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UK ETA for US Citizens: Cost, Validity and How to Apply
US citizens need a UK ETA, not a visa. The £20 fee, 2-year validity, 3-day decision and the February 2026 transit rule, explained from official sources.
About this route
This guide covers the official United Kingdom entry process for United States passport holders: required documents, the application steps, and where our optional support fits in.
Do United States citizens need a visa for the United Kingdom?
No visa, but yes to an authorisation. United States citizens visiting the United Kingdom for tourism, family visits, business meetings, conferences or short study of up to six months must hold an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) before they board. The U.S. Embassy in London confirms the requirement has applied to US passport holders since 8 January 2025, including travellers who only pass through a UK airport. A Standard Visitor visa is needed only in special cases, such as a previous refusal of entry.
The ETA is a digital permission linked to your passport, comparable to the US ESTA. It is checked by the airline at check-in and by Border Force on arrival. It is not a visa and, as GOV.UK states plainly, it does not guarantee entry: the final decision still rests with the border officer.
What changed on 25 February 2026 for American travellers
The ETA scheme opened to US citizens in January 2025 and was tightened a year later. According to the U.S. Mission to the United Kingdom, from 25 February 2026 every US citizen transiting the UK or travelling for tourism, family visits, business, conferences or short-term study of six months or less must hold an approved ETA before travel. Without evidence of approval you may be denied boarding or refused entry.
The same notice closes a loophole for dual nationals. From that date, UK or Irish citizens must travel on a valid UK or Irish passport or a certificate of entitlement, whatever other passports they hold. A US-UK dual citizen cannot obtain an ETA and cannot enter the UK on the US passport alone.
Other destinations for United States passport holders
You can apply yourself.
This guide covers the full official process step by step. Honesty builds trust. If you have questions, you can reach us through the contact options above.
Who needs a UK ETA and who is exempt
GOV.UK describes the ETA as the route for visitors from Europe, the USA, Australia, Canada and certain other countries who would otherwise not need a visa. Every traveller needs their own authorisation, including babies and children, and a parent or friend can apply on someone else's behalf.
- Need an ETA: US citizens visiting the UK, Jersey, Guernsey or the Isle of Man for up to 6 months, and US citizens transiting through UK airports.
- Do not need an ETA: holders of a British or Irish passport, people who already hold a UK visa or an exempt vignette, and people with permission to live, work or study in the UK.
- Cannot use an ETA: nationals who ordinarily need a UK visa; they continue to apply for a visa and should not obtain an ETA.
Note that "landside" transit is specifically covered: if you pass through border control at a UK airport before your onward flight, you need an ETA.
How much does the UK ETA cost for US citizens?
The official fee published on GOV.UK is £20 per person. GOV.UK warns that other websites may charge more to apply; the extra is their service fee, not a government charge. Kolay Seyahat is an independent consultancy, and any fee we quote for assistance is separate from the £20 paid to the UK government.
| Permission | Official fee | Who uses it |
|---|---|---|
| Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) | £20 | US citizens on ordinary visits and transits |
| Standard Visitor visa, up to 6 months | £135 | Travellers who choose or are required to hold a visa |
| Visitor in Transit visa | £74.50 | Visa nationals whose only purpose is transit |
The ETA fee is paid once for a two-year permission that covers repeated visits. For a family of four that is £80 in total, which is still far below a single Standard Visitor visa.
How to apply for the UK ETA step by step
Applications are made through the UK ETA app or online on GOV.UK. Neither the US Embassy nor UK Visas and Immigration processes ETAs by phone; UKVI offers webchat for questions. The steps below follow the official guidance.
⏱️ Application Steps
1. Step 1: Check your passport
Use the passport you will travel on. The ETA is tied to that passport and expires with it, so a passport renewal means a new ETA.
2. Step 2: Apply on GOV.UK or in the UK ETA app
Go to gov.uk/guidance/apply-for-an-electronic-travel-authorisation-eta. You can apply for other people, and each traveller, including children, needs a separate application.
3. Step 3: Pay £20
The fee is paid online during the application. Apply only on the official site; third-party sites add their own charges.
4. Step 4: Wait for the decision
Decisions usually arrive within 3 working days. Apply before you book non-refundable travel.
5. Step 5: Travel with the same passport
The ETA is checked electronically at check-in and at the border. Keep the approval email and check your ETA status online if in doubt.
Unlike a visa, the ETA does not ask for travel details such as flight numbers or hotels, so you can apply before your plans are fixed. Once approved it stays valid for multiple trips over two years.
Travellers who need a Standard Visitor visa rather than an ETA, for example because of a previous refusal, can use our free pre-check below to see how their profile looks before they apply.
Free Pre-Check
What Is the Purpose of Your Trip?
This form does not collect your personal data. It is only used to analyze your profile.
Validity, length of stay and repeat visits
An approved ETA is valid for two years or for the remaining validity of your passport, whichever is shorter. Within that period you can make repeated visits, each for up to 6 months, as a Standard Visitor. GOV.UK notes that you might be able to apply to stay longer in certain circumstances, for example for medical treatment, but that is a visa route rather than an ETA extension.
Your passport should be valid for the whole of your stay. Border Force can still refuse entry at the port even with an approved ETA, which is why the visitor eligibility rules on what you may and may not do in the UK apply to ETA holders exactly as they apply to visa holders.
When a US citizen should apply for a Standard Visitor visa instead
GOV.UK gives a specific reason to choose a visa even when you do not need one: if you have previously been refused entry to the UK or have a criminal record, you may want to apply for a Standard Visitor visa. A visa decision is made in advance by UK Visas and Immigration, so the outcome is known before you fly, whereas an ETA holder with a difficult history may only discover the problem at the border.
A Standard Visitor visa costs £135 for up to 6 months and the earliest you can apply is 3 months before travel. Regular visitors can apply for a long-term Standard Visitor visa. UKVI publishes current decision waiting times for applications made outside the UK and, since September 2026, advises applicants not to book travel until they receive a decision, because UKVI accepts no responsibility for travel costs if processing takes longer than expected.
| Question | ETA | Standard Visitor visa |
|---|---|---|
| Official fee | £20 | £135 |
| Where the decision is made | Before travel, then again at the border | Before travel by UKVI, with biometrics at a visa application centre |
| Typical timing | Up to 3 working days | Published UKVI waiting times; do not book until decided |
| Validity | 2 years or passport expiry | 6 months, or a long-term visa for regular visitors |
| Best for | Ordinary tourism, family, business and transit | Previous refusal, criminal record, or a need for certainty before flying |
Pros of applying for the ETA yourself
- The only cost is the £20 government fee
- The form does not require flight or hotel details, so you can apply early
- One approval covers two years of visits
Cons of applying for the ETA yourself
- An ETA does not guarantee entry, and a refusal at the border cannot be appealed on the spot
- Travellers with a past refusal or a criminal record may be better served by a visa decided in advance
- A passport renewal silently invalidates the ETA, which is easy to forget before a repeat trip
Arriving in the UK with an ETA
At check-in the airline verifies that an approved ETA is linked to your passport; without it you may be denied boarding. At the UK border you present the same passport. Border officers apply the Standard Visitor rules, so be ready to explain the purpose and length of your visit.
The ETA covers England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, plus Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man. The US Embassy notes that the requirement also applies to British Overseas Territories in the context of its January 2025 alert. Rules for entering from Ireland or the Crown Dependencies may differ, so check GOV.UK if you arrive by that route.
Official Sources
The information on this page has been verified from the official sources below.
Questions & Answers(7)
1Do US citizens need a visa to visit the UK in 2026?
2How much is the UK ETA for Americans?
3How long does the UK ETA take to be approved?
4How long is the UK ETA valid?
5Do I need an ETA just to change planes at Heathrow?
6Can a US-UK dual citizen use an ETA?
7Does an approved ETA guarantee entry to the UK?
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