United Kingdom e-Visa for citizens of the United States: online application, fees and processing time 2026

Holders of a passport from the United States do not apply for a visa at a consulate for a short tourist stay, but they must obtain an ETA, the British electronic travel authorisation, before leaving. It allows a stay of up to 6 months. Airlines check this authorisation before boarding. If you travel for another purpose, check the applicable rules on the official page.

• Government fee20 GBP
• Agency or online serviceOptional, added on top

The official fee recorded is 20 GBP per application. Prepare your valid US passport, a recent photo of your face, an email address and a payment card. Every traveller, children included, needs their own ETA; a parent can apply on behalf of their children. Detailed conditions are published on the official British information page.

Apply on the official UK government portal (GOV.UK) or in the official app it indicates. You need to enter your passport details, photograph the identity page, provide a photo of your face, answer eligibility questions and pay online. Commercial websites offer to handle it for high fees: they are not official and offer no priority processing.

The regime follows your nationality, not where you live. If you reside in the United States but travel on another country's passport, the rule on this page is not yours. Filing usually still happens from your country of residence, at the post competent for it, but the requirement itself comes from your passport.

The recorded processing time is 3 business days. Apply when you book the trip rather than the day before your flight, and check the decision email. If you hold more than one nationality, apply for the ETA with the passport you will actually present at departure and at the border. Keep the confirmation until you return.

Common mistakes: setting off assuming a US passport is still enough on its own, paying an unofficial site far more than 20 GBP, entering a wrong passport number or travelling on a renewed passport without a new application. Remember also that the ETA covers a stay of up to 6 months: for any other plan, check the official page.