UK ETA Statistics 2026: 24.8 Million Authorisations — Full Data

By the application-eta.uk Expert Team · Last updated: April 2026 · Data current to: December 2025
Primary source: Home Office Immigration System Statistics (Year Ending December 2025), published 26 February 2026

The UK Electronic Travel Authorisation scheme — launched in October 2023 and now mandatory for all eligible visitors since February 2026 — has become one of the fastest-adopted digital border systems in the world. In under 27 months from launch, the Home Office has processed more than 24.8 million authorisations, covering travellers from 85 nationalities across all six continents.

This article compiles every verified statistic published by the Home Office on the UK ETA scheme, as of April 2026. Unlike many summaries that cite a single headline figure, this guide breaks down the data by growth phases, nationality, revenue, comparison with global ETA systems, and the metrics that most sites do not cover — including fee revenue estimates, visitor visa displacement, and the countries removed from the eligible list.

All data points are cited to their primary source. Where a figure appears on multiple sources, the Home Office primary publication takes precedence. This page will be updated as new quarterly Home Office data is released.

1. Total Authorisations: 24.8 Million and Growing

The total number of UK ETAs granted from the launch of the scheme in October 2023 through the end of December 2025 is 24.8 million, according to the Home Office Immigration System Statistics quarterly release published on 26 February 2026.

Source: GOV.UK — Immigration System Statistics, Year Ending December 2025, published 26 February 2026

At the current run rate — approximately 5 million ETAs per quarter post-EU expansion enforcement — the total is projected to exceed 30 million by mid-2026 and 44 million by end-2026, assuming no major policy changes or eligibility reductions. The April 2026 fee increase to £20 is not expected to dampen application volumes materially, given the ETA remains significantly cheaper than a Standard Visitor Visa.

2. Growth Timeline: Phase by Phase

The ETA scheme expanded in discrete phases, each producing a step-change in application volume. Understanding the phasing explains the growth curve. A key milestone in April 2026 is the official fee increase from £16 to £20, which marks the beginning of a new pricing era for the scheme.

3. Top 10 Nationalities by ETA Volume

Home Office data published in August 2025 (Year Ending June 2025) provides the most granular breakdown by nationality available as of April 2026. US citizens account for the single largest nationality group by a considerable margin — reflecting the volume of American visitors to the UK each year. European travellers are also strongly represented, particularly French and German nationals, who became eligible in April 2025.

* Estimated from proportional distribution of Home Office data. US, Germany and France are confirmed figures from GOV.UK. Remaining nationalities estimated from total ETA distribution patterns published in the Year Ending June 2025 release. All figures are to June 2025 — post-enforcement volumes are significantly higher for EU nationalities.

4. EU vs Non-EU Split

The EU expansion in April 2025 dramatically rebalanced the nationality composition of ETA holders. The data to June 2025 provides the first clean snapshot of the post-expansion picture. If you are unsure whether your nationality is covered, our full eligible countries list is kept up to date following every Home Office change.

By December 2025 (24.8M total), EU nationals are estimated to represent 55–60% of cumulative ETA grants, given the pace of EU national applications post-enforcement. The balance will shift further towards EU nationals as first-year EU ETA renewals begin and full enforcement drives remaining non-compliant EU travellers to apply.

5. Fee Revenue: What the ETA Has Earned

The Home Office does not publish a dedicated ETA revenue figure. However, it can be closely estimated from the application volume data and the applicable fee rates during each period. This calculation — absent from all competitor articles and most media coverage — provides an important economic context for the scheme. Note that the current government fee is £20 as of April 2026, up from the previous £16 rate.

At the projected 2026 run rate of ~20 million ETAs per year at the new £20 fee, the scheme generates approximately £400 million annually for the UK government — a meaningful uplift on the previous £320 million estimate at £16. This increase is entirely in the government fee component; our service fees remain unchanged.

6. Approval Rate and Refusal Data

The Home Office publishes application outcome data in its quarterly Immigration System Statistics releases. The ETA data tables — ETA_D01 — provide grants, rejections, and refusals by nationality and quarter. If your application has been refused, our guide to ETA refusals explains your options in detail.

One of the most common reasons for technical rejection is a non-compliant photograph. Our photo requirements guide sets out exactly what the Home Office system expects, helping you avoid the most easily preventable cause of rejection. Our expert review service checks your application — including your photo — before submission.

7. ETA vs Visitor Visa: The Displacement Effect

One of the most underreported aspects of the ETA rollout is its measurable impact on Standard Visitor Visa grant volumes. As nationalities move from visa-required to ETA-eligible, their visa grant numbers fall — sometimes dramatically. For travellers unsure which permission they need, our ETA vs UK Visa comparison and full eligibility guide explain the distinction clearly.

Visitor visa grants in the year ending June 2025 totalled 2.2 million — broadly similar to the previous year but lower than the 2019 peak of 2.4 million. The net effect on Home Office income is complex: higher volume but lower per-application fee for formerly visa-required GCC nationals; new revenue from previously visa-free nationals who previously generated zero entry-permission income. The ETA has, in effect, monetised the visa-free travel that the UK previously offered at no charge.

Source: GOV.UK — Immigration System Statistics, Year Ending June 2025

8. Countries Removed from the Eligible List

The ETA’s eligible nationality list is not static. The Home Office has removed several countries since the scheme launched — converting their nationals from ETA-eligible back to visa-required. This is a data point almost entirely absent from competitor articles. Our eligible countries page is updated promptly whenever the Home Office makes changes, so you can always verify your current status before applying.

The Home Office does not publish the criteria for adding or removing countries from the ETA eligible list. Removals appear to be based on bilateral diplomatic and security assessments, irregular migration pressures, or reciprocity considerations. The most recent removals (Nicaragua and St Lucia, 5 March 2026) are documented on our eligibility check page.

9. Global Comparison: UK ETA vs ESTA, Canadian eTA, ETIAS

The UK ETA sits within a global trend towards digital pre-clearance for visa-exempt travellers. Here is how the UK system compares on key metrics.

The UK ETA’s 6-month maximum stay is the most generous of any comparable system — the US ESTA is limited to 90 days, Australia to 3 months, and the planned EU ETIAS to 90 days. This reflects the UK’s longstanding visitor visa framework being carried across into the ETA. It is also a meaningful competitive advantage for longer-stay visitors — digital nomads, extended holidays, family stays — compared to Schengen/EU with the 90-in-180-days rule. For a full breakdown of fees, processing times and service tiers available through our platform, see our dedicated page.

10. What the Statistics Do Not Tell Us

Intellectual honesty about data requires acknowledging its limits. These are the significant questions about the UK ETA that official statistics do not currently answer.

Renewal rate vs new applications

The Home Office does not distinguish between new ETA applications and renewals in its published data. A traveller who received an ETA in January 2025 and renewed it in January 2027 would be counted twice in cumulative totals. This means the 24.8 million figure represents authorisations, not unique individuals. The true number of distinct people who have held a UK ETA is lower — by a proportion that cannot currently be calculated from published data.

No data on actual trips taken under ETA

An ETA authorises travel — it does not record whether the holder actually visited the UK. The gap between ETAs granted and UK arrivals data suggests a meaningful proportion of ETA holders have not yet used their authorisation. This is consistent with the pattern seen in other systems (the US ESTA has issued 100M+ authorisations but annual ETA-eligible arrivals are ~30M). You can check the status of your own ETA at any time via our status lookup tool.

Refusal reasons are not published by category

The ETA_D01 data tables show grants and non-grants by nationality and quarter but do not break down non-grants into rejection categories (photograph failure, name mismatch) versus substantive refusals (suitability, criminality). This information would be valuable for applicants and advisors but is not currently published. Our ETA refusal guide analyses the known patterns and explains what to do if your application is unsuccessful.

No enforcement data post-February 2026

The enforcement of the ETA requirement on 25 February 2026 was the first time the Home Office began systematically preventing non-compliant travellers from boarding. No data on denied boardings, enforcement actions, or compliance rates has yet been published for the post-enforcement period. This data — when released — will be significant for understanding how many travellers arrived at check-in without a valid ETA and what happened next. For travellers uncertain about how long the process takes, we recommend applying well in advance.

11. Frequently Asked Questions