Do you need a British ETA for a layover in London?

Flying to the USA with a stopover in London? You may need a British ETA, an electronic travel authorization. Find out if it applies to your layover.

What is the British ETA?

Following the US ESTA, here comes the British ETA! From April 2, 2025, the UK authorities require all visitors traveling to the United Kingdom, whether for vacation or business, to obtain an Electronic Travel Authorisation.
Why are we discussing the British ETA on a site dedicated to New York? Simply because the British ETA may sometimes be required when transiting through the United Kingdom. If you’re planning a flight from Lyon to New York or Marseille to New York via London, you need to check whether you require an ETA to transit through London.

The rule is straightforward: you don’t need an ETA for a UK transit as long as you don’t pass through British immigration. Confirm with your airline that you won’t need to clear immigration to change planes and continue your journey. You must stay within the airport’s transit zone.
If you need to change airports to catch your connection, you’ll pass through British immigration and will need an ETA. The same applies if you want to leave the airport to visit London during your layover, or if you plan to take the Eurostar train to London before catching a flight. In short, you need an ETA whenever you cross the British border, marked by British immigration.

ESTA is the Electronic System for Travel Authorization established by US authorities in 2007. ESTA is mandatory for all citizens of countries in the US visa waiver program who wish to stay in the United States for a maximum of 90 days or transit through it. This includes citizens of France, Monaco, Belgium, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Spain, Portugal, and Italy.
ETA is the British equivalent of ESTA! One key difference: the British ETA applies to all visitors allowed to enter the United Kingdom without a visa, whether for vacation or business. ETA therefore applies broadly to all Europeans. However, unlike ESTA, ETA is not required for transit as long as you remain in the transit zone.
Don’t confuse the two systems—they’re completely separate. ESTA is only valid for entering the US, while ETA is only valid for entering the UK. Each country has its own system.
Similarly, you’ll need both an ESTA and the Canadian AVE authorization if you’re traveling to New York with a stopover in Toronto or Montreal.

You must submit your ETA application at least 72 hours before transiting the UK on the official UK government website. ETA costs £10 per person, regardless of age. The price is the same for adults, children, and infants. The price will increase to £16 per person from April 9, 2025.
Like ESTA, ETA is valid for 2 years as long as you travel with the same passport. In that case, you won’t need to pay for authorization again.
As with ESTA scams, watch out for websites posing as the official UK government site and charging exorbitant fees just to enter your personal information for you. ETA has spawned plenty of fake official sites!
You’ll find more information in our article on the ETA travel authorization, including a step-by-step guide to help you complete your application.