Which travel authorisation do you need, and what does it really cost?
UK ETA, ESTA, Canada's eTA, ETIAS, Australia's ETA and eVisitor, New Zealand's NZeTA. Tell us who is travelling and where: you get the official fee for each person, the family total and the government site to apply on. Nothing else to pay.
ETA, ETIAS, ESTA, eTA: side by side
Official fees per person on 30 September 2026. Only visa-free nationalities apply for these; everyone else needs a visa.
| Authorisation | For | Official fee | Valid | Apply on |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK ETA | United Kingdom | £20 | 2 years* | gov.uk |
| ETIASNot yet | 30 European countries | €20 | 3 years* | europa.eu/etias |
| ESTA | United States | US$40.27 | 2 years* | esta.cbp.dhs.gov |
| eTA (Canada) | Canada (by air) | CA$7 | 5 years* | canada.ca |
| ETA (Australia) | Australia | A$20 | 1 year* | Australian ETA app |
| eVisitor | Australia (EU/UK passports) | Free | 1 year | immi.homeaffairs.gov.au |
| NZeTA | New Zealand | NZ$17 + NZ$100 levy | 2 years | immigration.govt.nz |
* Or until the passport expires, if sooner. A new passport always means a new application.
The official price, and not a penny more
Search "ESTA" or "UK ETA" and the first results are often private agencies with official-looking names. They fill in the same government form for you and add their own service charge on top of the official fee, sometimes several times over. It buys nothing: no faster decision, no better chance of approval.
The governments say it themselves. GOV.UK: "You cannot get a faster decision by applying through another website or app." CBP answers the question "I've been charged more than US$40.27 for ESTA, why?" in its own FAQ.
How to recognise an agency, and what to do if you already paid one.
Latest changes
Canada adds Indonesia and Malaysia to the countries whose citizens can get an eTA instead of a visa when flying, if they held a Canadian visa in the last 10 years or hold a valid US non-immigrant visa.
The EU Entry/Exit System (EES) becomes fully operational at all external borders; passport stamping ends.
UK ETA fee rises from £16 to £20.
UK starts enforcing the ETA: airlines refuse boarding to visa-exempt visitors without one.
ETIAS is not in operation. No application can be made today, on any website. The EU's official site still says "last quarter of 2026" and has not announced a date (checked 30 September 2026). What we know
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between ETIAS, ESTA, eTA and ETA?
They are the same idea run by different governments: an online permission, linked to your passport, that visa-free visitors must get before travelling. ESTA is for the United States (US$40.27, 2 years), the eTA for flying to Canada (CA$7, up to 5 years), the UK ETA for the United Kingdom (£20, 2 years) and ETIAS for 30 European countries (€20, 3 years, not in operation yet). Australia has its own ETA and the free eVisitor, New Zealand the NZeTA. None of them is a visa, and none replaces the others.
Do children and babies need their own authorisation?
Yes, everywhere: each traveller has their own UK ETA, ESTA, eTA or ETIAS, babies included. The UK, the US and Canada charge children the full fee. ETIAS will be free for under-18s and over-70s. Parents can apply on behalf of their children.
I got a new passport. Is my ESTA, eTA or ETA still valid?
No. All of them are linked to the passport you applied with: a new passport means a new application, even if the old authorisation had not expired. The same happens when the old passport expires.
How do I know I am on the official website?
Look at the address: gov.uk, esta.cbp.dhs.gov, canada.ca, immi.homeaffairs.gov.au, immigration.govt.nz, europa.eu. Sites with "esta", "eta" or "etias" in a .com or .org name are private agencies, however official they look, and they charge two to four times the price. How to spot them.
Do British citizens need ETIAS to go to France or Spain?
Not yet. ETIAS is not in operation: as of 30 September 2026 the EU has not announced a start date (its official site still says "last quarter of 2026"). Once it starts, UK nationals will need one, at €20, valid 3 years. ETIAS status.
Do I need an authorisation just to change planes?
Often, yes. The US requires an ESTA even for a transit. Canada requires an eTA to transit through a Canadian airport. The UK requires an ETA if you go through UK border control between flights (not if you stay airside). New Zealand requires an NZeTA to transit through Auckland, without the tourism levy.
Updated . Fees and country lists checked on the official government sites on . Rules change: the official site always prevails.