UK ETA for Mexican Citizens 2026: Requirements and How to Apply

Mexican citizens need a UK ETA to enter Britain in 2026 — a £20 online authorisation tied to your biometric passport that replaces the old wave-through at the border. Mexicans travel to the UK without a full visa for short stays, yet the ETA is now required before you board. Below: who needs one, what it costs, how to apply from Mexico, and what happens on arrival.

Resumen: A UK ETA for Mexican citizens is mandatory for visits of up to six months. It costs £20, stays valid for two years or until your passport expires, and covers unlimited trips. Approval is usually instant, but allow three working days to be safe.

Hechos clave de un vistazo:

• The UK ETA is required for Mexican passport holders visiting for tourism, family or business (gov.uk/eta).
• La tarifa aumentó a £20 el 8 de abril de 2026, desde £16.
• One approval allows unlimited entries for two years, with each stay capped at six months.
• Everyone needs their own ETA, including babies and children.
• You apply online or through the official UK ETA app, never on arrival.

Not sure your trip qualifies for the ETA rather than a visa? The lista de verificación de requisitos de entrada al Reino Unido checklist covers the basics, and the verificador de visas gov.uk confirms your route in under a minute.

Do Mexican citizens need a UK ETA?

Yes. A UK ETA for Mexican citizens is compulsory for short trips, because Mexico is a non-visa country whose passport holders enter Britain without a full visa. Before the scheme launched, Mexicans arrived and were checked at the desk. That check now happens online, in advance, and stays linked to your passport chip.

The ETA covers holidays, visiting family, and short business meetings for up to six months. It does not cover paid work or long courses — those need a proper visa. Hold two passports? Read qué pasaporte usar si tienes dos before you apply.

Transit matters too. A Mexican traveller connecting through Heathrow to a third country usually still needs an ETA if they pass through UK border control, so check Normas de tránsito ETA del Reino Unido before booking a layover. Getting this wrong at the last minute is one of the most common reasons flights are missed.

How much does a UK ETA cost for Mexican travellers?

The UK ETA costs £20 for each Mexican traveller, a single charge covering two years of trips — roughly MXN 460 at mid-2026 rates. The price went up from £16 to £20 on 8 April 2026, so ignore older figures. There is no family discount: two parents and two children pay £80 in total.

For the full detail, see la tarifa UK ETA de £20, un desglose de costos completo y métodos de pago aceptados. Any site charging far above £20 should raise a flag — check cómo identificar un sitio web falso de UK ETA.

How to apply for a UK ETA from Mexico

Apply online or in the official UK ETA app in about 15 minutes, using your biometric Mexican passport and a payment card. The form asks for passport details, a photo, and short background questions. Most people from Mexico get an email decision within minutes; the Home Office still recommends allowing three working days.

Este es el proceso paso a paso:

1. Verifica tu pasaporte. It must be a biometric Mexican passport valid for the trip — check your passport is valid primero.
2. Get ready. Have a payment card, an email address, and the items in documentos que necesita para solicitar.
3. Fill in the form. Enter your details, upload a photo, answer the questions and pay £20.
4. Esperar aprobación. Track it via comprueba el estado de tu solicitud de UK ETA; it links to your passport automatically.

Would you rather not deal with the form? We can check your answers and submit the application for you — a frequent request from families booking for grandparents in Guadalajara or Monterrey who prefer not to apply online. You stay in charge of the plans; we catch the small mistakes that slow things down.

What Mexican passport holders should know at the UK border

At the border, Mexican citizens with an approved ETA use an ePassport gate or a Border Force desk, with the authorisation checked digitally and no paper form to complete. Travellers aged 8 or over can use the eGates at major airports. The gate scans your chip, matches your face, and confirms the ETA in seconds.

Carry proof of your return flight and where you are staying. Officers seldom press Mexican visitors for more, but a brief question about the purpose of your visit is normal, especially on a first trip. Before you fly, the gov.uk travel advice for Mexico is worth a quick read.

Consejo profesional: Book your ETA before your flights. Approval is usually instant, but a manual check can take up to three working days — and holding off on non-refundable tickets until you are approved removes the only real risk.

Take a Mexico City family flying to London for the October half-term. Each of the four applies a few weeks ahead, pays £20, and is approved within the hour. At Heathrow they head straight to the eGates, tap their passports, and walk through with no form at all — the ETA handled everything in advance.

Practical tips for Mexican travellers heading to the UK

Apply early, stick to the official service, and give every family member their own ETA — those three steps prevent nearly every problem Mexican travellers run into. The rules do not change whether you land in London, Manchester or Edinburgh.

One extra habit helps on a first trip: save a screenshot of your approval email. The ETA is digital and tied to your passport, so you rarely show anything on arrival — but having the confirmation ready answers any check-in question in seconds.

• Time it well. Approval is quick, yet cuándo solicitar tu UK ETA explains why leaving a buffer matters.
• New passport soon? The ETA is linked to your current one, so a renewal means reapplying — start with renovación de tu UK ETA.
• Travelling with kids? Each child needs one: UK ETA para bebés y niños.
• Heading north? The same ETA works everywhere — see visitar Escocia con un ETA y travelling to Wales.
• Turned down before? Lee qué hacer si se deniega su ETA.

Somos un servicio de asistencia independiente, no un organismo gubernamental. Puedes solicitar directamente en gov.uk (£20), o utilizar nuestro servicio de verificación y apoyo.

Want a second opinion before you pay? Our team reviews and submits your ETA so nothing slips through — useful when you are arranging travel for older relatives who would rather skip the online form.

Frequently asked questions: UK ETA for Mexican citizens

Do Mexican citizens need a UK ETA in 2026?

Yes. A UK ETA for Mexican citizens is required before boarding for stays of up to six months. It swaps the old border wave-through for an online permission linked to your passport.

How much is the UK ETA for Mexican passport holders?

Cuesta £20 por persona y dura dos años. La tarifa aumentó de £16 el 8 de abril de 2026, y no hay tarifa familiar con descuento (gov.uk/eta).gov.uk/eta).

Can Mexicans work in the UK with an ETA?

No. The ETA covers tourism, family visits and short business trips. Paid work or study over six months needs the correct visa, which the gov.uk visa checker will confirm.

How long does the UK ETA take for Mexican applicants?

Most Mexican applicants are approved within minutes. The Home Office advises allowing up to three working days in case your case needs manual checks.

Do Mexican children need their own ETA?

Yes. Every child, babies included, needs an individual ETA. Parents apply on each child’s behalf using the child’s biometric passport.

Is the UK ETA a visa for Mexican citizens?

No. The ETA is a lighter travel authorisation for short visits, not a visa. Mexicans use it because their passport already allows visa-free entry for up to six months.

What if a Mexican traveller reaches the airport without an ETA?

Airlines can refuse boarding under the “no permission, no travel” rule. Always apply before leaving home rather than trying to sort it at the gate.

Last updated: 2026-10-10 — verified against the gov.uk schedule.