Do Australians need a visa or ETA for the UK?

Australians visiting the UK for up to six months for tourism or a short business visit need an ETA rather than a visa. Gov.uk lists Australia among the countries whose citizens usually need an ETA instead. Check the Home Office pages if your reason for travel is anything other than a visit.

How much does the UK ETA cost in 2026?

As of October 2026 the ETA costs £20 per person. It rose from £16 on 8 April 2026. The fee is the same for children, and it is not refunded once you apply. Apply on gov.uk or the UK ETA app, because other sites may charge more.

How long does a UK ETA take to be approved?

Gov.uk says you will usually get a decision by email within a day, but it can take up to three working days. The Home Office says most decisions through the app arrive within minutes, and recommends applying at least three working days before you travel.

Do I need a UK ETA if I am only connecting at Heathrow?

Not if you stay airside and never pass through UK border control. You do need one if you pass through border control, which usually happens when your connection is on a separate ticket and you have to collect bags and check in again.

How long is a UK ETA valid?

Two years, or until your passport expires if that is sooner. It covers multiple trips of up to six months each. If you get a new passport, you need a new ETA.

AU → UK · ETA

UK ETA for Australians: cost, process and what to know

A business class seat to London is no use if the airline will not let you board. The UK Electronic Travel Authorisation is a small online step with a few traps in it, especially on a connection.

Kaviqa26 October 20265 min read

What the ETA is, and who needs one

The Electronic Travel Authorisation is a digital permission to travel that is linked to your passport. It is not a visa, and it does not guarantee entry, but without one an airline will not let you board a flight to the United Kingdom. The Home Office has said airlines will prevent passengers from boarding if they do not have an ETA, and that rule has been mandatory for visa-exempt visitors since 25 February 2026.

Australians have been in the ETA group since the scheme widened to non-European nationalities in January 2025. New Zealanders are reported to be in it too, but check the gov.uk list for your passport. British and Irish citizens do not need one, including dual citizens, and neither does anyone with a UK visa or with permission to live, work or study in the UK. If you hold an Australian passport and a British one, read the dual-national point further down before you book.

Cost, timing and validity

Question	Answer
Fee	£20 per person, children and babies included. It was £16 until 8 April 2026
Where to apply	The official UK ETA app or gov.uk. Other sites may charge more
Decision time	Usually within a day, but it can take up to 3 working days
Validity	Two years, or until the passport expires if that comes first
Stay per visit	Up to 6 months, for tourism, family visits and certain other reasons
If refused	No appeal. You would need to apply for a visa instead
Refund	None once you have applied, even if you do not travel

UK ETA at a glance, as of October 2026

The Home Office says most decisions come back within minutes through the app, but it recommends applying at least three working days before you fly. We would go further. Apply the day you book, not the week you leave. A business class fare is often a large amount of money tied to a date, and the ETA is the one part of the trip that can delay you for reasons you do not control.

Applying without getting stung

Use the official route only. The UK ETA app and the gov.uk application are the real ones. Other sites may charge a fee on top of the £20.
Have your passport ready when you start. The ETA is linked to it, so the details have to be right.
Each traveller needs their own. The Home Office says that includes children and babies.
Wait for the decision email before you assume you are covered.
Answer every question accurately. A refusal cannot be appealed, so a careless answer is expensive.

Connections, transit and two tickets

This is where the ETA catches people who fly business for the price. The rule is based on border control, not on the airport. The Home Office says you need an ETA if you pass through UK border control, and that airside transit passengers at Heathrow or Manchester do not currently need one. That exemption can change, so check before you fly. If you land at Heathrow and walk straight to a connecting flight without entering the UK, you are in the second group.

The picture changes when the onward flight is on a separate ticket. Bags checked through on one booking follow you airside. Bags on two bookings do not, so you normally collect them and clear immigration to check in again. That means you pass through UK border control, and you need the ETA even though you were only changing planes. This is the same point we make about hub entry rules in our Sydney to London guide.

It cuts the other way too. If you fly Sydney to London on a split ticket through a hub such as Singapore or Doha, the hub country's entry rules apply on top of the UK's. Check both before you pay. On the deals page, check the connection time in the flight details before you decide.

Mistakes that cost money

Applying last-minute and being sent to a manual review. A small share of applications take up to three working days. If your flight is in two days, that is a real risk.
Assuming the ETA covers every kind of trip. It is for visits such as tourism and seeing family, plus certain other reasons. Check the Home Office list of permitted activities if your trip is anything else.
Dual citizens travelling on the wrong passport. A dual British citizen must travel on a valid British passport or a Certificate of Entitlement. An ETA on the Australian passport does not solve it.
Forgetting the ETA when the UK is only a stopover. If you plan to leave the airport during a long layover, you need it.
Paying twice. There is no refund, and a second application on the same passport is a second £20.

Fees and rules change. This guide is information, not immigration advice. The Home Office pages on gov.uk are the authority, and they are worth reading again a week before you fly.

Common questions

Do Australians need a visa or ETA for the UK?: Australians visiting the UK for up to six months for tourism or a short business visit need an ETA rather than a visa. Gov.uk lists Australia among the countries whose citizens usually need an ETA instead. Check the Home Office pages if your reason for travel is anything other than a visit.
How much does the UK ETA cost in 2026?: As of October 2026 the ETA costs £20 per person. It rose from £16 on 8 April 2026. The fee is the same for children, and it is not refunded once you apply. Apply on gov.uk or the UK ETA app, because other sites may charge more.
How long does a UK ETA take to be approved?: Gov.uk says you will usually get a decision by email within a day, but it can take up to three working days. The Home Office says most decisions through the app arrive within minutes, and recommends applying at least three working days before you travel.
Do I need a UK ETA if I am only connecting at Heathrow?: Not if you stay airside and never pass through UK border control. You do need one if you pass through border control, which usually happens when your connection is on a separate ticket and you have to collect bags and check in again.
How long is a UK ETA valid?: Two years, or until your passport expires if that is sooner. It covers multiple trips of up to six months each. If you get a new passport, you need a new ETA.