UK ETA application checklist: prepare before you start

An ETA application is personal even when someone else completes it. Get the traveller’s permission to apply on their behalf, then collect that person’s details before opening the form. As checked on 26 September 2026, the official government fee is £20 per traveller. A private application service may charge an additional service fee, so compare the full total before paying.

• The passport the traveller will use for this trip, with the document open so names, numbers and dates can be copied accurately.
• An email address the applicant or assisting adult can check, including its spam folder.
• A payment method accepted by the route you choose.
• A recent, clear face photo that follows the live instructions for lighting, framing and background.
• Enough time to wait for a decision before travel. Most decisions arrive within a day, but some take up to three working days.

Type names exactly as they appear in the passport the traveller will use, including the order of given names and any middle names requested by the form. Check the passport number, issuing country and expiry date character by character. A frequent source of avoidable trouble is using the details of a passport that is being renewed, while planning to travel on its replacement.

The ETA is electronically tied to the passport used in the application. If that passport is replaced, expires or changes before the journey, the traveller generally needs a new ETA linked to the new passport. Decide which document will be used for travel before applying wherever possible.

A photo that looks fine in a messaging app may be too dark, cropped or compressed for an identity application. Start with a fresh photo in even light, remove items that obscure the face, and follow the official instructions shown in the application. Do not use another person’s photo, a heavily edited image or a picture of a printed photograph unless the current instructions expressly allow it.

• Use a plain background and face the camera directly.
• Keep the whole face visible and in focus; avoid glare, strong shadows and filters.
• Use the live official photo guidance for crop, file and image requirements rather than guessing from a saved template.
• For a child or someone who needs assistance, take the photo in a way that follows the current instructions for that applicant.

An ETA is not the right route for everyone. British and Irish citizens cannot get one; some visitors need a visa, while some travellers already hold permission that changes what they need. Check the result for the exact traveller and visit before entering payment details. A paid service can help prepare an application, but it cannot decide which status a person holds or provide immigration advice.

The direct government route costs the government fee alone. ETAs.one offers optional administrative help for a higher total that includes that £20 fee. We check the supplied information and photos, prepare the application and submit it after the traveller authorises it. Prices are shown before payment on the service page.

1. Read each answer back to the traveller and compare identity details with the intended passport.
2. Submit through the route you chose and save the confirmation email.
3. Check the email account used for the application, including spam and junk folders.
4. Wait for confirmation before travelling. Check every person separately if several people applied.
5. If the decision has not arrived after three working days, use the current official contact instructions.

A third-party service can organise and submit the application for you, but it cannot improve the government decision or promise when it will arrive. Anyone selling a faster ETA decision is promising something outside their control.