 2026. The fee was GBP16 before that date; the Home Office's official fee table confirms the GBP4 increase took effect that day, alongside a wider round of immigration and nationality fee changes announced the same day.

What happens if I arrive in the UK without an ETA?

Since 25 February 2026, airlines are required to deny boarding to non-visa nationals who don't already hold an approved ETA, eVisa or other valid UK travel document. You need it before you check in, not on arrival.

Do I need an ETA if I already have a UK visa?

No. The boarding check looks for an approved ETA, an eVisa or another valid UK travel document — holding any one of them is enough, so a current UK visa or eVisa already satisfies the requirement without a separate ETA application. Applying for one anyway when you already hold a valid visa just means an unnecessary GBP20 charge for a document you don't need.