Immigration Rules Appendix Electronic Travel Authorisation
Source: gov.uk (2025-11-11)

Appendix Electronic Travel Authorisation

An Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) is required by specified nationals in advance of travel to the UK.

The holder of an ETA will need to obtain permission to enter on arrival in the UK but can be refused entry if they require an ETA and do not have one.

An application for an ETA may be granted through automated processing. A person who is refused an ETA has not been refused permission to enter the UK and will need to apply for a visa if they wish to come to the UK.

A person who already holds a valid entry clearance, or permission to enter or stay, is not required to obtain an ETA.

The ETA application process opened on 25 October 2023 for nationals set out at Immigration Rules Appendix ETA National List ETANL 1.1(a) who intend to travel to the UK on or after 15 November 2023.

The ETA application process then opened on 1 February 2024 for nationals set out at Immigration Rules Appendix ETA National List ETANL 1.1(b) who intend to travel to the UK on or after 22 February 2024.

The ETA application process will open on 27 November 2024 for nationals set out at Immigration Rules Appendix ETA National List ETANL 1.1(c) who intend to travel to the UK on or after 8 January 2025.

The ETA application process will then open on 5 March 2025 for nationals set out at Immigration Rules Appendix ETA National List ETANL 1.1(d) who intend to travel to the UK on or after 2 April 2025.

Validity requirements for an Electronic Travel Authorisation
- (a) the application must be made in accordance with the application process on the gov.uk website using either the mobile application ‘UK ETA’ or the specified online form: ‘Apply for an ETA to come to the UK’; and
- (b) the applicant must provide an email address which can be used by the Home Office to contact them; and
- (c) the required fee must be paid; and
- (d) the applicant must provide, in accordance with the application process, a national passport which satisfactorily establishes their identity and nationality as a national included at ETANL 1.1 Appendix ETA National List; and
- (e) the applicant must provide a facial image in accordance with the application process and which complies with the rules for digital photos on ‘https://www.gov.uk/photos-for-passports’; and
- (i) seeking permission to enter the UK as a Visitor (other than a Marriage/Civil Partnership Visitor), staying in the UK for up to 6 months; or
- (ii) seeking permission to enter the UK as a Creative Worker who is seeking entry to the UK pursuant to paragraph Appendix Temporary Work - Creative Worker at CRV 3.2; or
- (iii) a person making a local journey from the Republic of Ireland having entered that Republic from a place outside the common travel area, or having left the UK whilst having a limited leave to enter or remain there which has since expired, who is not a S2 Healthcare Visitor.
ETA 1.2. The applicant must be a national included at ETANL 1.1. Appendix ETA National List.

ETA 1.3. An applicant who is lawfully resident in the Republic of Ireland and is travelling to the UK from elsewhere in the Common Travel Area does not need to obtain an ETA.

ETA 1.4. For the purposes of ETA 1.3, a person is lawfully resident in the Republic of Ireland if they are resident in, and entitled to reside in, the Republic of Ireland under any relevant legislation or rules which apply in the Republic of Ireland at the time of the ETA application, but a person is not lawfully resident if they may not leave or attempt to leave the Republic of Ireland without the consent of an Irish Minister.

ETA 1.5. An application which does not meet the validity requirements for an ETA application is invalid and must be rejected and not considered.

ETA 1.6. A person who is aged 16 or over who is seeking to rely on the exemption in ETA 1.3 must, if required, provide evidence to demonstrate that they are lawfully resident in the Republic of Ireland.

ETA 1.7. A person who is a British Overseas Territory Citizen or a British National (Overseas) does not require an ETA.

ETA 1.8. Subject to the conditions of VN 2.2(o) being met, a national of Jordan is permitted to travel using an ETA and arrive in the UK no later than 15:00 BST on 8 October 2024, where an ETA has been granted before 15:00 BST on 10 September 2024.

ETA 1.9. ETA Nationals who are aged 18 or under, studying at a school or educational institution in France registered with the French Ministry of Education and seeking to enter the UK as part of a school party of 5 or more pupils organised by that school or institution, do not require an ETA before they travel to the UK as a Visitor.

ETA 1.10. ETA Nationals who are aged 19 or under, studying at a school or educational institution in Germany, the existence of which is confirmed by the relevant German municipal or competent authority, and seeking to enter the UK as part of a school party of 5 or more organised by that school or institution, do not require an ETA before they travel to the UK as a Visitor.

Suitability requirements for an ETA

Exclusion or deportation order grounds
- (a) the Secretary of State has personally directed that the applicant be excluded from the UK; or
- (b) the applicant is the subject of an exclusion order; or
- (c) the applicant is the subject of a deportation order, or a decision to make a deportation order.
Criminality grounds
- (a) has been convicted of a criminal offence in the UK or overseas for which they have received a custodial sentence of 12 months or more; or
- (b) has been convicted of a criminal offence in the UK or overseas unless more than 12 months have passed since the date of conviction.
Non-conducive grounds

ETA 2.3. An application for an ETA must be refused where the applicant’s presence in the UK is not conducive to the public good because of their conduct, character, associations or other reasons (including convictions which do not fall within the criminality grounds).

Previous breach of immigration laws grounds
- (i) the Home Office holds a record that permission was subsequently granted with knowledge of the overstaying; or
- (ii) the person left the UK voluntarily, not at the expense (directly or indirectly) of the Secretary of State, and the person overstayed for 90 days or less, where the overstaying began before 6 April 2017; or
- (iii)the person left the UK voluntarily, not at the expense (directly or indirectly) of the Secretary of State, and the person overstayed for 30 days or less, where the overstaying began on or after 6 April 2017; or
- (iv) the person left the UK voluntarily, not at the expense (directly or indirectly) of the Secretary of State, and the Exceptions for overstayers section of Part Suitability applies to the period of overstaying; or
- (b) breached a condition attached to their permission, unless entry clearance or further permission was subsequently granted with knowledge of the breach; or
- (c) was (or still is) an illegal entrant, unless the Home Office holds a record that permission was subsequently granted with knowledge of the illegal entry; or
- (d) used deception in relation to an immigration application (whether or not successfully), unless the Home Office holds a record that permission was subsequently granted with knowledge of the deception.
False representations, etc. grounds
- (a) false representations were made, or false documents or false information was submitted (whether or not relevant to the application, and whether or not to the applicant’s knowledge); or
- (b) relevant facts were not disclosed.
Debt to the NHS grounds

ETA 2.6. DELETED

Unpaid litigation costs grounds

ETA 2.7. An application for an ETA must be refused where the applicant has failed to pay litigation costs awarded to the Home Office.

Previous cancellation of an ETA

ETA 2.8. An application for an ETA must be refused if the applicant had an ETA cancelled by the Home Office under ETA 5.8, unless the Home Office holds a record that entry clearance, or permission to enter or stay was subsequently granted with knowledge of the cancellation.

Previous refusal as a Visitor
- (a) a valid ETA, entry clearance or permission to enter or stay was held and was not cancelled as a result of that refusal; or
- (b) a valid ETA, entry clearance, or permission to enter or stay was subsequently granted with knowledge of that refusal.
Decision on an ETA application

ETA 3.1. If the Secretary of State is satisfied the validity requirements are met and the application is not refused on suitability grounds the applicant will be granted an ETA; otherwise, the application for an ETA will be refused.

Period of grant of an ETA

ETA 4.1. An ETA will be valid for 2 years from the date of grant or until the expiry of the holder’s passport used in the ETA application, whichever is sooner.
- (a) a Visitor, seeking entry for up to 6 months on each occasion; or
- (b) a Creative Worker who is seeking entry to the UK pursuant to Appendix Temporary Work – Creative Worker at CRV 3.2.
ETA 4.3. An ETA will be valid and confer permission to travel only where the holder travels using the passport specified in the ETA application.

Cancellation of an ETA

Cancellation on exclusion or deportation order grounds
- (a) the Secretary of State has personally directed that the applicant be excluded from the UK; or
- (b) the applicant is the subject of an exclusion order; or
- (c) the applicant is the subject of a deportation order, or a decision to make a deportation order.
Cancellation on criminality grounds
- (a) has been convicted of a criminal offence in the UK or overseas for which they have received a custodial sentence of 12 months or more; or
- (b) has been convicted of a criminal offence in the UK or overseas unless more than 12 months has passed since the date of conviction
Cancellation on non-conducive grounds

ETA 5.3. An ETA held by a person must be cancelled where the person’s presence in the UK is not conducive to the public good because of their conduct, character, associations or other reasons (including convictions which do not fall within the criminality grounds).

Cancellation on breach of immigration laws grounds
- (i) the Home Office holds a record that permission was subsequently granted with knowledge of the overstaying; or
- (ii) the person left the UK voluntarily, not at the expense (directly indirectly) of the Secretary of State, and the person overstayed for 90 days or less, where the overstaying began before 6 April 2017; or
- (iii)the person left the UK voluntarily, not at the expense (directly or indirectly) of the Secretary of State, and the person overstayed for 30 days or less, where the overstaying began on or after 6 April 2017; or
- (iv) the person left the UK voluntarily, not at the expense (directly or indirectly) of the Secretary of State, and the Exceptions for overstayers section of Part Suitability applies to the period of overstaying; or
- (b) breached a condition attached to their permission, unless entry clearance or further permission was subsequently granted with knowledge of the breach; or
- (c) was (or still is) an illegal entrant, unless the Home Office holds a record that permission was subsequently granted with knowledge of the illegal entry; or
- (d) used deception in relation to an immigration application (whether or not successfully), unless the Home Office holds a record that permission was subsequently granted with knowledge of the deception.
Cancellation on false representations, etc. grounds
- (a) false representations were made, or false documents or false information submitted (whether or not relevant to the application, and whether or not to the applicant’s knowledge); or
- (b) relevant facts were not disclosed.
Cancellation due to debt to the NHS

ETA 5.6. An ETA held by a person must be cancelled where a relevant NHS body has notified the Secretary of State that the holder has failed to pay charges under relevant NHS regulations on charges to overseas visitors and the outstanding charges have a total value of at least £500.

Cancellation due to unpaid litigation costs

ETA 5.7. An ETA held by a person must be cancelled where the holder has failed to pay litigation costs awarded to the Home Office.

Cancellation of an ETA where validity requirements are not met

ETA 5.8. An ETA held by a person may be cancelled where it has been issued and one or more of the requirements of ETA 1.1. and ETA 1.2. were not met either at the time of the application or subsequently.