Only nationals from certain countries can apply for an ETA. If you wish to see this list please scroll down to Appendix A. Appendix A countries can apply for an ETA from today. Appendix B countries nationals can start to apply if they wish to travel after January 8th 2025. Appendix C country nationals can only apply for an ETA if they wish to travel to the UK from 2nd April 2025.

Nationals from the remaining countries that require a visa in order to enter the UK, otherwise known as Visa Required Nationals, cannot apply for the ETA online. If you wish to see this list please scroll down to Appendix D.

The purpose of you wishing to travel and enter the UK is not one of the below:

If you are planning to work, or settle, or stay in the UK for purposes not stated above under a visitor or short-term visa  such as you have a job and you are coming to work, or you are planning to get married and stay in the UK with your new spouse you cannot use an ETA and must apply for the appropriate visa for that purpose.

Any individual who has a history of an immigration violation may be refused the ETA because further checks will need to go into what the history of the violation was, how serious it was and was it overturned. This includes all violations from any period of time even if over ten years has passed since the violation.

If you are a serious criminal and I have had a serious conviction - this may cause you to be ineligible to receive an ETA. This will depend on the nature of the crime and its relevance to UK immigration rules.

Anyone flagged as a potential threat to UK security (e.g., suspected of terrorism or other national security risks) will not be eligible for an ETA.

If the applicant fails to provide accurate information or required documentation during the ETA application process, their application may be rejected.

ETAs are typically issued for short-term visits for tourism, family visits, or business purposes. Those intending to:

An application for an ETA must be refused where either:

An application for an ETA must be refused where the applicant either:

An application for an ETA must be refused where the applicant’s presence in the UK is not conducive to the public good because of their conduct, character, associations or other reasons (including convictions which do not fall within the criminality grounds).

Where an applicant has failed to disclose their involvement in alleged war crimes, terrorism or extremism on an application for ETA, whereby Home Office records contain or indicate information to the contrary, you must refuse the application on non-conducive grounds, rather than on grounds of false representation or failure to disclose relevant facts.

An application for an ETA must be refused if, when they were aged 18 or over, the applicant either:

An application for an ETA must be refused where in relation to the current or a previous ETA application either:

An application for an ETA must be refused where the applicant has failed to pay litigation costs awarded to the Home Office.

An application for an ETA must be refused if the applicant had an ETA cancelled by the Home Office under ETA 5.8, unless the Home Office holds a record that entry clearance, or permission to enter or stay was subsequently granted with knowledge of the cancellation.

The reasons an ETA may be cancelled under ETA 5.8. relate to the validity requirements set out at ETA 1.1. and ETA 1.2. This includes cancellation of an ETA where either:

An application for an ETA must be refused if the applicant has previously been refused entry clearance, permission to enter or permission to stay under Appendix V: Visitor, unless the Home Office holds a record that either: