ETA UK Rejected: Read the Status, Then Act Calmly

One question first: which word is in the message?

Before doing anything, reread the email and find the status. The two negative outcomes lead to very different next steps:

So an ETA UK application rejected is not always the end of your plans, unlike an ETA UK refused decision. If the wording is unclear, check your file on gov.uk/check-eta.

Three typical situations (fictional examples)

• Julien, leaving in twelve days: his email announces an ETA UK rejected status. He compares the form with his passport, finds two swapped digits, and resubmitting takes ten minutes. He has plenty of margin.
• Nadia, flight in forty-eight hours: same status, but the time is too short, since a decision can take up to 3 working days. She moves her ticket rather than risk being stopped at check-in.
• Marc, ETA UK refused: the ETA route is closed. He does not waste time starting again and looks into the visa that suits his stay.

The reflex is identical in all three: read, understand, and only then act.

Mistakes to check first

An application cannot be changed once it is sent, so one slip means starting over. Go through these points with your passport in your hands:

• name, date of birth and document number, character by character;
• the expiry date, which must match the passport you will actually carry;
• photo quality: sharp, facing the camera, no glare or cluttered background;
• the answers to the form questions, complete and truthful;
• the passport itself: an ETA is tied to one document, the one you travel with.

Is your nationality covered by the scheme at all? Look at the list of ETA countries before trying again.

Sending a new request in five steps

1. Keep the message and note the date of the decision.
2. Correct every wrong detail using the passport as your reference.
3. Prepare a better photo if needed.
4. Pick a route: the service's application form with a file check at €83 per traveller, or the direct government route at gov.uk/eta/apply for £20. The assistance is optional.
5. Proofread everything before paying, because nothing can be edited afterwards.

After an ETA UK application rejected result, the new file starts from scratch. The €83 includes the government fee, which rose from £16 to £20 on 8 April 2026. If you get stuck, write to support@e-visa.online.

After a refusal: the visa route

With an ETA UK refused decision, there is no appeal for the ETA. You then need a visa, and the Check if you need a UK visa tool shows which category fits your plans. Do not expect a private service to overturn the outcome: only the UK authorities decide, and neither assistance nor payment guarantees approval.

Even a valid ETA does not guarantee entry to the country: a border officer can still question you on arrival.

Saving time on the next attempt

Better to avoid a second ETA UK rejected result: apply at least 3 working days before departure: an answer usually comes within 24 hours, but it can take longer. That cushion leaves room for a second try. Once granted, the ETA stays valid for 2 years or until your passport expires, with multiple entries for stays of up to 6 months.

Travelling as a family? Everyone needs a personal file, as the page on children explains. US passport holders will find their rules in the guide for US citizens, and people changing planes in the one on transit.