Do Indians need a UK ETA? Visas and ETAs explained

Since the UK rolled out its electronic travel authorisation (ETA), a lot of Indian travellers have asked whether they can skip the visa queue and pay £20 online instead. The short answer is no. The ETA is for people from countries that don't need a visa. Indian citizens are not on that list, so they still need a full UK visa.

The confusion is understandable, because many Indian families travel on mixed passports. A father on an Indian passport, a daughter with a US passport and a cousin with a Canadian one can all need different things for the same trip. This guide sorts it out.

Key points

• An ETA costs £20 and allows visits of up to six months. It is only for nationalities on GOV.UK's eligible list.
• India is not on the list. Indian passport holders need a visa, usually the Standard Visitor visa (£135 for six months).
• Indian-origin relatives with US, Canadian, Australian or most European passports need an ETA, not a visa.
• OCI is not a passport. An OCI holder travels on their foreign passport, and that passport decides what they need.
• Anyone already holding a UK visa or permission to live in the UK doesn't need an ETA.
• Last checked 27 Oct 2026. Not legal advice.

What an ETA is

An ETA is a digital permission to travel, linked to your passport. You apply online or through the official UK ETA app, pay £20 and usually get a decision quickly. It lets you visit the UK, Jersey, Guernsey or the Isle of Man for up to six months for tourism, family visits and certain other reasons. It does not guarantee entry; border officers still decide at the airport.

The UK introduced it in stages from 2023 so that it knows in advance about everyone arriving, including people who don't need a visa. It works much like the US ESTA. GOV.UK warns that other websites may charge more and imitate the government service, so apply only through GOV.UK or the official app.

Why Indians need a visa instead

The ETA only replaces "no paperwork". It doesn't replace a visa. GOV.UK's list of nationalities that can get an ETA includes the US, Canada, Australia, Japan, the EU countries, the Gulf states such as the UAE and Saudi Arabia, Malaysia and the Maldives. India is not among them, and GOV.UK says other nationalities can't get an ETA and should check whether they need a visa instead.

So an Indian passport holder visiting the UK applies for a visa, normally the Standard Visitor visa, gives fingerprints and a photo at a visa centre, and waits for a decision, usually around three weeks.

Who needs what in a typical Indian family

The rule of thumb is simple: the passport decides, not where you live, not your ethnicity and not your OCI card.

OCI holders

An Overseas Citizenship of India card lets foreign nationals of Indian origin live and travel in India without a visa. It has no role in UK entry. A US citizen with OCI travels to London on their US passport and needs an ETA, exactly like any other American. Our guide to OCI rules explains what the card does cover.

Who doesn't need an ETA

GOV.UK lists people who don't need one, including:

• British and Irish citizens, including dual citizens (they must travel as British or Irish);
• anyone with a UK visa;
• anyone with permission to live, work or study in the UK, including settled or pre-settled status;
• passengers transiting airside without passing through UK border control (check with your airline).

Children need their own ETA if their passport is from an ETA country. Babies too.

Transit through London

Many Indians fly to North America through Heathrow. If you stay airside and change planes without going through UK border control, you may need a Direct Airside Transit visa (£41.50) unless you are exempt, for example because you hold certain valid visas for other countries. If you pass through border control, for example to change airports, you need a Visitor in Transit visa (£74.50) or a Standard Visitor visa. The exemptions are detailed and change from time to time, so check GOV.UK's "Check if you need a UK visa" tool for your exact route before you book.

How to apply for an ETA, for relatives who need one

If a relative with a US, Canadian or European passport is joining a family event in the UK, the ETA is quick, but it is not instant for everyone. They will need:

1. the passport they will travel on;
2. a phone or computer with a camera for a photo of their face and a scan of the passport;
3. an email address and a payment card for the £20 fee;
4. answers to questions about criminal convictions and past immigration problems.

The UK ETA app is the quickest way. GOV.UK says most people get a decision within three working days, so apply at least a week before the flight. An ETA is linked to one passport; if they renew the passport, they need a new ETA. Parents can apply for their children in the same session.

Costs side by side

At about ₹127 to the pound (reference rate, 23 Oct 2026):

If you visit the UK often on an Indian passport, a long-term visitor visa is the nearest thing to the convenience of an ETA. For parents visiting family, see our guide to the UK visit visa for parents from India.

Why it matters

For the diaspora, the ETA has made UK trips easier for relatives with Western passports, while Indian passport holders still pay more and wait longer. That gap shapes family plans. A wedding in Birmingham can mean an ETA in minutes for the American cousins and a three-week visa process for the grandparents in Jaipur. Start the Indian passport applications first.

One passport, one rule. Check the passport each traveller will use, then apply for the right permission through GOV.UK, not through a lookalike site.

This article is general information, not legal advice. Check GOV.UK's "Check if you need a UK visa" tool before travel. Last checked 27 Oct 2026. Next review: 27 Apr 2027 or when the ETA list changes.