Key Takeaways
- Every US passport holder needs a UK ETA before flying to the UK, and has since 8 January 2025. It costs about $27 (£20), lasts 2 years and covers stays of up to 6 months.
- Trap 1: there is no family ETA. Each person traveling needs one, "including babies and children." A family of four pays about $107 (£80).
- Trap 2: a London connection is not automatically exempt. The airside exemption is officially temporary, under review, and only works at Heathrow and Manchester if you never pass border control.
- Trap 3: the only official places are gov.uk/eta and the UK ETA app, at £20. Anything else costs more and, in the government's words, cannot get you a faster decision.
- The fee doubled in a year: £10 until 8 April 2025, £16 from 9 April 2025, £20 from 8 April 2026. A refusal has no appeal; the route is a £135 (about $180) Standard Visitor visa.
Every American visiting the UK needs an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) before boarding, babies included. It costs £20 (about $27), is tied to your passport, lasts 2 years and usually arrives by email within a day. Three things catch US families: each child needs their own, a London connection can still require one, and copycat sites charge more.
We built this trip in Navoy: a 4-night London plan for a family of four, 11 to 15 February 2027.
Do US citizens need an ETA to visit the UK in 2026?
Yes. The UK government says you "usually need an ETA rather than a visa if you're from Europe, the USA, Australia, Canada or certain other countries." Americans have needed one for travel on or after 8 January 2025. It covers visits to the UK, Jersey, Guernsey or the Isle of Man of up to 6 months, repeatedly while valid.
An ETA is not a visa. It is permission to travel, linked to the passport you apply with and checked by the airline before you board. The scheme started with Qatar in November 2023 and reached Americans on 8 January 2025; the Home Office says 24.8 million ETAs were issued by the end of 2025.
The whole scheme in one table, from GOV.UK:
| UK ETA, as of 19 October 2026 | |
|---|---|
| Who needs one | Most visitors who don't need a visa, including US citizens, of every age |
| Cost | £20 (about $27), not refundable |
| Lasts | 2 years, or until your passport expires, whichever is sooner |
| Stay allowed | Up to 6 months per visit, unlimited visits |
| Decision | Usually within a day; up to 3 working days. Often minutes in the app |
| Where to apply | gov.uk/eta or the free 'UK ETA' app by UK Visas and Immigration |
| Who is exempt | British and Irish citizens, UK visa holders, UK residents, airside transit passengers (see below) |
One detail for dual citizens: if you also hold British or Irish citizenship, GOV.UK says you "cannot get an ETA." You travel on that passport instead, or carry a certificate of entitlement in your US passport.
How much does the UK ETA cost, and why did it double?
£20 per person, about $27 at the European Central Bank rate of 19 October 2026. The fee was £10 when Americans first needed it, rose to £16 on 9 April 2025 and to £20 on 8 April 2026, per the Home Office fee tables: it doubled in one year less a day. A family of four pays £80, about $107.
| From | Fee | In dollars | What changed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 November 2023 (launch) | £10 | about $13 | Qatar first, then the Gulf; the US joined on 8 January 2025 at this price |
| 9 April 2025 | £16 | about $21 | First rise, laid before Parliament on 16 January 2025 |
| 8 April 2026 | £20 | about $27 | Second rise; unchanged in the October 2026 fee table |
You pay in pounds when you apply, and there is no refund, even if the answer is no. For scale, the US charges visitors $40.62 for an ESTA from 16 October 2026; our ESTA fee guide has that history.
The permit is a small line in a London budget. The hotel is the big one. Check what's left for your dates: London hotels with live prices.
Trap 1: Do children and babies need their own UK ETA?
Yes. GOV.UK is explicit: "Each person travelling needs an ETA, including babies and children." There is no family application and no child discount. A newborn pays the same £20 as a parent, and each child's ETA is linked to that child's own passport, so the baby needs a passport first.
The instinct is to apply once and add the kids. It does not work that way:
- Kids with you: GOV.UK says "you can apply for someone else's ETA on the UK ETA app if they're with you." The app scans each passport chip and takes each face photo in turn.
- Kids not with you: apply online instead, with a photo of their passport and of their face.
- Decisions arrive separately. GOV.UK warns that decisions for people you applied for together may come at different times. Do not fly until every family member has their email.
- New passport, new ETA. Children's passports expire sooner than adults', and a renewed passport means a fresh £20.
Two adults and two children pay £80, about $107, before anyone books a flight.
Trap 2: Do you need a UK ETA to connect through Heathrow?
Only if you pass through UK border control. GOV.UK says you need an ETA "if you're passing through border control at a UK airport before continuing your onward journey." Staying airside is exempt, but the government calls that exemption "temporary", says it "will be kept under review", and notes it mainly applies at Heathrow and Manchester.
Before you skip the ETA on a London connection, work out which side of passport control it puts you on:
| Your connection | ETA needed? | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Same ticket, bags checked through, stay in the transit area at Heathrow or Manchester | No, for now | Airside transit is exempt under the temporary rule |
| You have to collect and re-check a bag | Yes | Baggage reclaim is past border control |
| Two separate tickets | Usually yes | You normally clear immigration to check in again; ask the airline |
| Overnight layover, or a few hours in London | Yes | Leaving the airport means passing border control |
| Connecting at any other UK airport | Yes | GOV.UK says only Heathrow and Manchester offer transit facilities |
Only the first row saves you £20, and it rests on a rule the government has said it could withdraw. Budget the £20 per person anyway and check GOV.UK the week you fly. The bag and separate-ticket rows are our practical reading of "passing through border control"; GOV.UK's own advice is to "check with your airline".
Thinking of turning the connection into a stopover? What a London stopover costs: compare London hotels for your night. With an ETA in hand, a 24-hour stop costs nothing extra at the border.
Trap 3: Which website is the official UK ETA site?
Two places only: gov.uk/eta for the online form, and the 'UK ETA' app from UK Visas and Immigration, on the App Store and Google Play. Both charge £20. GOV.UK says "other websites may charge more to apply", says to "avoid websites that imitate government services", and that "you cannot get a faster decision by applying through another website or app."
Search "UK ETA" and the first results are often private sites with official-looking names, filling in the same form for a markup. Three checks before you pay:
- The address. The real form lives under gov.uk. Nothing else is the government.
- The price. If the total is not £20 (about $27) per person, you are paying someone's fee on top.
- The app publisher. In the App Store or Google Play, the developer is UK Visas and Immigration. The app is free and English only.
The app needs iOS 16 or later, or Android 12 or later with NFC, because it reads your passport chip. If your phone cannot run it, the online form costs the same.
How long does a UK ETA take, and when should you apply?
Usually within a day. GOV.UK says "you'll usually get a decision by email within a day, but it can take up to 3 working days", and the Home Office says most app applicants get an automatic decision in minutes. You must have the confirmation email before you travel, so apply once you hold the passport you will fly with.
You need that passport, an email address, a card or Apple Pay or Google Pay, and a photo of your face (online applications also need a photo of the passport).
- Apply when you book, not the night before. Three working days over a weekend or a US holiday can stretch past your flight.
- Apply after a passport renewal, never before. The ETA dies with the old passport.
- Check your spam folder after 3 working days before contacting UK Visas and Immigration.
- At the airport you show only your passport. The ETA is checked electronically.
ETA in hand? Search flights to LHR: flights to London Heathrow, 11 to 15 February.
What happens if your UK ETA is refused?
A refused ETA cannot be appealed. The Home Office says that if an application "is refused, they cannot appeal and instead need to apply for a visa." For a tourist that means a Standard Visitor visa at £135 (about $180), available up to 3 months before travel. A "rejected" application is different: you learn the reason and apply again.
The two words matter:
- Rejected means the application failed a check, typically a bad photo or wrong details. GOV.UK says "you'll need to apply again." You lose the £20.
- Refused means the Home Office read your answers and said no. No appeal; the route is a visa.
The app asks about other nationalities and "details of any criminal convictions", which is where refusals come from. GOV.UK's visa page says that "if you've previously been refused entry to the UK or have a criminal record, you may want to apply" for a Standard Visitor visa even when you don't need one. A refusal costs £20 plus £135; a visa from the start costs £135.
An ETA also does not guarantee entry; the officer at the border decides. Navoy is a travel planner, not an immigration adviser: for anything beyond a tourist trip, read the GOV.UK pages in the Sources.
How does the UK ETA compare with the ESTA and ETIAS?
The UK ETA, at about $27, costs less than the US ESTA ($40.62 from 16 October 2026) and more than Europe's planned ETIAS (€20, about $22, under-18s exempt). But ETIAS is not in operation and has no start date, so for a US family flying to London and on to Paris this winter, it is the only permit that exists.
| Permit | Cost per person | Children | Valid for | Status on 19 October 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK ETA | £20, about $27 | Full fee, every age | 2 years or passport expiry | Live since 2023; US citizens since 8 Jan 2025 |
| US ESTA | $40.62 | Full fee, every age | 2 years or passport expiry | Live |
| EU ETIAS | €20, about $22 | Free under 18 | Up to 3 years | Not in operation, no start date |
Our ETIAS status guide tracks the European launch. Until then a US passport alone is enough for the Schengen area, and the UK ETA is the one permit to sort before a London-plus-Europe trip.
Plan this trip
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- Flights: search flights to London Heathrow LHR, 11 to 15 February
- Still choosing a city: browse hotels across Europe
Frequently asked questions
Do US citizens need a visa or an ETA for the UK?
An ETA, not a visa, for tourism, family visits and short business trips of up to 6 months. GOV.UK says Americans "usually need an ETA rather than a visa", and the requirement has applied to US citizens for travel on or after 8 January 2025. Work and stays over 6 months still need a visa.
How much is the UK ETA for US citizens in 2026?
£20 per person, about $27 at the ECB rate of 19 October 2026, paid by card, Apple Pay or Google Pay when you apply. It is not refundable. The fee was £10 until 8 April 2025 and £16 from 9 April 2025 to 7 April 2026. A family of four pays £80, about $107.
Does a baby need a UK ETA?
Yes. GOV.UK says each person traveling needs an ETA "including babies and children", at the full £20. The ETA is linked to the child's own passport, so the baby needs a US passport first. A parent can apply for a child in the UK ETA app if the child is present, or online if not.
Do I need a UK ETA for a layover at Heathrow?
Not if you stay airside and never pass UK border control, under a temporary exemption the government says it will keep under review. You do need one if you collect a bag, leave the airport, connect on separate tickets through immigration, or transit at any airport other than Heathrow or Manchester. Check with your airline.
What if my UK ETA is refused?
You cannot appeal. The Home Office says a refused applicant must apply for a visa instead, which for a tourist means a Standard Visitor visa at £135 (about $180). If your application was "rejected" rather than refused, you are told the reason and can apply again, but the first £20 is not refunded.
Sources
- GOV.UK, get an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) - who needs one ("the USA" named), up to 6 months, "each person travelling needs an ETA, including babies and children", the border-control transit rule, the £20 fee, the imitation-website warning
- GOV.UK, apply for an ETA - £20 online or in the app, no refund, decision usually within a day and up to 3 working days, 2 years or passport expiry, linked to the passport, applying for others, "you cannot get a faster decision by applying through another website or app", rejected applications apply again, wait for the email before travel
- GOV.UK, when you do not need an ETA - the full exemption list, airside transit, dual British or Irish citizens "cannot get an ETA"
- GOV.UK, using the 'UK ETA' app - published by UK Visas and Immigration, iOS 16 or later, Android 12 or later with NFC, English only, the questions asked including criminal convictions, pay in the app
- Immigration Rules, Appendix ETA National List - "United States" in the group for travel on or after 8 January 2025
- GOV.UK news, UK opens pre-travel requirement to non-Europeans, 27 November 2024 - applications from 27 November 2024, required from 8 January 2025, £10 at the time, Europeans from 2 April 2025
- GOV.UK news, UK opens electronic travel authorisation scheme, 15 November 2023 - the £10 launch fee, Qatar first
- GOV.UK news, next steps for a more efficient immigration system, 16 January 2025 - the "temporary exemption" for airside transit, "primarily affect Heathrow and Manchester airports, as the only UK airports which currently offer transit facilities", "kept under review", the ETA fee rising to £16
- GOV.UK, Home Office immigration and nationality fees, 9 April 2025 - ETA £10 to £16
- GOV.UK, Home Office immigration and nationality fees, 8 April 2026 - ETA £16 to £20
- Home Office media, ETA factsheet, April 2026 - 24.8 million ETAs issued to the end of 2025, automatic decisions in minutes via the app, rejected vs refused and the visa route, Heathrow and Manchester airside transit
- GOV.UK, Standard Visitor visa - £135 for up to 6 months, apply up to 3 months ahead, the advice for anyone previously refused entry or with a criminal record
- European Central Bank, euro reference rates - 19 October 2026 rates (USD 1.1225, GBP 0.84205) used for every dollar conversion
- Travel to Europe, ETIAS (European Commission) - ETIAS not in operation, €20, under-18s exempt, up to 3 years
All figures verified 19 October 2026. The ESTA figure ($40.62 from 16 October 2026) is from the Federal Register notice of 1 October 2026, covered in our ESTA fee guide.
Related articles
- ESTA Fee 2026: $40.62 From 16 October, Plus UK ETA and ETIAS Costs
- ETIAS Status 2026: Not Launched, No Date Yet
- How Long Can Americans Stay Abroad Visa-Free? (2026)
ETA sorted? Plan your London trip free, then compare London hotels - Navoy: your AI Travel Agent
About the Author
Ranym Garali
Ranym is the Marketing and Content Lead at Navoy. She's been writing about travel for two years and digs into the data behind each piece, flight prices, visa rules and what people are actually searching for , so the advice holds up in practice.
