UK ETA for US citizens: the rules for Americans visiting Britain
Independent site, not a government service: you apply only on GOV.UK or in the official UK ETA app.
The checker is set to a US passport. Change it for another member of your party, or add travellers to see the total.
Official total, 1 traveller
£20
≈ €23.89
United Kingdom£20
UK ETA · €23.89
Valid 2 years or until the passport expires
Apply by November 18, 2026
One ETA per person, babies and children included.
No refund once you have applied.
Apply only at gov.uk/eta
Euro amounts: our conversion at the ECB reference rate of October 23, 2026; you pay in the official currency.
US citizens have needed an Electronic Travel Authorisation to visit the United Kingdom since January 8, 2025, when the United States joined the ETA list together with Canada, Australia, Japan and some forty other countries. Every American traveller, whatever their age, applies online on GOV.UK or in the UK ETA app before departure and pays £20, about USD 26.74 at the ECB cross rate of October 23, 2026; your card issuer may add a foreign transaction fee. The ETA is linked to the US passport, lasts two years or until that passport expires, and covers any number of visits of up to six months to England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man. A decision usually arrives within a day, and you must not fly before the confirming email. What counts is the passport: a green card holder with a non-US passport follows the rule for that nationality, and a dual US and British citizen travels on the British passport without any ETA.
Checked by Radif Partners · Editorial policy · Method and sources
Since when Americans need an ETA
The UK introduced the ETA in waves. Qatar came first, then the Gulf states, then on January 8, 2025 a large group that included the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea and Mexico. Europeans followed on April 2, 2025. Today about 83 nationalities need an ETA; British and Irish citizens never do.
What an American trip costs
The fee is per person and does not depend on age or on the number of visits: a couple pays £40, a family of four £80, a family of five £100. Adjust the number of travellers below for your own group; the euro figure helps if part of the trip is paid in the eurozone.
Price for your group
United Kingdom, 4 people
£80
≈ €95.55 · UK ETA
| Official fee, per person | £20 |
| People (children pay the same) | 4 |
| Total | £80 |
Price history: £16 until April 7, 2026, £20 since April 8, 2026.
Apply only at gov.uk/eta
Heathrow and other layovers
A US traveller who connects at Heathrow to Europe, Africa or Asia without leaving the international transit area needs no ETA. Collecting bags, switching to Gatwick or staying overnight in a hotel means crossing border control, and an ETA is needed. Booking two separate tickets usually means collecting bags, so check before you choose a self-connection.
Business trips and short courses
The ETA covers business meetings, conferences, short study and a permitted paid engagement, for up to six months. It does not cover work for a UK employer, which needs a visa. An ETA does not guarantee entry: the Border Force officer can still ask about the purpose of your visit and your return ticket.
If you are also going to Canada or Ireland
US citizens need neither an eTA nor a visa for Canada, and Ireland has no ETA of its own. A US green card holder with another passport, however, is exempt from the Canadian eTA under section 190 of the Canadian regulations; see the green card page. For the UK, everyone on the ETA list applies, step by step, as described on the application page.
Where to apply
Only on gov.uk/eta/apply or in the UK ETA app published by the Home Office. GOV.UK warns that other websites may charge more and that you should avoid sites imitating government services; they do not get you a faster decision.