United Kingdom's ETA Just Got 25% More Expensive
The Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) fee increased effective **April 8, 2026**, from £16 to **£20** (approximately $22 to $27 USD). This mandatory digital pre-travel authorization applies to most non-visa nationals (including Americans, Canadians, and many others) for short stays up to 6 months or transit through UK passport control. It allows multiple entries over 2 years (or until passport expiry). Applications via the UK ETA app are usually approved in minutes; apply at least 3 working days in advance. Fees are under annual review. This raises costs for digital nomads, expats, and frequent travelers. Some reporting noted it as roughly doubling from the original launch price.
United Kingdom's ETA Just Got 25% More Expensive
The UK Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) isn't a visa, it's a mandatory digital permission linked to your passport that visa-exempt travelers must hold before boarding any flight, train or ferry to the UK. Full enforcement kicked in February 25, 2026, covering arrivals by air, sea and rail , including Eurostar. The fee, turns out, just climbed again: £20 (roughly $27 USD) per person as of April 8, 2026, up from £16, part of an annual inflation-linked review that's pushed the price up 25% from the original £10 pilot.
Each ETA covers multiple entries over two years (or until passport expiry), so the math isn't brutal for one-off tourists, but it adds up fast. Digital nomads cycling in and out of the UK every few months, expats maintaining ties without UK residency status and families traveling with kids , everyone needs their own, children included and there's honestly no bundling or household discount.
Who's exempt: British and Irish citizens, UK residents with settled or pre-settled status, visa holders and Irish residents entering via the Common Travel Area with proof. Everyone else from the EU, USA, Canada, Australia and most other visa-exempt countries needs one, no exceptions.
One more date to flag: April 23, 2026, the ETA requirement extends to Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man.
To apply:
- Use the official UK ETA app (iOS or Android) or GOV.UK , not third-party sites that charge more
- Submit passport details, a valid photo and suitability questions, then pay £20
- Most approvals are instant, but apply at least 3 working days before travel
- Check your status at GOV.UK using the same passport you'll travel with
The ETA doesn't guarantee entry, carriers check it before boarding and showing up without one means denial. That's not a gray area. The fee is under annual review, so £20 probably won't be the ceiling , frequent travelers should factor that into their visa updates planning.
Read our full United Kingdom guide for the complete picture on entry rules, stay limits and what nomads need to know before their next trip.