UK ETA Checks Enforced For Visa Free Travelers February 2026
Key points
- The UK will enforce ETA checks from February 25, 2026, for visa free visitors from 85 nationalities, including the United States and Canada
- Carriers will check ETA status before travel, and travelers without an ETA or an eVisa can be denied boarding
- Most ETA decisions are issued quickly, but the UK recommends applying at least 3 working days before travel
- Airside transit is temporarily exempt in some cases, but landside transit through UK passport control still requires an ETA
- The UK has continued adjusting eligibility lists, including a December 9, 2025 update that removed Nauruan nationals from ETA access
Impact
- Where Impacts Are Most Likely
- Expect the most friction at airline check in, online check in gates, and preboarding document checks on UK bound itineraries after February 25, 2026
- Best Times To Travel
- Apply as soon as tickets are booked, and avoid leaving ETA submission inside the final 72 hours before departure when rebooking options are limited
- Connections And Misconnect Risk
- Choose itineraries that stay airside in the UK if you do not plan to enter, because clearing passport control turns a transit into an ETA required landside move
- What Travelers Should Do Now
- Confirm your nationality's ETA eligibility, apply through the UK ETA app or GOV.UK, and ensure you travel on the same passport used for the application
- If Your ETA Is Denied
- A rejected application can be resubmitted, but a refused ETA has no appeal route and typically means applying for a visa instead
UK ETA checks February 2026 become a hard pre travel gate on February 25, 2026, when the United Kingdom begins enforcing advance permission for visa free visitors. Travelers from 85 nationalities, including the United States and Canada, will not be able to legally travel without an approved Electronic Travel Authorisation, or ETA, and carriers will check status before departure. If you have UK connections, add buffer and verify whether you will stay airside, because a landside transfer that requires passing UK passport control can trigger an ETA requirement even when the UK is not your final stop.
The practical change is simple, UK ETA checks February 2026 shift from phased rollout to "no permission, no travel" enforcement at the airport, the port, and the rail terminal.
Learn more about the UK ETA from our guide UK Entry Requirements
What Is The UK ETA, And What It Is Not
An ETA is a digital permission to travel that is linked to the passport you use in the application. It is not a visa, it is not a tax, and it does not guarantee entry on arrival, UK border officers still make the entry decision under normal rules.
The UK government says most applicants currently receive a decision quickly, but it recommends allowing 3 working days for the small number of cases that require additional review. The current fee is £16, and the Home Office says an ETA is generally valid for multiple trips over two years, or until the passport used to apply expires, whichever is sooner.
Who Needs An ETA, And Who Is Exempt
The UK framing is broad, anyone who wants to come to the UK must have digital permission via an ETA or an eVisa, and the carrier check happens before travel.
For travelers, the easiest way to think about eligibility is in three buckets. First, visa free nationals visiting for short stays, including many leisure and business trips, need an ETA once enforcement begins. Second, travelers who already have UK immigration permission, for example entry clearance, permission to stay, or settled status, are not in the ETA pool because they already hold permission in another form. Third, several groups are explicitly exempt, including British citizens and Irish citizens, with the UK also flagging that dual British citizens should travel on a valid British passport, or a certificate of entitlement, to avoid being denied boarding after February 25, 2026.
If you are unsure whether your passport is currently eligible for an ETA, GOV.UK maintains a nationality list and updates it as policy changes. A recent example is a December 9, 2025 update noting that Nauruan nationals can no longer get an ETA.
Transit And Connections, The Detail That Can Break An Itinerary
Transit is where travelers can get surprised, because "connecting in the UK" is not one single situation. The Home Office says travelers who take connecting flights and go through UK passport control need an ETA, while some airside transit passengers who do not go through passport control do not currently need an ETA, with London Heathrow Airport (LHR) and Manchester Airport (MAN) specifically cited as airports where this can apply. The caseworker guidance also describes the airside transit exemption as temporary and subject to review, so treat it as a rule that can change with limited notice.
In practice, whether you "go landside" often depends on airline and airport processes, not just what your ticket says. If you must collect and recheck bags, change terminals in a way that requires entering the UK, or self transfer on separate tickets, you should assume you may need to clear passport control, and therefore need an ETA if you are a visa free traveler. If your plan is to stay airside, verify that your specific itinerary supports airside connections at that airport and terminal, because not every UK connection is operationally airside even when it looks like a short transfer on a map.
For travelers already building UK itineraries, this change matters for flight shopping. A longer, protected connection on one ticket is likely to be more resilient than a tight self transfer, especially when a carrier document check can block boarding at the origin if the ETA is missing or still pending. It is also a good moment to recheck requirements for any UK segments tied to trip planning, including leisure travel demand cycles and schedule changes, such as our recent coverage of Seattle London nonstop flights in May 2026 and London Luton Airport strike dates in December 2025, where documentation and airport processing time can compound other disruption.
How To Apply, And When To Apply
The UK points travelers to the official UK ETA app and to GOV.UK as the correct channels. After you apply, you receive the decision by email, and your ETA is linked to your passport, so you present the same passport when you travel.
Timing is the traveler lever here. The UK government's own guidance is to apply with enough lead time to cover the minority of cases that need additional review, rather than assuming an instant approval at the curb. If you are traveling as a family, remember each traveler needs their own authorization, including children and babies, so build time for every passport in the booking.
If An ETA Is Rejected Or Refused Close To Departure
The Home Office draws a distinction travelers should understand. If an application is rejected, you are told the reason and can apply again. If an ETA is refused, there is no appeal route, and the Home Office says you would need to apply for a visa if you still want to travel. That difference is why it is risky to treat the ETA as a last minute task, because the "plan B" may be a visa process that cannot be completed in time for imminent travel.
In the final week before departure, the best move is usually operational, not argumentative. If you do not have an approved ETA in hand, contact your carrier about rebooking options, and consider shifting travel dates before airport deadlines lock you into no show penalties. If your itinerary includes a UK connection you do not actually need, rerouting away from the UK may be faster than trying to resolve a refusal on the clock. UK ETA checks February 2026 are designed to happen before travel, which means the boarding pass can be the enforcement point, not the border booth.