# How do US citizens apply for a UK ETA? > UK ETA for US citizens: £20 since 8 April 2026 (up from £16), valid 2 years, decisions in up to 3 working days. Step-by-step app guide and transit rules. - Source: https://clevertourists.com/resources/uk-eta-how-to-apply-us-citizens-2026 - Authors: Evan & Clara, Clever Tourists (first-hand, from years of travel across 20 countries) - Published: 2026-10-06 **US citizens need an approved UK Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) before boarding any flight, ferry or Eurostar to the UK. It costs £20 (≈ $27) per person on the official GOV.UK site or the UK ETA app, lasts 2 years, and decisions usually arrive within 3 working days.** The fee rose from £16 to £20 (≈ $21–27) on 8 April 2026, which is why search results still show both numbers: £20 (≈ $27) is correct for new applications. Airlines check for the ETA at check-in, so there is no fixing it on arrival. Our [do I need a visa for the UK](https://clevertourists.com/resources/do-i-need-a-visa-to-visit-the-uk) page has the short version; this is the detailed how-to. We spent about 2.5 weeks in England in November and December 2023, starting and finishing in London. ## Who needs a UK ETA An ETA is not a visa. It is a pre-travel permission linked to your passport for visits of **up to 6 months** for tourism, visiting family and friends, short business trips and some other permitted activities. It covers the UK, Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man. • **US, Canadian and Australian passport holders** need one, and Europeans need one too since 2 April 2025. • **Children and babies** each need their own ETA. A parent can apply for them. • **Exempt:** British and Irish citizens, and people who already have UK permission to live, work or study there (for example a visa or settled status). • **Dual US-British citizens** should travel on the British passport and don't need an ETA. An ETA does not guarantee entry: the Border Force officer still decides on arrival. If you plan to work, study for more than 6 months or stay longer, you need a visa instead. ## The fee: £16 or £20? The ETA started at £10 (≈ $13.3), rose to £16 (≈ $21) in April 2025 and rose again to **£20 (≈ $27) from 8 April 2026** as part of the Home Office's annual fee changes. GOV.UK now lists £20 (≈ $27), and the charge is based on when you apply, not when you travel. An ETA bought at £16 (≈ $21) before the change stays valid until it expires. A family of four pays £80 (≈ $107) in total. The fee is non-refundable if you are refused. GOV.UK itself warns that other websites may charge more and to avoid sites that imitate government services. Agency sites often show up first in search ads and charge several times the official fee for the same application. The only official routes are the **UK ETA app** and the application linked from **gov.uk/eta**. Type the address yourself rather than clicking an ad. ## How to apply in the UK ETA app, step by step The app is the quicker route because it reads your passport chip, which avoids typing errors. The web form on GOV.UK works if your phone can't. • **Scan your passport.** Photograph the photo page, then hold the phone to the passport so it reads the chip. • **Take a photo of your face** in the app. Use plain light, no glasses glare, no hat. • **Contact details.** Email address and phone number. The decision comes by email. • **Home address and occupation.** • **Suitability questions** on criminal convictions and past immigration problems. Answer honestly: a refusal for a false answer is worse than a disclosed old conviction. • **Pay £20 (≈ $27)** by card, Apple Pay or Google Pay. You don't enter flight dates or a UK address, so you can apply before booking. You can apply for other people, such as your children, from one phone, one application each. GOV.UK says to allow **3 working days** for a decision. Many come within minutes or hours, but some go to manual review. Apply when you book flights, not the night before. ## Validity, renewals and new passports An approved ETA lasts **2 years or until the passport it is linked to expires**, whichever comes first, and covers multiple trips. Each stay can be up to 6 months. The ETA is linked to one passport. If you renew or replace your passport, you need a new ETA, even if the old one has time left. This catches people who renew shortly before a trip. You don't print anything. Check your status and expiry date through the GOV.UK lookup before each trip. ## Transit through Heathrow or Manchester If your flight lands in the UK and you pass through UK border control to connect, you need an ETA. Since 16 January 2025 there has been a **temporary exemption for passengers who stay airside** while changing planes at Heathrow and Manchester, the only two UK airports with airside transit facilities. That means flying, say, Chicago to Heathrow to Rome on one booking with checked bags through, without leaving the transit area. The government described the exemption as temporary and under review, so check with your airline close to departure. Transit at any other UK airport, a self-connected itinerary where you collect bags, or an overnight in London between flights all mean passing border control, and you need an ETA. A day in London on a layover counts too: see [how many days in London](https://clevertourists.com/resources/how-many-days-in-london) if you are deciding whether to stay longer. ## Arriving from Ireland, Europe and by Eurostar The ETA applies however you arrive: flights, ferries from France and the Netherlands, and Eurostar from Paris, Brussels and Amsterdam. Eurostar checks ETA status before boarding. Travelling from Ireland to the UK within the Common Travel Area still requires an ETA for US citizens, even though there is no routine passport check on that route. Missing it is still a breach of the rules. Once you are through, our [Oyster vs contactless guide](https://clevertourists.com/resources/london-oyster-vs-contactless-free-museums-guide) covers getting around London on a US card, and [where to stay in London](https://clevertourists.com/resources/where-to-stay-in-london) compares neighbourhoods. ## Common mistakes and refusals • **Using an agency site.** You pay more for the same form, and some delay submission. • **Applying on a passport you are about to renew.** The ETA dies with that passport. • **Assuming kids are covered by a parent's ETA.** Each traveller needs one. • **Leaving it to the airport.** Without an approval the airline won't board you. • **Mismatched name.** The app reads the chip, so rely on the scan rather than typing. If you are refused, the email says so, and there is no appeal. You can apply for a UK visitor visa instead, which costs more and takes weeks. A refusal is uncommon for US tourists with no criminal or immigration history. ## Frequently asked questions ### How much is the UK ETA for US citizens in 2026? £20 (≈ $27) per person for applications made from 8 April 2026, up from £16 (≈ $21). Apply only through the UK ETA app or gov.uk/eta; other sites charge more. ### How long does the UK ETA take to be approved? GOV.UK says to allow 3 working days. Many decisions arrive much faster, but apply when you book rather than just before you fly. ### How long is a UK ETA valid? 2 years or until the linked passport expires, whichever is first, for multiple trips of up to 6 months each. A new passport needs a new ETA. ### Do I need a UK ETA to transit through Heathrow? Not if you stay airside at Heathrow or Manchester under the temporary exemption in place since 16 January 2025. If you pass through UK border control, or connect at another UK airport, you need one. ### Do children need a UK ETA? Yes. Every traveller, including babies and children, needs their own ETA, but a parent can apply for them in the app.