Visas & Entry

UK ETA 2026: Who Needs It, the £20 Fee, and How to Apply

The UK Electronic Travel Authorisation rollout is complete. Here is the full 2026 guide — who needs one, the £20 cost, two-year validity, the…

By Laxman Rawal · Aug 20, 2026

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The United Kingdom's Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) is now a fact of life for most visitors who never used to need a visa. Since 2 April 2025 the requirement has applied to European travellers, completing a rollout that began with Gulf nationals in…

Travel Himalaya Nepal · News

Who needs a UK ETA — and who doesn't

GOV.UK is blunt about it: "You usually need an ETA rather than a visa if you're from Europe, the USA, Australia, Canada or certain other countries." Every traveller needs their own — there is no family application. Crucially, the ETA also covers travel to…

Travel Himalaya Nepal · News

How the ETA differs from a visa

An ETA is a lightweight digital permission, not a visa. You apply online in minutes rather than filling in a lengthy form and attending an appointment. It is digitally linked to your passport, so there is no sticker or stamp to collect. It is far cheaper —…

Travel Himalaya Nepal · News

How to apply, step by step

Use the official route only. Apply through the free "UK ETA" app or on the GOV.UK website at gov.uk/eta . Do not pay a third-party "ETA agent" — copycat sites charge a large markup for the same government form and some are outright scams. Have your passport…

Travel Himalaya Nepal · News

Common mistakes that get people caught out

The errors we see most often: leaving it to the last minute and being told to wait three days; applying on the wrong passport (dual nationals, take care to use the one you'll fly on); assuming children are exempt — they are not; forgetting that a single UK…

Travel Himalaya Nepal · News

Why this matters for trekkers heading to Nepal

Plenty of our Everest and Annapurna clients route through London on the way to Kathmandu — Heathrow is one of the busiest long-haul hubs into Nepal. If your itinerary has you clearing UK immigration between flights, even for a few hours, you now need an ETA…

Travel Himalaya Nepal · News

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