Britain’s Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) system is back online after a glitch occurred earlier this week that prevented some travelers from applying for entry permits, a Home Office spokesperson confirmed to Afar.
The Home Office acknowledged that the ETA service had recently suffered technical problems, but a spokesperson said the service still met its public standard of processing applications within three working days. The ministry did not provide details such as when the problem started, how long it lasted or how many applicants were affected.
Since early 2026, the UK has required citizens of 84 countries, including the US and Canada, to obtain an ETA before entering the country. At the same time, it moved to a strict “no permit, no travel” stance, calling on airlines, rail and ferry companies to deny boarding to passengers without a valid ETA.
This week’s disruption only affected travelers who were actively trying to apply for an ETA. Those with authorized permissions could still verify.
The outage, the first in the service’s 30 months since its launch, comes as more countries are introducing mandatory digital authentication border systems, creating new hurdles for travelers. The United States, Australia, and Canada each have their own versions of ETA. Later this year, the EU will launch its travel authorization system, ETIAS, following the introduction of the European Digital Border Entry System, and Japan plans to roll out its JESTA program in 2028.
For those who were unable to secure an ETA during the outage, there were significant losses, including canceled flights and connecting flights, non-refundable hotel reservations, and the need to book new flights.
expensive mistake
Australian teacher Rosie (who declined to give her last name) booked a last-minute flight from Barcelona to London on June 3 to attend the concert she had been waiting for for 17 years. Before paying, she made sure to check the ETA wait times online. Official guidance said applications could take up to three working days, but she had read on TripAdvisor and Reddit that many travelers were approved within minutes. She thought it would be enough to apply one day earlier, on June 2nd.
She only received confirmation of processing, but thought the approval would arrive quickly. The next morning, her flight was approaching and her ETA had not yet arrived. At the check-in desk, Rosie showed her processing confirmation email and launched the ETA app, which displayed an error message, but the agent denied her boarding.
“Then I spent two hours at the airport updating my email and looking at Reddit posts in hopes of receiving a confirmation email. I finally gave up and went back to my accommodation and cried,” Rosie said. The ETA arrived late that evening, but by then it was already too late. She lost money for round-trip flights, accommodation, and concert tickets.
Lessons for travelers after UK ETA suspension
This incident is a literal reminder that it pays to plan ahead. Most travel insurance policies generally do not pay for flights canceled due to visa or travel authorization issues.
Although the Home Office officially recommends applying three working days before travel, travelers should realistically apply one to two weeks in advance to account for potential processing delays. Once approved, the ETA is linked to the traveler’s passport and is valid for two years or until the passport expires.
Another note: When applying, travelers should only use the official GOV.UK website or app. ETA currently costs £20 ($27.88). One traveler told Afar that in a panic after missing his flight, he mistakenly applied through a Google search that came up with a look-alike website with the British government’s crown logo. Although the site advertised ETA for 20 pounds ($28) pounds, she was charged a $135 processing fee, which cost ETA a total of $163, not to mention handing over sensitive data.
According to British immigration law firm Connaught Law, the UK’s ETA mobile app is the “preferred route”. The app can directly scan the biometric chip in your passport, allowing you to better capture photos that meet the required criteria. All passengers, including children and infants, must have their own ETA. Watch the official video to learn how to apply for a UK ETA.