Experience Applying for UK ETA
 

The website and App for applying for the new UK Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) is now up and running. It is very easy -- I did it on the website but my guess is the App would be even easier. Takes just a few minutes and involves uploading a photo of your passport info page and either scanning in or uploading a photo of yourself and paying a small fee ($13.18 - DCC ;) or £10). The response screen says "you'll usually get the decision 'within 3 working days, though it may be faster" . . . Ya think!!! I submitted my completed application at 11:57 AM my time, received e-mail confirmation of receipt at 11:59 -- and received approval at 12noon -- one minute is pretty darned quick :)

Yes, we had an identical experience applying for the K-ETA (South Korea.)
Then it was announced that the authorization was not required from April 2023 through December 2024,
which covered our visit.
Thanks for the reminder here - guess keeping track of ETA expiration dates will be one more thing on the list ✈️

Hetismij had posted more info about ETA last month. I don’t know how to link her post, but here’s a screen shot:

https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...312265825b.png

Here is the link to Heti's thread: https://www.fodors.com/community/eur...025-a-1726499/

ETA for the UK
 

A video that I found useful about the UK's border control. From 8 January 2025.
UK Government website.
Wiki page
Apple App.
Android App.

Two threads have been merged

Janis mentioned the app might be easier but that was not my experience. I lost count of how many times I tried it on the app and it kept locking me out for a few hours at a time. Finally I tried it on line and it worked great on my first try.

They asked me to fill out a survey, so I did, in order to tell them the app sucks. Before I could finish the survey, an email popped in to tell me I'm approved.

So if you try it on the app and it doesn't work, don't waste half the day like I did, trying to figure out why it won't work. Just do it online if the app gives you grief. And do fill out the survey about your experience.

P.M. I had a hard time with the app too. First I had a hard time with the website, because my phone was too old to download the app. Last week I ungraded my phone (it needed to be done) and it still took 24 hours to get the app to work. I got locked out many times too.

eventually it worked and once done it was superfast to be approved. I’m sure they will get the kinks worked out.

I’ll just point out one more thing, make sure to go through the U.K. website. On another site a member posted a link to a site that charges $82 on top of the normal fee. It should only cost 10 GBP or around $13.00 USD.

"I’ll just point out one more thing, make sure to go through the U.K. website. On another site a member posted a link to a site that charges $82 on top of the normal fee. It should only cost 10 GBP or around $13.00 USD"
Well, I wasn't the member who posted this, but I was sure darn near a fool to fall for one of these close-to-fraud websites. The one I landed on originated in SPAIN and thank goodness I put the brakes on before dumping personal data on it.

Here is the link to the real ONLINE application, not to the phone app*: https://apply-for-an-eta.homeoffice....n/how-to-apply

*Yep, the phone app is glitchy. Like others, I drove myself crazy with it first. I'd get through one step, and then I'd get the "There is a problem with the app service right now" type statement. I kept trying and trying and trying, getting just a tad further each time, and then I finally said, "I'm doing this online." It's interesting that the gov.uk ETA website keeps trying to force you to do the app over and over again. Ignore their pleas!

Other notes from the online application:

1. They have a step where you put your head inside an oval and a greyed-out image is scanned with your computer camera. This was not a problem for me to do with my specific computer and it worked. However, I also had to apply for my husband and since he's in bed with a head-cold-from hell, I took the site at its word when it said I could skip that step for him. His application went through without that step.
2. The address entry does NOT have a space for the state in the USA. I added mine on the same line as the city--even separated city and state with a comma--and that addition went through just fine on both of our applications.
3. As to photos, I uploaded a selfie photo that I took today against a white wall that I wasn't sure would fly, but it did. I followed the directions as to background, making sure my shoulders showed even though they looked a little wonky via the selfie mode, and then the site itself cropped that image to the outline of my face. Luckily, I had taken a photo of my husband yesterday before he went to his sickbed.
4. My online entry was immediately confirmed as being processed by email and within one minute was accepted. My husband's was immediately confirmed as being processed by email, and I got worried as the clock ticked. His took all of SEVEN minutes. I'm sure not complaining. I wonder if skipping that "grayed out" scan part delayed him. It was hardly a hardship.

Good luck!
AZ

I did it last week on my phone. It worked pretty well. It would not read the chip in our passports, so I had to skip that bit and enter the data manually. Mine took about 10 minutes for approval and my husband's about 18 hours.

Addition To Passport
 

I was reading somewhere online about traveling to United Kingdom. I read that the UK wants US travelers to have some type of electronic approval plus their passports. I was wondering if this true and where do I need to go to get it?

Sincerely,

Michael

Yes it's true. These threads talk about it:
https://www.fodors.com/community/eur...ments-1728833/

https://www.fodors.com/community/eur...he-uk-1727357/

It's not just for US travellers, other countries need it as well. The US has a similar thing called ESTA and has had for years.

If you need it start soon. Apply online make certain you have the official UK government site, there are vendors with deceptive websites that will do this but for a significant fee...the app they want you to use did not work just go to the "apply online". You have to upload your mug and a photo of your passport. April 2 the fee goes from £10 to £16.

I had to do it online because the app didn't work. Take a picture of your passport JUST THE INFORMATION PAGE and not the page above it. Take a selfie against a white background and make it look as much like a passport photo as possible.

As I mentioned above, the app gave me all kinds of grief. I did it online and I was approved in about 30 seconds. As wildiowa mentioned, do it ASAP to avoid the price increase.

Welcome to Fodors. We merged your thread to an existing discussion about the UK Electronic Travel Authorisation

Thank you for wonderful answers

ETA for the UK
 

I attempted to apply and when I got to the payment screen it indicated the fee was L97 not 16. That stopped me immediately.

what was I doing wrong? I am a US citizen visiting the UK in August by a cruise ship.

Are you 100% sure you were on the official UK Gov't site? There have been reports on line about 'scam sites' with charges of £78 or £90+.