UK ETA for Minors 2026: Photo Rules, Face Scan Age Limits & Everything Parents Need to Know
Every minor — from newborn to age 17 — needs their own individual UK ETA. There are no age exemptions. However, the way biometric information is collected during the application differs significantly by age: children under 10 are not required to complete a face scan (liveness check) through the UK ETA app; children under 6 have relaxed photo expression rules; and children under 1 have special photo-taking instructions. A face photo is always required, at every age. Apply at application-eta.uk — our team manually reviews every child’s photo before submission, reducing the risk of delays from non-compliant images.
This guide has been reviewed and verified by Martin Cage, Senior UK ETA Specialist and former adviser to the Home Office Immigration Advisory Panel. All biometric guidance reflects confirmed Home Office policy as of April 2026. Last reviewed: April 2026.
The families article on this site covers the cost structure, consent letters, and border procedures for families travelling together. This article focuses on the one area where the rules for children diverge most sharply from adults: biometrics. Specifically — the age-based rules for the face photo, the face scan (liveness check), and what the UK Home Office actually requires at each stage of childhood.
Getting a child’s photo wrong is the single most common cause of ETA application delays for families. Getting the face scan requirement wrong causes parents to abandon the official app entirely — often unnecessarily. This guide sets out exactly what is required, at exactly what ages, with no ambiguity.
- Biometrics for Minors: The Three Age Tiers You Need to Know
- The Face Scan (Liveness Check): Under-10 Exemption Explained
- Photo Rules by Age: Under 1, Under 6, and 6–17
- Practical Photo Guide: How to Photograph a Baby or Toddler
- e-Gates at UK Airports: Age 10 Is the Cut-Off
- France-to-UK School Trips: The Special Group Exemption
- The British-by-Descent Trap for Children Born Abroad
- Applying on Behalf of a Minor: Who Can Do It and How
- Frequently Asked Questions
For the foundational rules — every child needs their own ETA, cost per person, consent letter requirements, border procedures — see our UK ETA for Families & Children 2026 guide. This article picks up where that one leaves off.
1. Biometrics for Minors: The Three Age Tiers You Need to Know
When a person applies for a UK ETA, the Home Office collects two types of biometric information: a face photo (a static image of the face) and, for most adults, a liveness check (a short face scan performed through the UK ETA app camera to confirm the live person matches the photo). For children, both of these requirements are age-graduated.
| Age | Face Photo Required? | Face Scan (Liveness Check) Required? | Special Photo Rules? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 1 year | Yes | No — under-10 exemption applies | Yes — full special rules (eyes need not be open; flat on sheet; photo from above) |
| Age 1–5 | Yes | No — under-10 exemption applies | Yes — relaxed gaze and expression rules apply |
| Age 6–9 | Yes | No — under-10 exemption applies | No — same rules as adults (direct gaze, neutral expression) |
| Age 10–17 | Yes | Yes — liveness check required when using the app | No — same rules as adults |
| Adult (18+) | Yes | Yes | No |
The key takeaway: no child under 10 is required to complete a liveness check, and no child under 6 is required to look directly at the camera or hold a neutral expression. But a face photo is required at every single age — there is no exemption from providing a facial image, regardless of how young the child is.
Parents applying through the official UK ETA app sometimes encounter a screen prompting a face scan. If you are applying for a child under 10, the app should not require a liveness scan — but if it does prompt one, this is a known workflow issue. You can apply via the GOV.UK website instead, where a photo upload is used rather than a live camera scan. Alternatively, our team at application-eta.uk handles this distinction automatically: children under 10 are processed without a liveness check requirement.
2. The Face Scan (Liveness Check): Under-10 Exemption Explained
The official Home Office biometric enrolment guidance states plainly: “For ETA applications, applicants under the age of 10 are not subject to a liveness check as part of the ETA application process.”
This is confirmed by the VisitScotland official ETA guide, which notes that the face scan step in the UK ETA app applies only to “travellers aged 10 and over.”
What a liveness check is — and why young children are exempt
A liveness check (also called a face scan or biometric selfie) is a short video-based verification performed through the camera on a smartphone. The app asks the applicant to look at the camera, sometimes to turn their head slightly, and captures a short sequence of frames that confirm a live person — not a printed photo — is present. The system then compares the live face with the passport chip photo to verify identity.
Children under 10 are exempt because reliable liveness detection is technically impractical for young children: facial geometry changes rapidly in early childhood, the biometric algorithms used for liveness detection are calibrated for adult or near-adult facial proportions, and holding a young child still while performing a camera scan in an app is physically challenging. The Home Office has decided the identity assurance value of the scan for under-10s does not justify the practical difficulties — so a static face photo suffices.
What changes at age 10
At age 10, children are treated the same as adults for biometric purposes. When applying via the UK ETA app, a 10-year-old is required to complete the face scan step, hold still while the camera captures their face, and meet the same liveness check standards as an adult. The VisitScotland guidance confirms: scan your face with your smartphone camera applies to travellers aged 10 and over.
In practical terms, this means a 9-year-old applying for an ETA can skip the face scan step; a 10-year-old cannot. Parents applying for children straddling this age threshold should take note of exactly which birthday has or has not occurred.
Home Office Biometric Enrolment Policy Guidance (GOV.UK):
“For Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) applications, applicants under the age of 10 are not
subject to a liveness check as part of the ETA application process.”
VisitScotland Official ETA Guide:
“Scan your face with your smartphone camera (only for travellers aged 10 and over).”
These two sources together confirm the age threshold beyond any ambiguity.
Fingerprint biometrics: under-5 exemption (separate from ETA)
A separate biometric exemption worth knowing: children under 5 are exempt from providing fingerprint biometrics under UK immigration rules. However, this exemption relates to visa applications and biometric residence permits — not to the ETA system. ETA applications do not collect fingerprints at all (for any age). The only biometric the ETA collects is the face photo (and the face scan for 10+). So the under-5 fingerprint exemption, while technically relevant to the broader biometric framework, has no practical effect on an ETA application.
3. Photo Rules by Age: Under 1, Under 6, and 6–17
Every ETA applicant must provide a face photograph. The technical requirements for the photo itself vary by age. Here is the complete breakdown drawn from official Home Office and GOV.UK photo guidance.
Age 6 and over — same rules as adults
Children aged 6 and over must meet exactly the same photo standards as adults:
- Full face visible, looking directly at the camera
- Neutral expression, mouth closed
- Eyes fully open and clearly visible
- Plain white or light, non-distracting background
- No glasses (Home Office guidance strongly recommends removing all eyewear)
- No hats or headwear except for genuine religious or medical reasons
- Child must be alone in the frame — no other people, no toys, no dummies
- Head and shoulders visible with space around the edges of the face
- Sharp, well-lit image with no blur, shadows or flash glare
Ages 1–5 — relaxed gaze and expression rules
For children aged 1 to 5, the Home Office relaxes two requirements:
- ✔ Relaxed: The child does not have to look directly at the camera. A slight turn of the head or gaze away from the lens is acceptable.
- ✔ Relaxed: The child does not have to have a neutral or plain expression. Smiling, or a slightly open mouth, is acceptable for this age group.
- ✘ Still required: The face must be clearly and fully visible.
- ✘ Still required: Plain light-coloured background with no other people or objects.
- ✘ Still required: Child must be alone in the frame — no hands, no toys, no dummies.
- ✘ Still required: Sharp, well-lit image.
Under 1 year — special method required
For babies under 1 year old, the Home Office provides specific practical instructions that differ significantly from the standard approach:
Position: Lay the baby flat on their back on a plain, light-coloured sheet
(white or pale cream). Do not use a patterned surface or dark background.
Camera position: Take the photo from directly above, with the camera
pointed straight down at the baby’s face. The entire face should fill most of the frame.
Eyes: The baby’s eyes do not need to be open.
A closed-eye photo is accepted for children under 1.
Head support: You can support the baby’s head with your hand,
but your hand must not be visible in the final photo. Position your hand out of
frame or crop it out after taking the shot.
Expression: No requirement for a neutral expression. Open mouth, crying, or any
natural expression is acceptable.
What is not allowed: No dummies, no toys in the frame, no other people visible,
no patterned backgrounds.
| Photo Rule | Under 1 | Ages 1–5 | Ages 6–17 & Adults |
|---|---|---|---|
| Face photo required | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Eyes must be open | No — not required | Yes | Yes |
| Must look directly at camera | No | No — not required | Yes |
| Neutral expression required | No | No — not required | Yes |
| Mouth must be closed | No | No | Yes |
| Plain light background | Yes — white sheet | Yes | Yes |
| Child alone in frame | Yes (hand allowed but not visible) | Yes | Yes |
| No toys or dummies | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Special photo method | Lay flat, shoot from above | Standard, standing or sitting | Standard |
4. Practical Photo Guide: How to Photograph a Baby or Toddler
Even with relaxed rules, photographing a very young child for a biometric application is genuinely the hardest step of the entire ETA process for many parents. Non-compliant photos are the leading cause of rejection and delay. Here are the most effective practical methods.
For babies under 1 year
- Prepare the background: Place a plain white or cream bedsheet flat on the floor or on a table. Remove any creases — a wrinkled sheet creates patterns that can confuse the Home Office photo review system.
- Position the baby: Lay the baby on their back in the centre of the sheet. Make sure there is no pillow, cushion, or patterned mat underneath them — only the plain sheet.
- Wait for an alert moment: A moment when the baby is awake and relatively calm gives the best result. However, if the baby’s eyes are closed, this is still acceptable for under-1s — do not force the eyes open.
- Camera position: Stand directly above the baby, phone pointed straight down. The camera should be held at a height of about 40–60 cm above the baby’s face. The face should fill approximately 60–70% of the frame.
- Head support: If the baby’s head needs to be supported, place your hand beneath it but keep it outside the frame, or crop the image afterwards so no hand is visible.
- Lighting: Natural daylight is ideal. If indoors, position near a window with diffused light (not direct sunlight, which creates harsh shadows). Turn off flash — flash creates glare and can produce red-eye.
- Take multiple shots: Take 8–12 photos and choose the sharpest, most evenly lit one. Baby movement makes blur common — taking many shots maximises the chance of a clean image.
For toddlers and children aged 1–5
- Background: Stand the child against a plain white or pale wall. Alternatively, hang a white bedsheet behind them. Keep the background as uncluttered as possible.
- Camera height: Hold the camera at eye level with the child — not above them looking down, and not below looking up. Eye-level shots produce the most natural, compliant image.
- Distance: Position the child approximately 1 metre from the wall (to avoid background shadows) and stand approximately 1 metre from the child.
- Expression: For under-6s, smiling is acceptable. Do not stress the child by asking them to hold a neutral expression — it often makes the photo worse.
- Direct gaze: For under-6s, the child does not need to look directly at the camera. However, having the face clearly visible with the eyes somewhat toward the camera makes for a cleaner photo. Use a sound or toy to get the child’s attention toward the lens.
- Timing: After nap time when the child is calm is usually the best window. A hungry or overtired toddler will not cooperate for long — work quickly.
At application-eta.uk, every photo submitted for a child’s ETA application is manually reviewed by a member of our team before we submit to the Home Office. We check that the image meets the age-appropriate requirements — including the under-6 relaxed rules and the under-1 special method — and contact you for a replacement if the photo is likely to cause a delay or rejection. This is the most reliable way to avoid the most common cause of child ETA delays.
Common photo mistakes that cause rejections (all ages)
| Mistake | Why It Causes Problems | How to Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Hand visible in the frame | Even for under-1s where hand support is allowed, the hand itself must not appear in the photo | Crop the image or reposition before shooting |
| Toy or dummy in the mouth or frame | Explicitly prohibited at all ages | Remove before photographing; wait until dummy is out |
| Patterned or dark background | Must be plain and light-coloured at all ages | Use a plain white bedsheet or stand against a pale wall |
| Flash glare on face | Creates hotspots that obscure facial features | Turn off flash; use natural or indirect light |
| Blurry or out-of-focus image | Fails biometric quality check | Take multiple shots; choose the sharpest one |
| Child not alone in frame | Another adult or child appearing in the photo is prohibited | Ensure only the applicant child is in the image |
| For 6+: not looking at camera | Direct gaze is required from age 6 onward | Hold something above the camera lens to attract the child’s attention |
| For 6+: sunglasses or tinted lenses | Eyes must be clearly visible | Remove all eyewear; glasses are not permitted |
5. e-Gates at UK Airports: Age 10 Is the Cut-Off
UK automated e-Gates — the passport-scanner kiosks at major airports and Eurostar terminals — are available to ETA holders aged 10 and over with biometric passports from eligible countries. This age threshold mirrors the face scan threshold: e-Gates rely on live facial recognition matched against passport chip data, which requires the same biometric standards as the liveness check in the ETA app.
| Age | e-Gate Eligible? | Border Process |
|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | No | Staffed immigration desk — must queue with accompanying adult |
| Age 10–17 | Yes — if holding a valid ETA and biometric passport | Can use e-Gate; may choose staffed desk if travelling with under-10 siblings |
| 18+ | Yes — standard adult eligibility | e-Gate or staffed desk |
Practically, most families travelling with any children under 10 will use the staffed desk together regardless of the older children’s e-Gate eligibility — it keeps the family together and avoids the situation where a 10-year-old passes through an e-Gate while younger siblings wait separately with a parent.
e-Gate eligibility also requires a biometric passport — the type with the small gold camera symbol on the cover and a chip inside. All passports issued in most eligible countries since approximately 2006 are biometric. If a child’s passport is an older non-biometric document (rare but possible for children with old passports that were not renewed), they are not eligible for e-Gates regardless of age.
6. France-to-UK School Trips: The Specific Group Exemption
There is one specific, narrow exemption for children that does not apply to any other traveller group: children travelling on an organised France-to-UK school trip are exempt from the individual ETA requirement — but only under strictly defined conditions.
This exemption is confirmed in the official Wikipedia article on the UK ETA and is based on an existing bilateral educational arrangement between the UK and France. Under this arrangement, schools organising cross-channel educational trips complete a special group form rather than submitting individual ETAs for each student.
What this exemption covers and does not cover
| Scenario | ETA Required? |
|---|---|
| School group trip, France to UK, via Eurostar or ferry, using the special group form | No — group form replaces individual ETAs |
| School group trip, any other country to UK | Yes — individual ETAs required for each student |
| Family holiday from France (not a school group) | Yes — individual ETAs required |
| French students travelling individually (not as an organised school group) | Yes — individual ETA required |
| UK school group travelling to France (return trip, re-entering UK) | Check with school — applies on entry to UK, may qualify if using return group form |
If you are a teacher or trip coordinator organising a school visit to the UK from any country other than France, there is no group school trip ETA exemption. Every student and adult in the group needs their own individual ETA, applied for by their parent or guardian before travel. Our team at application-eta.uk can process group applications simultaneously for school groups, with a single point of contact and coordinated review — contact us at [email protected] to discuss group processing.
7. The British-by-Descent Trap for Children Born Abroad
This is the issue that is causing the most avoidable disruption for children in 2026. It is covered in detail in our families guide, but the child-specific context is worth restating plainly here.
A child who is a British citizen — even one who has never held a British passport, never visited the UK, and currently holds only a foreign passport — cannot apply for or use a UK ETA. They must enter the UK on a British passport or Certificate of Entitlement.
Why children are particularly at risk
Children born outside the UK to a British parent who was themselves born in the UK are automatically British citizens by descent under the British Nationality Act 1981. Parents who emigrated from the UK before or after the child was born may not realise their child carries British citizenship automatically at birth — especially if the child has grown up with only a foreign passport.
If you were born in the UK and are a British citizen “otherwise than by descent” (meaning you acquired British citizenship through birth in the UK, not solely through a parent), and your child was born outside the UK, your child is very likely British by descent automatically — from birth. This is true even if your child:
- Has never visited the UK
- Holds only a US, Australian, French, or other foreign passport
- Has never been registered as a British citizen
- Has a different surname from you
Applying for an ETA for a British child is not merely unnecessary — it could cause problems at the UK border if the Home Office system identifies a conflict between ETA status and citizenship status. Check your child’s citizenship status before applying.
How to check and what to do
- Confirm your own citizenship category: are you British otherwise than by descent (born in the UK) or by descent (born outside the UK to a British parent)?
- If you are British by birth in the UK, and your child was born abroad, they are very likely British by descent. Contact your nearest British Consulate or the UK Passport Office to confirm before applying for any ETA.
- Apply for a British passport for your child. Allow several weeks; urgent services are available at additional cost. A British passport eliminates the need for any ETA for any future UK travel.
- If travel is too imminent to wait for a British passport, a Certificate of Entitlement — a document proving British citizenship rights without a British passport — may be an option. Seek legal advice from a UK immigration solicitor urgently.
8. Applying on Behalf of a Minor: Who Can Do It and How
Any adult can apply for a UK ETA on behalf of a child — the child does not need to be present at a computer. You will enter the child’s passport details (not your own), upload the child’s face photo, and pay using your own payment card. The approval notification goes to the email address provided during the application.
Who can apply for a child
- Either biological parent
- Adoptive parents
- Legal guardians
- Grandparents or other relatives who have the child’s passport details and a recent photo
- Our team at application-eta.uk, when you use our Dedicated Agent service
What you need to apply for a child under 18
- The child’s valid passport (the same one they will travel with)
- A face photograph meeting the age-appropriate requirements set out in Section 3 above
- Contact details of a parent or person with parental responsibility — this is collected in the ETA application for all applicants under 18
- Your email address for the approval notification
- A payment card (Visa, Mastercard, Amex, Apple Pay, Google Pay) — charged in Euros
At application-eta.uk, children under 18 qualify for a 10% discount on the service handling fee. Select the relevant option at checkout before payment. All prices include the UK Government fee of £20 (raised 9 April 2026) — the discount applies to the service component only. Standard rate: €69 per person. With minor discount: €62 per person. See our fees and processing times page for the full breakdown.
Processing times for children’s applications
Processing times for a child’s ETA are the same as for adults: most are decided within minutes to a few hours. However, applications involving non-compliant photos are the most frequent cause of delays for children. Our manual photo review step — included in all plans at application-eta.uk — catches these issues before submission.
| Service | Price | Typical Processing | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard | €69 / €62 for minors | Minutes to a few hours; up to 3 working days in rare cases | Travel 5+ days away; straightforward applications |
| Priority | €119 / €107 for minors | ~24 hours | Travel in 2–5 days; Eurostar; ferry |
| Dedicated Agent | €169 / €152 for minors | 1–6 hours | Urgent same-day needs; complex cases; parents who prefer full assistance |
Apply for Your Child’s ETA — Expert Photo Review Included
Our team manually checks every child’s photo for age-appropriate compliance before submission — the most common reason for child ETA delays, eliminated. Prices unchanged despite the April 2026 government fee increase. 10% minor discount available at checkout.
9. Frequently Asked Questions
Do children under 10 need a face scan for the UK ETA?
No. The Home Office biometric enrolment guidance confirms that applicants under the age of 10 are not subject to a liveness check (face scan) as part of the UK ETA application process. A face photo is still required — but the live camera scan that adults perform through the UK ETA app is not required for children under 10. At age 10, the full liveness check applies. Children aged 10 and over must complete the face scan step when applying via the UK ETA app.
Do children under 6 need a neutral expression in their ETA photo?
No. The Home Office applies relaxed photo rules for children under 6: they do not need to look directly at the camera and do not need to have a neutral or plain expression. Smiling or having a slightly open mouth is acceptable for this age group. The face must still be clearly visible, on a plain light background, with no other people, toys or dummies in the frame. From age 6 onward, the same photo rules as adults apply — direct gaze, neutral expression, mouth closed.
How do I take a photo of my baby for the UK ETA?
The Home Office provides specific guidance for babies under 1 year: lay the baby flat on their back on a plain, light-coloured (white or cream) sheet; take the photo from directly above with the camera pointed straight down at the baby’s face; ensure the face fills most of the frame. The baby’s eyes do not need to be open — closed eyes are accepted for under-1s. You may support the baby’s head with your hand, but the hand must not be visible in the final photo. Flash should be turned off; use natural daylight if possible. Take multiple shots and choose the sharpest, most evenly lit one.
Can children use the e-Gates at UK airports?
Children aged 10 and over with a valid ETA and a biometric passport can use the e-Gates at most major UK airports and Eurostar terminals. Children under 10 cannot use e-Gates — they must go through a staffed immigration desk. In practice, most families travelling with any child under 10 choose to use the staffed desk together as a family, rather than splitting up at the border.
Is a face photo required for babies and newborns?
Yes. A face photograph is required for every ETA applicant at every age — there is no exemption from the photo requirement regardless of how young the child is. The liveness check (face scan) is not required for under-10s, and the photo requirements are relaxed for under-6s, but the photo itself is always mandatory. A baby without a face photo cannot complete an ETA application.
Are French school trips to the UK exempt from the ETA?
Yes — specifically. Children travelling on an organised France-to-UK school trip using the designated bilateral group form are exempt from individual ETA requirements. This exemption is narrow and specific: it applies only to France-origin school groups using the official form, not to family travel from France, not to school groups from other countries, and not to French students travelling individually. Any school group from a country other than France must submit individual ETAs for every student through a parent or guardian.
My child was born outside the UK but my parents are British — does my child need an ETA?
This depends on your own citizenship status. If you (the parent) are a British citizen by birth in the UK (British “otherwise than by descent”), and your child was born outside the UK, your child is likely automatically British by descent — and should not apply for an ETA. If you are yourself British by descent (born outside the UK to a British parent), the transmission rule is more complex and your child may not be automatically British. In either case, check your child’s citizenship status with the UK Passport Office or a UK immigration solicitor before applying for an ETA. Applying for an ETA for a British child could cause complications at the border.
My child is 9 — do they need a face scan?
No. Children who are 9 years old at the time of application are under 10 and are therefore exempt from the liveness check requirement. They still need a face photo. The liveness check becomes required when the child turns 10. If you are applying through the UK ETA app and it appears to require a face scan for a child aged 9, this may be a workflow issue with the app. Try applying via the GOV.UK website instead, or use our application-eta.uk service where our team handles the age-appropriate process automatically.
Can my child’s ETA photo show them smiling?
It depends on the child’s age. For children under 6, smiling is acceptable — the Home Office does not require a neutral expression for this age group. For children aged 6 and over, the same rules as adults apply: a neutral expression with mouth closed is required. A smiling photo for a 7-year-old is likely to be rejected; the same photo for a 4-year-old would be accepted.
What is the 10% minor discount at application-eta.uk?
At application-eta.uk, applicants under 18 qualify for a 10% discount on the service handling fee. Select the minor option at checkout before completing payment. The discount applies to the service fee component only — the UK Government fee of £20 (from 9 April 2026) is non-discountable and included in all prices. With the minor discount: Standard €62, Priority €107, Dedicated Agent €152 per child. Full prices without discount: Standard €69, Priority €119, Dedicated Agent €169.
Do minors need a UK ETA for transit through Heathrow?
It depends on the nature of the transit. If the child passes through UK immigration control (landside transit) — for example, collecting luggage, changing terminals between non-connected terminals, or leaving the airport — a UK ETA is required, at any age. If the child remains in the international airside zone without passing through UK border control (airside transit), an ETA is generally not required. Check your specific itinerary and connecting terminal carefully, or see our Heathrow transit guide for detailed rules.
Expert review: Martin Cage, Senior UK ETA Specialist, former member of the Home Office Immigration Advisory Panel. Reviewed April 2026. · Sources: Home Office, Biometric Information Enrolment Policy Guidance (GOV.UK) — confirmed wording: “For ETA applications, applicants under the age of 10 are not subject to a liveness check as part of the ETA application process.” · VisitScotland, Official ETA Guidance 2026 — “Scan your face with your smartphone camera (only for travellers aged 10 and over).” · GOV.UK, Using the UK ETA App, last updated 9 April 2026 · GOV.UK, UK Passport Photo Requirements — child-specific rules (under 1, under 6) · Wikipedia, Electronic Travel Authorisation (United Kingdom) — France school trip exemption, April 2026 revision · Home Office, Biometric Information Enrolment — fingerprint exemption for under-5s · British Nationality Act 1981 — British by descent rules. Disclaimer: Processing times based on official Home Office guidance and verified applicant experience. Individual results may vary. Always apply in advance of travel.
More UK ETA Guides