UK ETA Cost 2026 — Fee, Hidden Charges & Refunds

Key Takeaways

How much does the UK ETA cost in 2026? Official £20 fee, payment methods, refund rules, hidden charges and family budgeting tips for ETA visitors.

What is the UK ETA cost in 2026?

The UK ETA cost in 2026 is a flat £20 per applicant, the fee that has applied since 8 April 2026 (previously £16). The fee covers a two-year multi-entry digital permit linked to your passport. Children pay the same £20 as adults, and there are no expedited or concession rates.

Furthermore, the £20 fee is non-refundable on refusal — that includes failed photo retries that exhaust the application. Indeed, the fee is close to the €20 planned for the EU ETIAS, which has no confirmed launch date yet. Official UK ETA guidance on gov.uk confirms the price.

However, family applications add up. Specifically, a family of four pays £80 total. Each person has their own application and fee, so there is no family discount.

What’s actually included in the £20

Specifically, the £20 covers: passport linking, biometric photo storage, eligibility decision, two-year permit validity, and unlimited multi-entry travel with stays of up to 6 months each visit. The fee is not refundable for any reason after submission.

Moreover, the £20 covers Home Office processing only — it does not include passport renewal, photo printing, currency conversion, travel insurance, or any third-party services. In the official UK ETA app, you can retake your photo before you submit your application.

Therefore, beware sites charging £30 to £80 for “expedited” ETA services. UK Home Office fraud warning advises avoiding websites that imitate government services, but no official list of known scam websites is published.

UK ETA cost vs other travel authorisations 2026

Authorisation	Cost (2026)	Validity	Visa-exempt countries covered
UK ETA	£20 ($25)	2 years	70+
US ESTA	$40.27	2 years	40 (VWP)
Canadian eTA	C$7	5 years	50+
Australian ETA	A$20	1 year	32
EU ETIAS (launch date not yet set)	€20	3 years	60+

Payment methods accepted in 2026

As a result, the UK ETA app and gov.uk web form accept Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Apple Pay and Google Pay. Credit and debit cards are both accepted, and the app also takes JCB cards. International cards are accepted with usual currency conversion fees from your bank.

Furthermore, payment errors usually mean a 3D Secure check failed. Indeed, if your bank declines the card, you can also pay with Apple Pay or Google Pay. Specifically, double-check the card billing address matches your card statement.

However, fee paid with non-UK cards may show £20 in your statement plus a small currency conversion fee from your bank, typically 1-3%. UK government services charge a single £20 transaction.

Hidden charges and what to avoid

Notably, the only legitimate UK ETA cost is £20. Any site quoting £30, £45 or £80 is either a third-party agency adding markup or an outright scam. Stick to gov.uk and the official UK ETA app downloaded from Apple App Store or Google Play.

Furthermore, “express” or “VIP” services are not real — UKVI does not offer expedited processing for ETAs. Indeed, the standard 3-day window applies to all applications equally. Specifically, paying more cannot speed it up.

However, there are no airport kiosks for retaking an ETA photo: you must be granted an ETA before you travel, and in the app you can retake your photo before you submit. UK Home Office statistics do not show what share of refusals is photo-related. If your photo does not meet the rules, your application may be delayed or rejected, and you would need to apply again.

Family budget planning: ETA fees and beyond

Therefore, a family of four budgeting a UK trip should expect: £80 in ETA fees (£20 per person), plus travel insurance and any currency conversion fees charged by your bank.

Furthermore, fees compound for couples planning multiple short UK trips over two years. Indeed, the £20 ETA covers unlimited entries during validity, so frequent visitors get great value. Specifically, two trips in one year already make the ETA cheaper than a Schengen visa per trip.

Moreover, refused applications mean re-paying £20 — so quality photo first time matters. VisitBritain statistics show 41 million annual visitors to the UK.

How the ETA fee compares globally

As a result, the UK ETA at £20 is cheaper than the US ESTA but not the cheapest scheme overall. The closest comparators: US ESTA at $40.27, Canadian eTA at C$7, Australian ETA at A$20, NZ NZeTA at NZ$23, and the upcoming EU ETIAS at €20.

Furthermore, the global trend is towards £15-£25 digital authorisations replacing physical visa stamps. Indeed, processing times converge on 3-day standards across all major schemes. Specifically, the UK and EU schemes both use biometric passport linking.

However, the UK and EU schemes do not interoperate — entering the UK requires a separate UK ETA from any future EU ETIAS. UK ETA scheme remains independent of Schengen.

How the £20 fee may change in future

Indeed, the UK Home Office has not signalled any further fee increase for 2026. Specifically, the £20 price was set in April 2026 and remains stable. However, the government reserves the right to adjust fees in response to scheme costs.

Furthermore, comparison with the EU ETIAS launch (€20, launch date not yet set) suggests the UK may eventually align prices upwards. Indeed, the US ESTA fee rose from $21 to $40 on 30 September 2025 and to $40.27 on 1 January 2026.

Moreover, fees are kept under regular review rather than on a fixed annual timetable. Heathrow Airport handled 83.9 million passengers in 2024 (Heathrow Airport, 2024). UK government sets immigration and ETA fees by regulations laid before Parliament, not in Budget statements.

Practical tips for paying the UK ETA fee

Each traveller, including babies and children, needs their own ETA, and each application costs £20. You can pay by credit or debit card, Apple Pay or Google Pay.

Furthermore, you can apply on behalf of other people, but you can only use the app if the person is with you; otherwise apply online. Moreover, keep your confirmation email: if you contact UKVI about an ETA (by webchat only, not by phone), you will need the 16-digit ETA reference number it contains.

The £20 single-applicant fee scales linearly: £40 couple, £60 trio, £80 quartet.

However, frequent visitors should track the 2-year expiry to plan reapplication. Indeed, the ETA is not auto-renewed — you must initiate a fresh application with another £20.

Related UK Travel Guides for ETA Visitors

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does the UK ETA cost in 2026?

£20 per applicant since 8 April 2026 (previously £16) — the same for adults and children.

Are there any concession rates?

No — every applicant pays £20 regardless of age or circumstances.

What payment methods are accepted?

Visa, Mastercard, Amex, Apple Pay, Google Pay.

Is the £20 fee refundable?

No — the fee is non-refundable, even on refusal.

Why are some sites charging £30+?

Third-party agencies or scams. Use only gov.uk or the official UK ETA app.

What is the cheapest way to get a UK ETA?

Apply through GOV.UK or the official UK ETA app, where the fee is £20. There is no paid fast-track, and applying through another website or app will not get you a faster decision.

Will the fee increase?

The fee rose to £20 on 8 April 2026; no further increase has been announced.

How does UK ETA compare globally?

At £20, the UK ETA is cheaper than the US ESTA ($40.27) but costs more than the Canadian eTA (C$7) or the planned EU ETIAS (€20).

Last updated: 2026-10-19.

Practical scenarios for UK ETA applicants 2026

UK ETA for families: Every family member who needs an ETA, including babies and children under 18, requires their own separate UK ETA authorisation. A parent or another adult can apply on a child’s behalf using the child’s passport. The cost remains £20 per person, processing time is not reduced for family groups, and decisions may arrive at different times. Apply for all members at least 3 working days before travelling to the UK, and earlier if you can. If a child needs a new passport, allow 4-8 weeks for issuance — standard times vary by country and season.

UK ETA for business travellers: ETA covers short business visits — meetings, conferences, trade shows, short training paid by a foreign employer. It does NOT cover paid work in the UK, freelance contracts with British clients, or B2C sales activities on the British market. For these, you will usually need an appropriate work visa, such as a Skilled Worker or Global Business Mobility visa. Frequent travellers should remember that ETA permits stays up to 6 months per entry, but UK Border Force can question travellers whose pattern suggests de facto residency.

UK ETA for students with short courses: For courses of up to 6 months at an accredited British institution, ETA is sufficient — no Student Visa needed. For programmes exceeding 6 months or Masters/PhD, a Student Visa is required (from £558 + IHS healthcare surcharge). Useful documents on arrival: acceptance letter, evidence that you can support yourself during your stay (there is no fixed minimum amount for visitors), travel insurance with medical cover.

UK ETA vs other electronic travel authorisations 2026

Authorisation	Country	Cost	Validity	Max stay
UK ETA	United Kingdom	£20	2 years / multi-entry	6 months per visit
ETIAS	EU Schengen (27 countries)	€20	3 years / multi-entry	90 days / 180-day window
ESTA	USA	$40	2 years / multi-entry	90 days per visit
eTA Canada	Canada	CAD 7	5 years / multi-entry	6 months per visit

UK ETA covers the UK (England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland) and, since April 2026, Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man – it is not valid for Ireland or the Schengen area. For travel combining UK + Schengen, you will need a UK ETA and, once it launches, ETIAS. eTA Canada has longer validity (5 years), but UK ETA covers longer single stays (6 months vs 90 days for ESTA).

Common UK ETA application mistakes

Misspelling names: Type names exactly as they appear on the passport biographic page. Diacritics (é, ñ, ü) must be transliterated as the passport shows.
Outdated passport details: Use the current passport number. ETA is linked to the passport — renewing it invalidates the existing ETA.
Looking for a UK address field: The ETA application doesn’t ask where you’ll stay in the UK or for your itinerary – it asks for your home address. Keep your accommodation details handy, though, as a Border Force officer may ask where you’re staying when you arrive.
Omitting criminal history: Answer the questions about past convictions honestly. Giving false information can lead to refusal and may affect future applications.
Non-conforming photo: Use a recent photo of your face that meets the digital photo rules – plain, light-coloured background, no glasses or hat.
Card declined for £20: Inform your bank about the international transaction in GBP. Some cards reject small international charges as suspicious.

What if I miss my flight with approved UK ETA?

UK ETA remains valid for 2 years (or until your passport expires, if sooner) regardless of missed flights — it is not consumed on first use. Rebook your flight within the same validity period without reapplying. Your ETA stops being valid if your passport expires or is replaced, because it is linked to that specific passport number.

Can I travel from the UK to Ireland with ETA?

UK ETA does NOT cover Ireland. The Common Travel Area (CTA) allows British and Irish citizens to move freely between the UK and Ireland, but non-CTA citizens entering the UK with ETA need to check Ireland’s separate entry rules for their nationality.

Can I apply for ETA if my passport expires within 6 months?

Yes, you can. The UK does not require „6 months passport validity” – your passport only needs to be valid for your whole stay. However, your ETA expires when your passport does, and because it is linked to the passport number, renewing your passport means making a new £20 application. If you plan to renew soon, consider doing so before you apply.

Final tips for international travellers visiting the UK in 2026

Before departure: download Citymapper for London transport (contactless international cards work on tube/bus), save emergency numbers (999 or 112 for police/fire/ambulance), note your country’s embassy address in London. Verify with your bank international transaction limits — many cards have daily caps insufficient for London hotels (often £150-£300/night) or car rentals. Activate SMS notifications for transactions. Keep digital copies of all documents — passport, ETA approval email, tickets, accommodation reservations — in cloud storage. UK uses pounds sterling (£) — Euro is not accepted in most shops. Tipping is 10-15% in restaurants, smaller for pubs.

etavisauk.org editorial team

We check UK ETA facts against gov.uk. More about us: about us.