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Apply well ahead of time for ETA to enter Britain (system is having problems)

Posted by (CA, USA) on

Some travelers applying to enter Britain in recent days have hit a
roadblock: The online system is down, and without digital permission
they can’t board planes, trains or boats bound for the U.K.

The electronic travel authorization, called ETA, is linked to a
traveler’s passport. As of Wednesday afternoon, the app displayed a
message saying, “Sorry, the system is busy,” and directed users to try
again later. People attempting to apply on the website were also out
of luck. A digital queue, which advertised a wait of more than an
hour, stalled. Before the outage, the approval process was generally
swift, in some cases taking only minutes, though applicants are told
to allow at least three days for processing. The Home Office said it
was meeting that standard.

But some travelers wait until the day of their departure to apply for
the authorization — and in recent days some of them have been
stranded. The Home Office did not respond to questions about when the
outage began or when it may be resolved. On Wednesday afternoon, some
passengers received notices that they had been approved.

From the NYTimes https://www.nytimes.com/2026/06/03/travel/uk-travelers-eta-outage.html (may be behind paywall)

Posted by
13584 posts

Because airlines are deeply integrated with the electronic clearance framework, check-in desks and digital kiosks are automatically blocking boarding passes for any visa-exempt passenger whose passport is not linked to a validated ETA. Affected flyers stranded in transit hubs note that ground crews cannot override the requirement if the automated check fails.
The current portal issues showcase the risks of short-notice entry applications under the UK’s fully enforced digital border initiative. The UK Government specifies the mandate that all non-visa travelers—including nationals from the United States, Canada, and Australia—must hold a valid permission before stepping onto a plane, boat, or train bound for the country.
While a few travelers have reported being permitted to board after showing a confirmation email that their application is actively processing, the standard legal framework gives transport providers strict liability. This means carriers generally turn away passengers without a finalized electronic status to avoid structural fines.
https://www.ivisa.com/news/2026-06-03-gb-uk-eta-application-system-down-error-june-2026

The airlines are not likely to be lenient.

Posted by
2681 posts

First, you want to make sure you're using the correct app; there are a lot of options and all but the official one are just ripping you off. UK ETA (with a blue and white crown symbol) should be the only app you use. The cost is a fixed rate, not a variable rate base on "how quick do you need it" or some other nonsense. If you have a chipped passport, and biometrics on file, you can get an ETA in hours. If not it will take longer, but should never take more than 2-3 days. Cost is in Pounds Sterling, which varies based on the exchange rate. Last week (when I helped a co-worker apply) the cost was $27 US.

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