If you need a UK Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) to fly into Bristol Airport, it costs £20 and is applied for online through the official gov.uk service before you travel. British and Irish citizens do not need one, and neither does anyone who already holds UK immigration permission such as a visa or settled status. Checked August 2026.
What an ETA is and who needs one
An ETA is a digital permission to travel to the UK, introduced for visitors who do not need a visa for short stays. It is linked electronically to your passport rather than being a sticker or stamp, and you must have one approved before you board your flight to Bristol, not on arrival. As of 25 February 2026, the requirement applies to all in-scope nationalities, having been phased in gradually since 2024, starting with a small group of countries and expanding through 2025 to cover the rest.
British citizens and Irish citizens do not need an ETA. You are also exempt if you already hold a valid UK visa or another form of UK immigration permission, such as settled or pre-settled status, since your existing permission already covers your travel.
Cost and how long it lasts
An ETA costs £20 per applicant, applied for directly through the official gov.uk service. Be cautious of third-party websites that charge a mark-up to "process" an ETA application for you. The official application costs £20 and does not require a paid intermediary.
Once approved, an ETA allows multiple trips to the UK, with each stay generally permitted up to six months. It remains valid for two years, or until your passport expires, whichever comes first. If you renew your passport, or your existing ETA expires, you will need to apply again.
| Detail | Figure |
|---|---|
| Cost | £20 per applicant |
| Validity | 2 years, or until your passport expires, whichever is sooner |
| Stay length permitted | Up to 6 months per visit, multiple visits allowed |
| Who is exempt | British and Irish citizens, and anyone with existing UK immigration permission |
How to apply
Apply through the official UK government ETA service at gov.uk before you travel, ideally well ahead of your flight to Bristol rather than at the last minute, since approval is not always instant. You will need a valid passport and a form of payment for the £20 fee. Avoid apps or websites other than the official gov.uk service, since unofficial sites charging extra fees have been a known issue since the scheme launched.
A note on Bristol Airport's own guidance
Some official-sounding pages, including airport information pages that predate the fee increase, still quote an older £10 price for an ETA. The scheme's cost has risen since its original 2024 launch, first to £16 and then to £20, so if you see a lower figure quoted anywhere, including on an airport's own site, treat it as outdated and check the current price on gov.uk directly before you pay.
What happens if you arrive without one
If you need an ETA and board your flight without one, airlines can refuse boarding, since they are required to check passengers hold the correct permission before departure. This makes it a pre-travel requirement in practice, not something to sort out on arrival at Bristol. Build the application into your pre-flight checklist alongside your passport validity and any visa requirements, rather than leaving it for the airport.
How this fits with the rest of your Bristol Airport arrival
An approved ETA does not replace the normal passport check on arrival, it sits alongside it as an additional pre-travel authorisation. You will still go through Bristol Airport's standard arrivals process, including the ordinary passport control queue, so allow the usual time for that on top of having your ETA sorted in advance. If you are arriving with checked luggage and heading onward by taxi or public transport, see our arrivals and transport guides for the rest of your journey from the terminal.
Practical tips
- Apply well before your flight. Approval is usually fast but is not guaranteed to be instant, especially close to your travel date.
- Only use the official gov.uk service. You do not need a third-party agent to apply for an ETA, and paying one costs more than necessary.
- Check your ETA is still valid before a return trip, since it expires after two years or when your passport does, whichever is sooner.
- If you are unsure whether you need one, check the eligibility checker on gov.uk rather than assuming, since requirements have been phased in by nationality over the last two years.