If you’re heading from America to the UK, you have probably come across the confusing letters “ETA” and no this isn’t your arrival time it actually stands for electronic travel authorisation, and if your coming to see London or the Cotswolds you are going to need one. Now, don’t panic, its not as complicated as you might think, but there have been some changes which you need to know about.
So, what is a UK ETA, & why do you need one?
Firstly, this was launched back in 2024, but from January 2025 it is now mandatory for all American travellers, if you’re here for tourism, business, visiting family or just passing through, you will need to have one.
Think of it like the US ESTA system but in reverse, its and online travel pass that shows you have been pre-approved to enter the UK without a full visa.
The good news is that it’s very simple to obtain and once you have it you can use it for 2 years, or until your passport expires whichever comes first.
So how do you apply for one?
- Go to the official UK government website, be cautious of look a like site who over charge for the exact same thing see here: Get an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) to visit the UK: Apply for an ETA – GOV.UK.
- Fill in your details, things like, name, passport number, a recent photo and answer some security questions.
- Pay the fee, at time of writing this is £16 so not expensive.
- Wait for 2-5 working days for delivery, we always recommend doing this 2 week prior to travel.
But that’s it, no biometric scans, no embassies, printouts as its all-digital linked to your passport.
What about if you’re crossing the border from southern Ireland to the UK?
This gets a little tricker, say you’re flying into Dublin and plan to drive to Northern Ireland or come to the mainland at some point, then you will still need to get the ETA.
While the CTA (common travel area) allows brits to travel freely between the boarders, this does not apply to American citizens so you will still need to get one, there are not regular checks or hard boarder controls, but be safe and get one.
So, do you need an actual visa to visit?
For most short-term trips (up to 6 months) Americans do not need a full visa, the ETA covers:
- Holidays
- Business meetings
- Visiting friends and family
- Short training courses
BIT – this is important you WILL need a visa for the following:
- Staying longer than 6 months
- Working or doing paid gigs
- Enrolling in university
If you have any questions, just ask us, we are here to help you not just with tours and days out, we are a destination management company and can guide you in the right direction.
