I flew to Great Britain on new rules. I was surprised by the possibilities of our passports
ETA, although formally, is intended for citizens of countries covered by visa -free, coming to Great Britain or transit through it, de facto resembles tourist visas in some other countries. There are not many requirements with it, except for criminalty and paying the fee.
The obligation to have an ETA at the entrance to Great Britain in the case of Poles entered into force on April 2. Until April 9, it cost 10 pounds in theory, but Currently, it is formally 16 pounds. Why “formally”? Because when choosing Poland, as a place from which it is applied, the default currency is the euro. On the day I completed the form, I paid exactly 19.74 euros, which is just over 80 PLN.
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This was what the ETA in practice looked like
In order to develop ETA, it's best to download the official government application, which then runs us step by step (I didn't test via the website). You need (except the phone, of course):
- the passport you will travel with
- access to an e-mail box
- And money on your account (you can use Visa, Mastercard, American Express, JCB, Apple Pay or Google Pay for payment.
Application start page
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screen
The application leads us in English
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screen
The application can only be used in the case of an application for yourself or the person staying with you
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One of the first questions in the application concerns the passport you use – ordinary or biometric. I mentioned mine in 2022 and thanks to that I also have “improved”. I got used to that thanks to him, even traveling to Great Britain, I don't have to have contact with customs officers. When I completed the ETA form, I was surprised by its other possibilities.
At one point, the application asked to get rid of the phone's cover. Then I was supposed to apply my device to my passport page with a photo. At first, little was happening and the application asked for a bit of a phone, and then She began to download her data.
In addition, when applying for ETA, I had to, among others Scan your face, take a picture of a passport, as well as a selfie on a neutral background, without a falling shadow. There were also questions about any disgust with the law.
The whole lasted maybe 10 minutes (it was mainly inhibited by photos and scans that the application ordered to repeat), and The last stage was payment. However, its payment did not mean that my application was considered positively.
E-mail with confirmation that everything is ok, I got after a few minutes, but here-it is better not to leave it at the last minute. In the news that my application is considered, you can read, among others: “We usually issue a decision within 3 business days (from Monday to Friday). You can get a faster decision. Sometimes the decision can take more time.”
ETA is a digital document. You don't have to print it. It is assigned to the passport and only this document must be shown at the airport. In my case, everything went smoothly while traveling and I had no contact with customs officers again. It was enough to scan the passport on goals.
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What is ETA and who is valid?
ETA (Electronic Travel Authorization) This is an electronic permission to enter Great Britain, similar to American Esta or Canadian eta. This system aims to strengthen border controls and improve the entry process for citizens of countries released from visas.
Who must have ETA?
- Polish citizens and other EU countries traveling touristically, for business or transit purposes (if they leave the transit zone at airports).
- People using visa -free tourist traffic.
Who is released from ETA?
- Holders of an important British visa.
- Poles with a residence permit.
How to get an ETA? Step by step
The procedure is fast and takes place only online:
- Complete the application On the official government website gov.uk/eta or by application UK ETA.
- Pay the cost – 16 pounds (approx. PLN 80), the fee is non -returnable.
- Wait for the decision.
- Receive confirmation – ETA is assigned to the passport number, so you don't have to print it.
ETA validity:
- 2 years or until the passport expires (depending on what will happen before).
- It enables multiple entrances to Great Britain.
What can you and what can not be done with ETA?
✅ Possibilities:
- Entrance to the UK for a stay up to 6 months (tourism, visits, short business trips).
- Repeatedly crossing the border during the ETA validity period.
❌ Limitations:
- ETA does not allow work (even occasional or remote for a British employer).
- ETA does not entitle you to use public funds (e.g. benefits) or to settle.
What happens if you forget about ETA?
From April 2, 2025 no ETA may result in a refusal to enter to Great Britain. However, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in the initial period the airlines can only remind about the obligation to have an ETA, not block the board. Nevertheless better submit an application earlierto avoid unpleasant surprises.
What to do if you lose your passport?
If You change your passport or you will lose the documentyou have to submit a new application for ETAbecause authorization is associated with a specific passport number.
