Travel to the UK, applying for a UK visa, the Standard Visitor visa, checking your visa result and eVisa — the 40 questions we are asked most often, gathered on one page.
The UK ETA and a UK visa are two different systems, so the procedure you need may vary according to your nationality, the purpose of your visit, how long you intend to stay and your immigration history.
This page is general information compiled from GOV.UK and UKVI guidance as of September 2026.
See how to apply for a UK Electronic Travel Authorisation
Ⅰ. UK Electronic Travel Authorisation — the basics
FAQ 1. What is a UK Electronic Travel Authorisation?
Answer: An ETA (Electronic Travel Authorisation) is a digital travel permission you obtain before travelling to the UK. It is not a visa in itself.
An ETA is an electronic travel permission obtained in advance by nationals of designated visa-free countries and others when they travel to the UK for tourism, to visit family or friends, for permitted business activities, or for short-term study. The ETA is linked electronically to the passport used to apply.
An ETA is not permission to enter the UK. Even with an ETA, you must still meet the entry requirements at the border.
FAQ 2. What is the difference between a UK Electronic Travel Authorisation and a UK visa?
Answer: An ETA is an electronic permission obtained before travel, while a visa is the formal entry and stay route required according to your purpose and nationality.
Nationals eligible for an ETA can travel on an ETA instead of a visa for certain visit purposes. For purposes an ETA does not cover — such as employment, long-term study or joining family — you need to look at the relevant visa. Nationals who require a Standard Visitor visa must obtain the visa in advance even for a visit.
FAQ 3. Do Korean passport holders need a UK Electronic Travel Authorisation?
Answer: Yes. As of September 2026, the Republic of Korea is on the list of nationalities covered by the ETA.
When a holder of an ordinary Korean passport makes a short visit to the UK, an ETA is generally required before travel unless an exemption applies — for example holding a UK visa or UK permission to stay.
Check on the basis of the passport you will actually travel on and your immigration status, not simply your nationality.
FAQ 4. Are some people not required to have an Electronic Travel Authorisation?
Answer: Yes. British and Irish citizens, and people who hold a valid UK visa or permission to live, work or study in the UK, may not need an ETA.
Some airside transit passengers may also fall within the exempt categories. Whether an exemption applies has to be checked against your individual circumstances.
FAQ 5. Do children and infants need an Electronic Travel Authorisation?
Answer: Yes. If your nationality requires an ETA, babies and children each need their own ETA.
Even when you travel as a family or in a group, an ETA is an individual permission. A parent can apply on behalf of a child, but a separate application is needed for each traveller.
FAQ 6. How long can I stay in the UK on an Electronic Travel Authorisation?
Answer: For ordinary visit purposes, usually up to 6 months on a single visit.
You can visit for the purposes permitted under the Visitor route, such as tourism, visiting family or friends, business activities or short-term study. Different periods apply to certain purposes, such as the Creative Worker concession.
The fact that an ETA is valid for 2 years does not mean you can stay in the UK continuously for 2 years.
FAQ 7. How long is a UK Electronic Travel Authorisation valid for?
Answer: For 2 years, or until the expiry date of the passport used to apply — whichever comes first.
An ETA is linked to a passport. Even if time remains within the ETA's own 2-year period, you cannot continue to use that ETA once the linked passport expires.
FAQ 8. Can I travel to the UK more than once while it is valid?
Answer: Yes. You can travel to the UK several times while your ETA is valid.
However, you must meet the Visitor requirements on each visit, and you must not use repeated visits effectively to live in the UK.
FAQ 9. If I have an Electronic Travel Authorisation, is entry to the UK 100% guaranteed?
Answer: No. An ETA is advance permission that allows you to travel to the UK; it is not a guarantee of entry.
At the border, officers may check whether the purpose of your travel, the length of your stay, your plans to return home and your activities during the visit fit the Visitor rules. Even after an ETA is approved, entry can be refused if you do not meet the entry requirements.
FAQ 10. Can I work in the UK on an Electronic Travel Authorisation?
Answer: As a rule, no — you cannot carry out ordinary paid or unpaid work for a UK company.
Apart from business activities permitted under the Visitor rules, a permitted paid engagement, and certain cases under the Creative Worker concession, you cannot work for a UK company or be self-employed. If your purpose is ordinary employment, you should look at an appropriate work visa.
Check the types of UK visa and who can apply
Ⅱ. Electronic Travel Authorisation — applying, cost and decisions
FAQ 11. How much does an Electronic Travel Authorisation cost?
Answer: As of September 2026, the official ETA application fee is £20.
The fee for applying through GOV.UK or the official UK ETA app is £20, and it is generally non-refundable once you have applied. Third-party websites may add their own service charges.
It is important that the official government fee and any private agency service fee are shown clearly and separately.
FAQ 12. Where do I apply for an Electronic Travel Authorisation?
Answer: You can apply through the official UK ETA app or the GOV.UK online application service.
You can use the UK ETA app on your smartphone or apply online. Be careful of websites that imitate the government service.
FAQ 13. What do I need in order to apply for an Electronic Travel Authorisation?
Answer: The passport you will actually travel on, an email address, a means of payment and a photograph of the applicant's face.
You can pay by credit or debit card, or with Apple Pay or Google Pay, and during the app or online application you take or upload a photograph of the applicant's face.
FAQ 14. Can I apply for someone else's Electronic Travel Authorisation on their behalf?
Answer: Yes. You can apply for an ETA on behalf of another person, such as a family member.
If the person you are applying for is with you, you can use the app; if they are not with you, you can apply on their behalf through the online application. You will need to have the necessary material ready, such as their passport details and a photograph of their face.
Apply for a UK travel authorisation
FAQ 15. How long does a decision on an Electronic Travel Authorisation take?
Answer: A decision usually arrives by email within 1 day, but it can take up to 3 working days.
Even when a family applies together, the decisions can come through at different times.
The official guidance is not to travel to the UK before you receive your approval email.
FAQ 16. What should I do if there is still no decision more than 3 working days after applying?
Answer: Check your spam and junk mail folders first, then use the UKVI ETA help service.
If there is still no decision, use the ETA help channels provided by UKVI to check on your application.
FAQ 17. Can I track the progress of my Electronic Travel Authorisation application in real time?
Answer: No — the internal processing stages of a recent ETA application that has not yet been decided cannot be viewed in the Check your ETA service.
Check your ETA is intended for confirming whether you already hold an ETA and when it expires. It is not a service that shows the live processing stage of a recent application for which no ETA has yet been issued.
FAQ 18. How do I check whether an Electronic Travel Authorisation I have been granted is valid, and when it expires?
Answer: You can check this through the Check your ETA service on GOV.UK.
If you have the passport used to apply to hand and use the official checking service, you can confirm whether you currently hold an ETA and when it expires.
See how to check a UK visa or Electronic Travel Authorisation
Check a UK travel authorisation
FAQ 19. If I get a new passport, can I still use my existing Electronic Travel Authorisation?
Answer: No. If your passport changes, you must apply for a new ETA with the new passport.
An ETA is linked electronically to the passport held at the time of application, so it does not transfer automatically to a new passport even if the existing ETA still has time left.
FAQ 20. If I enter something incorrectly on my Electronic Travel Authorisation application, can I correct it?
Answer: If you need to change incorrect information after applying, in some cases you will have to make a new application.
Passport details and identity details in particular should be checked before you apply, so that they match your actual travel documents exactly.
It is a good idea to review your passport number, name, date of birth and photograph carefully before you complete the application.
Ⅲ. Electronic Travel Authorisation — scope of use and special situations
FAQ 21. Can I study in the UK on an Electronic Travel Authorisation?
Answer: Short-term study permitted under the Visitor rules is possible, but long-term study requires a Student visa or similar.
You can carry out permitted short-term study within the 6-month limit on an ETA. The Visitor rules apply depending on the type of course and the institution, so study lasting more than 6 months, or a course that requires the Student route, means applying for a separate visa.
FAQ 22. Can I get married in the UK on an Electronic Travel Authorisation?
Answer: No — you cannot marry, register a civil partnership or give notice of one on an ordinary ETA visit.
If your purpose is to marry in the UK, register a civil partnership or give notice, you should look at the appropriate route, such as the Marriage Visitor visa.
FAQ 23. Do I need an Electronic Travel Authorisation if I am only transiting through a UK airport?
Answer: Landside transit, which means passing through border control, may require an ETA; airside transit, which does not pass through border control, is exempt.
Whether you pass through border control can depend on the transit airport and how your flights connect, so it is safest to check with your airline.
FAQ 24. If I have a criminal record, can I still get an Electronic Travel Authorisation?
Answer: A criminal record does not automatically mean every ETA is refused, but certain criminal records can be a mandatory ground for refusal.
Under the 2026 rules, criminality grounds may apply where a person has received a custodial or suspended sentence of 12 months or more in the UK or abroad, or where fewer than 12 months have passed since a conviction. For offences committed abroad, whether there is an equivalent offence under UK law may also be taken into account.
A criminal record should be declared accurately and never concealed, and individual cases may need professional review.
FAQ 25. Can I apply for an Electronic Travel Authorisation if I have previously been refused entry to the UK or refused a visa?
Answer: If you have a history of refusal, you may want to consider applying for a Standard Visitor visa rather than an ETA.
Where there is a criminal record or a previous refusal of entry to the UK, the appropriate route should be considered in light of your current circumstances and the reasons for the refusal.
FAQ 26. If my Electronic Travel Authorisation is refused, does that mean I can never go to the UK?
Answer: No. A refused ETA does not mean a permanent ban on visiting the UK.
Depending on the reasons for refusal, you can apply for the appropriate UK visa and have it considered. However, if the ETA was refused because of criminality, a breach of immigration law or false representation, that can also be a significant factor in a visa decision.
See what to do if a UK visa or Electronic Travel Authorisation is refused
Ⅳ. Standard Visitor and UK visit visas
FAQ 27. What is a Standard Visitor visa?
Answer: It is the main visit visa used to come to the UK for tourism, to visit family or friends, for permitted business activities or for short-term study.
People whose nationality requires a visit visa apply online for a Standard Visitor visa before travelling and go through the required identity and biometrics steps. An ordinary visit is usually up to 6 months.
FAQ 28. Do Korean nationals always need a Standard Visitor visa for tourism?
Answer: Ordinary Korean passport holders are usually covered by the ETA, so a Standard Visitor visa is not always necessary purely for short-term tourism.
That said, it can depend on your nationality, passport, immigration history and the purpose of your visit, and where there is a criminal record or a previous refusal of entry you may want to consider applying for a Standard Visitor visa.
FAQ 29. How much does a Standard Visitor visa cost?
Answer: On GOV.UK as of September 2026, the standard fee for a 6-month Standard Visitor visa is £135.
Long-term visit visas are listed at £506 for 2 years, £903 for 5 years and £1,128 for 10 years, with a usual maximum stay of 6 months on each visit. Fees can change, so check the current amount immediately before you pay.
| Type of visit visa | Fee as of September 2026 | Stay per visit |
|---|---|---|
| 6-month Standard Visitor | £135 | Usually up to 6 months |
| 2-year long-term visit visa | £506 | Usually up to 6 months |
| 5-year long-term visit visa | £903 | Usually up to 6 months |
| 10-year long-term visit visa | £1,128 | Usually up to 6 months |
FAQ 30. How early can I apply for a Standard Visitor visa?
Answer: You can usually apply from 3 months before the date you plan to travel.
After applying online you complete the required identity verification and biometrics steps. It is best to apply in good time for your travel plans.
FAQ 31. Do I need an English language test score to apply for a visit visa?
Answer: There is no minimum English requirement such as IELTS or a CEFR level for an ordinary Standard Visitor.
What matters is not an English test but a genuine purpose of visit, permitted activities, sufficient funds for the trip and the intention to leave at the end of the visit.
FAQ 32. Is there a minimum income or minimum asset requirement for a visit visa?
Answer: There is no across-the-board minimum income or total asset requirement.
What matters is whether you have enough money to cover reasonable costs during the visit and the cost of returning home or travelling on to a third country, without working or relying on public funds. The length and cost of the trip, your usual income and outgoings and whether the source of the funds is credible matter more than a simple total.
FAQ 33. Is there a minimum bank balance requirement for a visit visa?
Answer: There is no fixed minimum bank balance that applies to every applicant.
Whether the funds are sufficient is judged by looking at the number of days of travel, flight and accommodation costs, any accompanying family members and who is paying, taken together. If there has been a sudden large deposit, you may need to explain where it came from.
FAQ 34. Can a family member or my employer pay for my trip to the UK instead?
Answer: Yes. But you must be able to explain the relationship and the sponsor's actual financial means.
Where a third party is providing support, their relationship to the applicant and their willingness and ability to support must be consistent with the rest of the evidence.
FAQ 35. What information goes into the Standard Visitor application form?
Answer: Your travel plans, accommodation, estimated costs, address, parents, income, and criminal and immigration information — and, depending on your circumstances, up to 10 years of travel history.
Depending on your circumstances, you may also be asked for your employer's contact details, your spouse's details, who is paying for the trip and details of family in the UK.
Check that the dates, income, occupation and purpose of travel in your application and supporting documents do not contradict one another.
FAQ 36. Can I submit Korean-language documents as they are?
Answer: Documents that are not in English or Welsh need a certified translation.
A Standard Visitor application may require a certified translation for documents that are not in English or Welsh, so check the format required by the application route you are using.
See how to apply for a UK visa
Ⅴ. Decisions, checking your status and what happens after approval
FAQ 37. How long does a Standard Visitor visa decision usually take?
Answer: For an ordinary Standard Visitor application made from outside the UK, the official guidance is around 3 weeks.
The guidance is that a decision is generally made within about 3 weeks once the online application, identity verification and any required documents are complete, but it can take longer where further checks or document verification are needed.
This varies with when you apply and with the individual case, so check the official Processing Time service as well.
FAQ 38. Can I track the progress of a UK visa application in real time?
Answer: There is only limited scope for an ordinary applicant to see UKVI's detailed internal processing stages in real time.
Check your visa processing time lets you see when you can expect a decision, based on the visa type and the date of your identity verification. It is not a service that shows internal processing stages such as "70% approved".
FAQ 39. Once a visa is approved, what is an eVisa?
Answer: An eVisa is a digital record showing your UK immigration status and the rights and conditions attached to it.
You can view your eVisa through your UKVI account and, where needed, generate a share code to prove your immigration status to an employer or landlord. Whether it applies to you and how to use it depends on your visa route.
FAQ 40. What is the single most important thing to watch out for with UK visa applications and the Electronic Travel Authorisation?
Answer: Choosing the route that matches your purpose, and setting out your passport details, personal information, purpose of travel, finances and immigration history truthfully and consistently.
An ETA is not a visa and does not guarantee entry. For a Visitor, what counts is a genuine intention to leave at the end of the visit, permitted activities and sufficient funds for the trip. False information or the omission of a material fact can have serious consequences, so check your passport details, criminal and immigration history, travel plans and financial evidence carefully before you apply.
Rules can change, so make a final check against the latest GOV.UK rules on the day you actually apply.
Ⅵ. FAQ summary table
| Key point | As of September 2026 | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Official ETA cost | £20 | Separate from private agency fees |
| ETA decision | Usually within 1 day, up to 3 working days | Travel after the approval email |
| ETA validity | 2 years, or passport expiry if sooner | New passport means a new ETA |
| Length of visit on an ETA | Usually up to 6 months | Not 2 years of continuous stay |
| Republic of Korea | Nationality covered by the ETA | Different if an exemption applies |
| 6-month Standard Visitor | £135 | Fees may change |
| English score for Visitor | None | Different from other visas |
| Minimum income for Visitor | None | Sufficient travel funds needed |
| Fixed minimum balance for Visitor | None | Judged as reasonable against trip costs |
| Live ETA processing status | Not available | Validity and expiry can be checked once issued |
Ⅶ. Related pages on this site
You can find more detail on each topic on the dedicated pages below.
- How to apply for a UK Electronic Travel Authorisation
- Who can apply for a UK travel authorisation
- How to apply for a UK visa
- How to check a UK visa or Electronic Travel Authorisation
- What to do if a UK visa or Electronic Travel Authorisation is refused
- Types of UK visa and who can apply
- Ask us about UK visas and Electronic Travel Authorisations