Passport Requirements
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Your passport is the single most important document in a UK ETA application. The authorisation is linked electronically to the specific passport you apply with, so the details must be accurate and the document must meet UK Visas and Immigration standards.
What your passport must meet
Issued by an eligible country
Your passport must be issued by one of the countries whose citizens qualify for the UK ETA. If your country is not on the eligible list, you will likely need a UK visa instead of an ETA.
Valid for your entire stay
Your passport must be valid for the full duration of your stay in the UK. Unlike some destinations, the UK does not require a fixed number of months beyond your departure date, but an expired or soon-to-expire passport can cause problems at the border.
Biometric (chip) passport recommended
A biometric passport has an electronic chip, shown by the small camera-style symbol on the cover. It lets you use the eGates at the UK border and ensures the ETA links correctly to your travel document.
Machine-readable
The passport must be a standard machine-readable travel document. Emergency, temporary, or hand-written travel documents are generally not accepted for an ETA.
The passport scan you'll upload
During the application you'll provide an image of your passport's biographic page. Before the application is submitted to UKVI, this image is checked for the following:
- A clear scan or photograph of the passport biographic page (the page with your photo and details)
- All four corners of the page visible, with no glare or shadow obscuring the text
- The machine-readable zone (the two lines of characters at the bottom) fully legible
- Passport number, full name, date of birth, nationality, and expiry date clearly readable
Renewing or changing your passport
Because the ETA is tied to one specific passport, a change of passport affects your authorisation:
If you renew before applying
Always apply using the passport you will travel with. Applying with a passport you are about to replace means the ETA will not be linked to your new document.
Start your application
If your passport meets the requirements above, you can begin your UK ETA application. Every submission is reviewed for completeness before it is filed with UK Visas and Immigration.