Apply for your UK ETA on the official UK ETA app or on GOV.UK at least three working days before you leave, and pay £20 per person, babies and children included. Airlines, ferry companies and Eurostar check for an ETA before you board, so without one you do not travel. An ETA, or Electronic Travel Authorisation, is a digital permission linked to your passport. It is valid for two years or until your passport expires, whichever comes first, and covers as many trips as you like of up to six months each. This guide explains who needs a UK ETA, how to apply in a few minutes, what it costs, how to avoid unofficial websites and how to keep your phone working once you arrive.
What is a UK ETA?
A UK ETA is a digital travel permission for visitors who do not need a visa for the United Kingdom, and Belgians and other Europeans have needed one since 2 April 2025. It is not a visa: you apply online, the answer arrives by email and the permission is linked to your passport electronically.
UK ETA | Key facts |
|---|---|
Cost | £20 per person (around €23), not refundable |
Validity | 2 years, or until your passport expires if that is sooner |
Trips | As many as you like, up to 6 months per visit |
Decision | Usually within one working day, at most 3 working days |
Where it applies | England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man |
Where to apply | The official UK ETA app or GOV.UK |
An ETA does not guarantee entry. A border officer still decides at the border, in the same way as before.
Who needs an ETA for the UK?
Every Belgian passport holder visiting the UK for a holiday, a family visit or a business trip needs an ETA, whatever their age.
You need an ETA | You do not need an ETA |
|---|---|
Belgian and other EU passport holders | British and Irish citizens |
Babies and children, each with their own ETA | People with permission to live, work or study in the UK |
Eurostar passengers from Brussels | Transit passengers who stay airside at Heathrow or Manchester, for now |
Transit passengers who pass UK border control |
Taking the Eurostar from Brussels? The UK border check happens at Brussels Midi before you board, so you need your ETA before you reach the station. The airside transit exemption at Heathrow and Manchester is under review, so check GOV.UK again before a trip with a connection in the UK.
How to apply for a UK ETA
Apply on the official UK ETA app, because it is the quickest way: the app reads your passport and takes your face photo for you. You can also apply on the GOV.UK website, where you upload a photo of your passport and a photo of your face. Have these ready:
The passport you will travel with
An email address
A bank card or credit card, Apple Pay or Google Pay
A recent photo of your face, which the app takes for you
You can apply for someone else, such as your partner or your children, but every traveller needs their own application. The decision arrives by email, usually within a day. You can check whether you have an ETA, and when it expires, on the GOV.UK check ETA page.
How much does a UK ETA cost and how long is it valid?
A UK ETA costs £20 per person since 8 April 2026, up from £16. You cannot get the fee back, even if your application is refused.
Your ETA is valid for two years or until your passport expires, whichever comes first. Because it is linked to your passport, a new passport means a new ETA, so check the expiry date before you book a trip for later in the year.
Use only the official UK ETA website
Apply only through the UK ETA app or GOV.UK. Some websites look official but add their own service fee on top of the £20, and GOV.UK itself warns travellers about them. If the total is more than £20 per person, you are not on the official website. The real application page is on apply-for-an-eta.homeoffice.gov.uk, and you reach it through GOV.UK.
Your phone in the UK after Brexit
Check your plan before you go, because the UK is outside the EU roaming rules since Brexit. Belgian providers are not legally required to include the UK at home prices. Proximus, Telenet and Orange Belgium currently include it at no extra charge, but they do this voluntarily, for now, with fair use limits and without a legal guarantee that it stays that way.
You also need mobile data during the trip itself: to receive the ETA decision email if you apply late, to open your boarding pass or Eurostar ticket, and to find your way from St Pancras. Typical figures, based on Firsty's data guides:
Task | Mobile data |
|---|---|
ETA decision email | under 1 MB |
Boarding pass or Eurostar ticket in an app | under 1 MB to load, nothing once saved |
Google Maps navigation | 3 to 5 MB per hour |
WhatsApp message / photo | under 1 KB / 100 to 500 KB |
Taxi app ride | a few MB per ride |
ChatGPT or another AI app, text chat | 1 to 5 MB per hour |
A day in London with maps, tickets, messages, a ride and a few AI questions usually stays under 100 MB, and a full week stays under 700 MB. Save your ETA confirmation email and boarding pass on your phone before you leave home, so you do not need data at the gate.
Arrive in London with your phone ready
The ETA is one more thing to sort before a trip to the UK, so your phone should not be another one. With Firsty there is no SIM card to swap, no roaming setting to remember, no zone chart to check and no surprise bill, and you can see how that works for the UK on the Firsty UK eSIM page. Every connection Firsty sells also connects someone in Belgium who needs it, not as charity, but as how the business works. Things are moving, so keep an eye on what Firsty is building and discover more at Firsty.app.
FAQ
How much does a UK ETA cost?
A UK ETA costs £20 per person since 8 April 2026, up from £16. Babies and children need their own ETA at the same price, and the fee is not refunded if your application is refused.
How long is a UK ETA valid?
A UK ETA is valid for two years or until your passport expires, whichever comes first. During that time you can visit the UK as often as you like, for up to six months per visit.
How long does it take to get a UK ETA?
Most travellers get a decision by email within one working day. GOV.UK advises allowing up to three working days, so apply at least three working days before you travel.
Do I need an ETA for the Eurostar from Brussels?
Yes. The UK border check for the Eurostar happens in Brussels before you board, so you need a valid ETA before you reach Brussels Midi.
Do Belgian children need a UK ETA?
Yes. Every traveller needs their own ETA, including babies and children. A parent can apply for them on the same app or website, with a separate application and a separate £20 fee for each child.
What is the official UK ETA website?
The only official ways to apply are the UK ETA app and GOV.UK, which links to apply-for-an-eta.homeoffice.gov.uk. Websites that charge more than £20 per person are not official.
How do I check my UK ETA status?
Use the check ETA page on GOV.UK to see whether you have an ETA and when it expires. The decision itself arrives by email, so also check the email address you used and your spam folder.
Do I need a UK ETA for a transit flight?
You need an ETA if you pass UK border control during your connection. Passengers who stay airside at Heathrow or Manchester do not need one for now, but this exemption is under review.
Is roaming free in the UK with a Belgian plan?
It depends on your plan. Since Brexit, the UK is outside the EU roaming rules, so Belgian providers only include it voluntarily and can change their conditions, which means you should check your plan before you go.
