What to do if your UK ETA is refused

What a refusal means

A refused ETA means you don't have permission to travel to the UK on that passport. Airlines, ferry companies and rail operators check before boarding and can refuse to carry you.

You'll be told why the application was refused. Keep that reason and read it carefully, because it's the starting point for deciding what to do next.

A refusal doesn't stop you applying for other permission to come to the UK. For most people, the next step is a visa application.

If you were applying as part of a family or group, everyone else's ETA is unaffected. Each application is decided on its own.

Can you appeal an ETA refusal?

No. There's no right of appeal against an ETA refusal. Sending in the same application again, with the same answers, is likely to get the same result, and it costs another £20.

Your options after a refusal

Apply for a visa

This is the main route for most people. A visa application is more detailed: you give more information, usually with supporting documents, and your circumstances are considered in more depth. It costs more than an ETA and takes longer, so start as soon as you can. The GOV.UK visa checker tells you which visa fits your trip.

Visa applications ask about your UK immigration history, including previous refusals. Include the ETA refusal and answer fully. Leaving it out could lead to a further refusal.

Apply for an ETA again if your circumstances have changed

If something relevant has changed since the refusal, you can apply for an ETA again, paying the fee again. Before you do, make sure the new application reflects the change and deals with the reason you were given. If nothing has changed, a visa application is usually the better use of your time and money.

Get advice if your situation is complicated

If the refusal relates to a criminal conviction, a previous immigration problem or anything you're unsure how to explain, speak to a regulated immigration adviser or a solicitor before your next application. That's legal advice, which a form-checking service can't give.

If someone else applied for you

If a parent, relative, travel agent or service applied on your behalf, the refusal is still yours: it relates to your passport and the answers given about you. Ask for the refusal email if it went to their address, and check that every answer given in your name was correct. If something was answered wrongly, take advice before anyone applies again.

How to avoid an avoidable refusal

Some refusals come down to a person's history, and care with the form won't change those. Others come down to mistakes, and those are worth guarding against.

• Answer every question honestly. The suitability questions about criminal convictions and immigration history matter most. Read each one in full and answer what it asks.
• Don't guess. If you're not sure whether something counts, find out before you apply rather than answering "no" and hoping.
• Match your passport exactly. Your name, date of birth and passport number should match the passport character for character.
• Use the right passport. Apply with the passport you'll travel on, and check it isn't about to expire.
• Send a clear photo. Plain background, even light, nothing covering your face.

Before your next application

Keep the refusal email and note the date and reason. You'll want them to hand for a visa application. Check your travel bookings for change or cancellation terms too, since a visa takes longer to get than an ETA.

If you do reapply for an ETA and would like a specialist to check it first, we can help with that. We check your application for completeness and consistency, but we never answer the suitability questions for you or change what they mean, and we don't give immigration advice. You can also apply directly at GOV.UK for £20.