UK ETA Fee Rises to £20: What You Need to Know Right Now
As of 8 April 2026, the UK ETA fee increased from £16 to £20 — a 25% rise confirmed by the official GOV.UK page. Every new application submitted from that date pays the new rate. Existing valid ETAs are unaffected.
What Exactly Changed — and When
The UK Home Office set 8 April 2026 as the effective date for the new fee. Applications submitted on or after that date are charged at the £20 rate regardless of when the trip takes place. Applications submitted before that date — even for future travel — retain the old £16 price.
The timing is not coincidental. On 9 April 2026 — today — the ETA scheme also expanded to cover direct travel to Jersey, Guernsey, and the Isle of Man, with enforcement for those Crown Dependencies beginning on 23 April 2026.
The fee change is based on the date of application, not the date of travel. If you applied before 8 April 2026, you paid £16 even if your trip is months away.
A Brief but Steep Pricing History
When the ETA launched in October 2023 for Qatari nationals, it cost £10. That original fee already represented a modest barrier to entry — but the trajectory since has been sharply upward.
| Date | Fee | Change | Context |
|---|---|---|---|
| October 2023 | £10 | — | ETA launches for GCC nationals |
| 9 April 2025 | £16 | +60% | Scheme extended to European nationals |
| 8 April 2026 | £20 | +25% | Current fee — scheme extended to Crown Dependencies |
The Home Office has positioned each increase as necessary to fund the continued development of digital borders infrastructure, biometric systems, and immigration enforcement capacity. The £20 fee represents a 100% increase from the original launch price in under two and a half years.
Who Is Affected
The new £20 fee applies to all visa-exempt nationals who require an ETA before travelling to the UK. That includes citizens of the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, all EU member states (except Irish nationals, who are exempt), and dozens of other eligible countries.
Every traveller needs their own ETA — including children and infants. A family of four now pays £80 in total (up from £64). A family of five pays £100. Use our ETA cost calculator to work out your exact total.
Nationals who require a full UK visa — including citizens of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and many others — are not affected by the ETA fee change. They continue to apply through the standard visitor visa route, which itself rose to £135 on 8 April 2026.
What Stays the Same
Despite the higher price, the ETA itself remains unchanged in every other respect:
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Validity | 2 years from issue, or until passport expires — whichever comes first |
| Entries | Unlimited entries during validity period |
| Stay per visit | Up to 6 months |
| Purposes covered | Tourism, family visits, business, short-term study |
| Processing | Digital — no embassy appointment or physical documents |
| Decision time | Usually within minutes; apply several days before travel as a precaution |
| Refundability | Non-refundable — applies whether approved or refused |
The ETA does not guarantee entry to the UK. Border Force retains the right to refuse admission on arrival.
How £20 Compares Globally
At its new price point, the UK ETA sits between two comparable systems.
| System | Fee | Validity | Countries covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| UK ETA | £20 | 2 years | UK only |
| US ESTA | $40.27 (~£32) | 2 years | USA only |
| EU ETIAS (planned) | €7 (~£6) | 3 years | 26 Schengen countries |
| Canada eTA | CAD 7 (~£4) | 5 years | Canada only |
By that measure, the UK ETA now looks comparatively expensive for a single-country authorisation — particularly against the forthcoming EU ETIAS, which will cover 26 countries for less than a third of the price.
How to Apply — and Where to Check Your Status
Applications are submitted through the official GOV.UK portal or the UK ETA mobile app. The process requires your passport details, a recent photograph, and answers to standard eligibility questions.
- Before you apply, ensure your photo meets the official requirements — see our full guide to UK ETA photo requirements.
- Already applied? Verify your authorisation at any time on our ETA status check and FAQ page.
- For a full cost breakdown — including a calculator for families and groups — visit our UK ETA fees and processing time page.
Bottom Line
The UK ETA now costs £20 per person — confirmed by GOV.UK, effective from 8 April 2026. There is no indication of a further increase in the near term, but the trajectory since 2023 suggests the price will continue to be reviewed periodically. If your travel plans are firm, applying sooner rather than later locks in the current rate for two years.
Apply for Your UK ETA Today
Valid 2 years · Multiple entries · Decision very fast
Start Your ETA Application →Sources: GOV.UK · UK Home Office fee regulations · Published 9 April 2026.
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