Home Office caseworker guidance on electronic travel authorisation (ETA) applications was updated on 3 August 2026; its rollout section now reflects the expansion to European nationals.
Key facts
- Who: Home Office decision makers who consider referred ETA applications, and applicants for an ETA
- From: 3 August 2026 (version 9.0 published for Home Office staff)
- Source: Electronic travel authorisation: caseworker guidance
What changed
Version 9.0 of the guidance was published for Home Office staff on 3 August 2026. Section 1.3 says the rollout section was updated "to reflect the expansion of ETAs to European nationals".
The rollout section (4.3) describes a phased scheme based on nationality:
- Qatari nationals: applications opened on 25 October 2023, for travel on or after 15 November 2023.
- Nationals of Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates: applications opened on 1 February 2024, for travel on or after 22 February 2024.
- All remaining non-visa nationals except Europeans: applications opened on 27 November 2024, for travel on or after 8 January 2025.
- European nationals: applications opened on 5 March 2025, for travel on or after 2 April 2025.
The guidance points to Immigration Rules Appendix ETA National List ETANL 1.1 for the full list of eligible nationalities and the dates they became eligible. At 3:00pm BST on 10 September 2024, nationals of Jordan became visa nationals and were removed from the nationalities eligible for an ETA.
Other points in the guidance
Most applicants have their ETA granted within 3 working days (section 4.4). Decision makers only consider applications where identity cannot be established automatically, potentially adverse information is found, or the applicant self-declares criminality or involvement in war crimes, terrorism or extremism.
Once an application is submitted, it is not possible to withdraw, vary or amend it as part of the automated process. Where an application is referred to a decision maker, it is still considered and decided on the information available, and any request to withdraw or amend should be refused (section 4.5).
There is no right to administrative review or appeal (section 4.6). A grant made by a solely automated process can be reviewed by a decision maker if requested within one calendar month of the grant decision.
Each traveller must get their own ETA, including children and babies (section 4.1). An application made with a passport or identity document reported lost or stolen must be rejected, and the applicant may reapply with a valid document (section 10).
What this means for applicants
Section 4.1 says an ETA is an advance travel permission required by specified non-visa nationals coming to the UK as a visitor, transiting the UK, or as a Creative Worker. The guidance records that applications for European nationals opened on 5 March 2025, for travel on or after 2 April 2025. Each traveller, including children and babies, needs their own ETA.
Airside transit passengers are temporarily exempt from the ETA requirement. Those transiting landside, passing UK border controls, still require an ETA. The guidance says the exemption is temporary and will be kept under review (section 4.2).
An ETA is permission to travel only; the holder must still obtain permission to enter on arrival (section 4.1).
Applicants must provide a national passport and a facial image that meet the identity requirements. An application rejected at the identity verification stage is not assessed against the suitability requirements, and the applicant can make a new application (section 4.4). Where the suitability requirements are not met, refusal is mandatory (section 8).
Related guide: UK electronic travel authorisation (ETA) scheme
Sources
- Electronic travel authorisation: caseworker guidance, Home Office, version 9.0, updated 3 August 2026