Travel insurance for children Explained: Process, Fees and Timing (2026)

If you’re looking for everything you need to know about travel insurance for children, this 2026 guide gives you the concrete numbers, the official process, and the practical checks travellers actually need. We’ve structured it around the typical questions readers ask: what it is, who needs it, how much it costs, how long it takes, and what to watch out for. By the end, you should be able to plan your application or trip with full confidence and zero ambiguity.

TL;DR: travel insurance for children is separate from the UK ETA, which every child needs. In 2026 the ETA typically takes 2–3 working days to process with the UK Home Office, costs roughly GBP 20 per applicant, and stays valid for two years or until your passport expires. Most travellers can apply entirely online from a phone, and biometric data is taken via the app camera.

Quick Facts	2026
Fee	GBP 20 per applicant
Validity	2 years or passport expiry
Processing time	2–3 working days
Max stay	6 months per visit

What is travel insurance for children?

Travel insurance for children is not the same as the UK ETA: this guide covers the ETA, a digital permission to travel operated by the UK Home Office for visitors from eligible countries. It is not a replacement for paper landing cards, which the UK scrapped on 20 May 2019, and it is enforced at the carrier level — meaning your airline checks that you have a valid authorisation before allowing you to board.

Crucially, it is not a visa. It is a pre-travel authorisation that lets the UK government screen visitors before they reach the border. If you hold a passport from one of the visa-national countries, you still need a full visit visa instead. The travel insurance for children only applies to travellers from the eligible list (US, Canada, Australia, EU member states, and a handful of others).

For the full official scope, see the UK Government ETA guidance page. You will also find the live country eligibility list there, which the Home Office updates periodically.

Who needs this — travel insurance for children

You will need this authorisation if you hold a passport from an eligible country and want to visit the UK for tourism, business meetings, study under six months, or transit. Children and infants need their own individual travel insurance for children — there is no family group application. For more on the children’s process, see our UK ETA application 2026 guide.

You do not need this authorisation if you are a British or Irish citizen, or if you already have permission to be in the UK, such as settled status or a UK visa. If you are unsure of your category, use the ‘Check if you need a UK visa’ tool on GOV.UK.

Pro tip: Save your reference number and decision email in a cloud folder accessible from your phone. You will need the 16-digit reference number if you contact UKVI via webchat.

Costs and fees for travel insurance for children

The standard government fee is GBP 20 per applicant since 8 April 2026. There is no extra processing fee if you apply directly via GOV.UK or the official UK ETA app. Each member of a travelling group needs their own paid application, including children. Payment is by Visa, Mastercard, or American Express.

Third-party websites may charge more than the official GBP 20 fee, so check who you are paying before you apply. For a full breakdown, see UK ETA cost 2026 guide and eligible countries 2026 guide.

If your application is refused, the GBP 20 fee is non-refundable. That is one practical reason to read the eligibility checks carefully before submitting.

Processing time and what to expect from travel insurance for children

Most applications receive a decision within one working day, although it can take up to three working days. You receive the outcome by email, with the authorisation digitally linked to your passport — there is no sticker or paper certificate to print.

The Home Office recommends applying at least three working days before your scheduled departure. Applying a week or so ahead gives you a comfortable buffer, but there is no official guidance that processing slows down in peak travel periods. See our processing time guide for more detail.

A small number of applications are flagged for further review and take longer than usual — which is why the Home Office recommends applying at least three working days before you travel. Decisions are made on the information in your application and Home Office records.

How to apply for travel insurance for children — step by step

The application is fully online through either the official mobile app or the gov.uk website. You will need the passport you will travel with, a photo of your face, a credit or debit card (or Apple Pay or Google Pay) for the GBP 20 fee, and an email address for the decision notice.

1. Step 1 — Download the app or open the portal. Search for “UK ETA” in the App Store or Google Play, or go directly to gov.uk/eta. Both accept the same passport types.
2. Step 2 — Scan your passport. The app uses NFC to read your passport chip; on the web portal, you upload a photo of the passport bio page. Resolution requirements are listed on screen.
3. Step 3 — Take a face photo. Plain background, neutral expression, no glasses with reflection. The system will reject blurry shots and ask you to retake.
4. Step 4 — Answer the suitability questions. You will be asked about your address, your job and any criminal convictions, and about any involvement in war crimes, terrorism or extremism. Honesty is critical — false answers are grounds for refusal and future visa difficulty.
5. Step 5 — Pay the GBP 20 fee. Card payment processed by GOV.UK Pay. You receive a confirmation email within minutes containing your reference number.
6. Step 6 — Wait for the decision. Usually within one working day, but it can take up to three working days. The decision arrives by email; you cannot track a pending application in the app or online.

For the children’s version of this process, see UK ETA children 2026 guide.

Common mistakes to avoid when applying for travel insurance for children

The most expensive mistake travellers make is leaving the application until the last 48 hours before departure. Most decisions arrive within a day, but some take up to three working days, and you cannot travel until your ETA is granted. If you miss your flight, the airline will not reschedule you for free.

The second most common mistake is using a passport that expires soon. The official guidance only requires your passport to be valid for the whole of your stay, but your ETA also ends when that passport expires, so check the dates before you apply. See our passport requirements guide for details.

Third: misreporting criminal history. The questions are deliberately broad. If you have any doubt about whether a past conviction counts, declare it rather than hide it — the consequences of discovery are far worse than the chance of a delayed review.

Tips and best practices for travel insurance for children

Apply on a desktop or tablet if you can. The mobile app is convenient but the larger screen makes proofreading the passport scan and answer summaries much easier. Errors at submission cannot be edited — only resubmitted with a new fee.

Save your reference number and the decision email in your travel folder. Your ETA is linked digitally to your passport and airlines check it electronically, so you only need to show your passport when you travel — no printed copy or screenshot is required.

If you travel to the UK frequently, your existing authorisation remains valid for two years, or until your passport expires if sooner, across multiple trips. Renewal is straightforward but only available after the current one expires — there is no early-renewal option. See our validity guide and multiple entries guide.

Applying for your children’s ETAs

A parent or another adult can apply for a child. Use the UK ETA app if the child is with you, or apply online if they are not. You can do the whole family in one sitting, but each traveller has a separate application and £20 payment, so you will get a separate confirmation for each person. GOV.UK does not ask for any extra documents for under-18s. You need a photo of the child’s passport and of their face, and applicants under 18 must give contact details for someone with parental responsibility.

The photo rules are slightly relaxed for young children. Take the photo against a plain, light-coloured background, with no shadows on the face or behind the child and nothing covering the face. Head coverings worn for religious or medical reasons are allowed. Children under 6 do not have to look directly at the camera, and babies under one do not need to have their eyes open.

Your child’s passport does not have to be biometric. If the app cannot read the passport chip, it takes the details from the photo of the passport instead.

Arriving in the UK with children

The ETA rules are the same whether you arrive by air, ferry, Eurostar or coach, and carriers check before every journey. There are no routine checks on the land border between Ireland and Northern Ireland, but your children still need an ETA if one applies to them.

If you are only changing planes at Heathrow or Manchester and stay airside without going through passport control, you currently do not need an ETA. If you pass through UK border control, for example to transfer to another London airport, each of you needs one.

Children aged 10 to 17 can use the eGates with an adult. Since 8 July 2026, children aged 8 and 9 can also use them if they are with an adult and at least 120cm tall. They need a biometric passport, a valid ETA and a nationality that can use the eGates, such as an EU country, the USA, Canada or Australia. Otherwise, go to a Border Force officer together.

Frequently Asked Questions about travel insurance for children

How long does travel insurance for children take to process in 2026?

Most applications receive a decision within one working day. The Home Office asks applicants to allow up to three working days.

How much does travel insurance for children cost in 2026?

GBP 20 per applicant via the official portal. There are no extra government charges, but third-party agencies often inflate the price to GBP 60-100.

How long is travel insurance for children valid?

Two years from issue, or until your passport expires — whichever comes first. Each visit during validity can be up to 6 months.

Can I apply for travel insurance for children for my children separately?

Children and infants need individual authorisations — there is no family group option. Parents complete each application using the child’s passport. See our children’s guide.

What if my travel insurance for children is refused?

The GBP 20 is non-refundable. You can reapply immediately, but it is strongly advised to address whatever caused the refusal first — for example, inaccurate or incomplete answers to the criminal-history questions.

Does travel insurance for children replace a UK visa?

No. It is a separate authorisation for short-stay visitors from eligible countries. If your country is not on the eligibility list, you still need a visit visa.

How do I update my passport details after getting travel insurance for children?

The authorisation is digitally linked to the passport you used during application. If you renew your passport, you must reapply for a new authorisation tied to the new document.