The UK ETA application process on etourist.com looks the same on screen for everyone, but the rules behind it change with your situation. A family of four, a traveller changing planes at Heathrow and someone with a newly renewed passport each face a different question.
This guide works through the most common situations one at a time, using GOV.UK and Home Office guidance as the rulebook and eTourist’s own pages for how the service handles them.
| Your situation | Need an ETA? | Key point |
|---|---|---|
| Visa-free visitor, short stay | Yes | One ETA covers repeat visits for 2 years |
| British or Irish citizen, including dual | No | Travel on the British or Irish passport |
| Family with children | Yes, each person | Babies need their own ETA |
| Transit through UK passport control | Yes | Airside-only transit at some airports is exempt for now |
| New passport | Yes, a new one | The old ETA stays with the old passport |
| ETA refused | Visa route | No appeal is possible |
When You Hold a Passport From a Visa-Free Country
GOV.UK says visitors need an ETA if they do not need a visa for short stays of up to six months. When the Home Office began enforcing the scheme on 25 February 2026, it covered 85 nationalities, including US, Canadian and French nationals.
What the ETA lets you do
The ETA is for short visits of up to six months at a time. eTourist describes it as covering tourism, business and transit, and GOV.UK says it applies to travel to the UK, Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man.
It is not permission to live in the UK, and it does not replace a visa for longer stays. Anyone planning more than a visit should look at the visa routes on GOV.UK instead.
Who is left out
- British and Irish citizens, including dual citizens
- People who already hold a UK visa
- People with permission to live, work or study in the UK
- Holders of settled or pre-settled status
Example. A US citizen who also holds an Irish passport does not need an ETA when travelling on the Irish passport. eTourist’s UK ETA page lists the same exempt groups, so an order would be wasted money.
Dual citizens
The Home Office says dual British or Irish citizens do not need an ETA. They should travel on their British or Irish passport, or hold a certificate of entitlement, rather than on their other nationality’s passport.
When You Travel as a Family or Group
Every traveller needs an individual ETA, and GOV.UK specifically includes babies and children. eTourist’s page adds that each child’s ETA carries the full government fee of GBP 20.
Tip. On the eTourist start screen you choose the number of travellers. Enter each person’s own passport details, never a parent’s passport for a child.
GOV.UK allows one person to apply for others. In the official app, the other person needs to be with you so their face can be scanned. On the online form, you can apply without them present if you have photos of their passport and face.
| Option | Requirement |
|---|---|
| UK ETA app on iPhone | iPhone 7 or newer, iOS 16 or later |
| UK ETA app on Android | Android 12 or later with NFC |
| GOV.UK online form | Photos of the passport and face |
| eTourist web form | Passport details, a face photo and a card |
Families without a suitable phone, or with relatives in another city, are among the people who find an online form more convenient.
Children’s photos
The government’s photo rules say children must be alone in the picture. Children under 6 do not need to look at the camera, and babies under one may have their eyes closed.
A photo where a parent’s hand is visible holding the baby will not meet the rules. Lay the baby on a plain light sheet instead.
When You Are Only Changing Planes in the UK
Transit is where many travellers get caught out. The deciding factor is whether you pass through UK border control on the way to your next flight.
| Transit type | ETA needed? |
|---|---|
| You pass through UK passport control, for example to change airports or collect bags | Yes |
| You stay airside at Heathrow or Manchester and do not go through passport control | Not currently |
| You leave the airport during a long layover | Yes, since you enter the UK |
Note. The Home Office factsheet says the airside exemption applies “currently”. Check GOV.UK close to your travel date, because transit rules can change.
Self-transfer itineraries deserve extra care. If you booked separate tickets and must collect bags and check in again, you may need to pass through passport control, so check with the airline.
If your itinerary is unclear, ask your airline whether you will clear UK immigration. A short eTourist order may still be worth it for peace of mind, but it is not needed for a purely airside connection.
When Your Passport Is Renewed or Lost
A UK ETA is tied to the passport used in the application. GOV.UK says it lasts 2 years or until that passport expires, whichever comes first.
That means a renewed, replaced or lost passport leaves the old ETA behind. eTourist’s landing page describes validity as “2 years from the date of issue”, but the official rule includes the passport expiry limit.
- Wait until you have the new passport in hand.
- Start a fresh application with the new passport number.
- Pay the GBP 20 fee again, plus any service fee if you use eTourist.
- Travel on the new passport only once the new ETA is approved.
If your passport expires within the next year or two, renewing first can save you from paying for two ETAs in quick succession.
When You Plan Several Trips in Two Years
One ETA covers repeat visits. The Home Office says it permits multiple journeys for stays of up to six months at a time, over two years or until the passport expires.
- Keep travelling on the same passport you applied with.
- Do not place a new eTourist order for each trip.
- Note the expiry date of the ETA and of the passport, whichever is earlier.
- Apply again only when one of them runs out or the passport changes.
Frequent business travellers benefit most here. A single application can cover many short trips, as long as each stay is a genuine visit.
When Your Trip Is Only Days Away
The Home Office recommends applying at least three working days before travel. Most applicants using the official app get an automatic decision within minutes, but some applications are held for manual checks.
eTourist’s UK page puts it more cautiously, saying most decisions arrive within minutes to a few hours and flagged applications take up to three working days. Its landing page also advertises “99% approved within 1 hour”.
Warning. Airlines will not let you board without an ETA if you need one. Applying at the airport is risky, as eTourist itself notes, because a manual review can take up to three working days.
Those figures describe typical cases, not a promise. Its own terms add that government processing times are outside its control, and a faster service level only speeds up eTourist’s preparation.
If you are close to departure, the official app is usually the quickest route, since it skips the extra review step. If you still prefer eTourist, choose it early rather than late.
When the Answer Is a Refusal
The Home Office factsheet says a refused ETA cannot be appealed. The route forward is a visitor visa application instead.
On the eTourist side, a government refusal is not grounds for a refund of the service fee unless you bought Denial Protection before submitting. Even then, the terms exclude applications that contained inaccurate information.
Good to know. The GBP 20 government fee is not refunded after you apply, whichever route you use.
Where etourist.com Fits in the UK ETA Application Process
Across every situation above, eTourist plays the same role. It collects your details, checks them and submits them to the Home Office, then relays the result.
- Choose your passport country, travel purpose and number of travellers.
- Complete the short form for each person.
- Let the team review and submit it.
- Receive the decision by email.
Inside that role, the main choices you make are the service level and whether to add Denial Protection. Neither changes the Home Office decision, though both change the price.
The decision itself, and every rule about who needs an ETA, stays with the UK government. eTourist is a paid helper in the process rather than a separate route with its own rules.
Your Pre-Trip Checklist
- Confirm your nationality needs an ETA and you are not exempt.
- Apply with the passport you will travel on.
- Create one application per traveller, children included.
- Check whether your transit passes through UK border control.
- Apply at least three working days before departure.
- Keep the decision email and ETA reference handy.
- Reapply if your passport changes before the trip.