Our passports expire in January 2026. Can we transfer our ETA to the new passports?
What to Do If Your UK ETA Is About to Expire?
Before understanding the actions to be taken when your UK eTA is going to expire, it’s important to know what a UK eTA actually does in the first place.
About UK eTA
The UK eTA is a digital travel authorisation that permits foreign nationals who meet the UK eTA requirements to visit the United Kingdom for short-term purposes, including tourism, business, study and family visits.
- Validity Period: Valid for 2 years from the date it is issued or until the traveller’s passport expires, depending on which occurs first.
- Permitted Stay Duration: Each individual stay must not exceed 6 months.
- No. of Entries Allowed: Multiple entries within the validity period
How to Know If Your eTA Is Nearing Expiry?
You can know if your eTA is expiring soon by checking these two timelines:
- Monitor Your Passport Expiration: The moment your passport expires your eTA automatically becomes invalid for travel even if it has not crossed the 2 year validity period.
- Count the 2 Year Window: Check the issue date mentioned on your UK eTA approval, as the eTA turns inapplicable exactly after 2 years from the date of issue.
Consequences of Overstaying an eTA
You’ll face the following problems if you overstay an expired eTA:
- Future Entry Refusal: You may be denied entry in future if a prior record shows you overstayed, which is seen as non-compliance.
- Impact on Immigration Record: Overstaying adds a negative entry to the traveller’s record, impacting their travel in other countries as well.
- Ineligibility for Future eTAs: Travelers who overstay may lose eligibility to apply again for a UK ETA.
- Legal Actions: In serious cases, deportation, enforced departure, and re-entry bans could be enforced based on the overstay’s severity.
- Financial Penalties and Delays: Overstayers may be fined and departure procedures may also involve delays, extended checks, or questioning at the exit point.
How to Avoid Overstaying
Follow the below steps to avoid overstaying your UK eTA:
|
Action |
Description |
|
Track Your eTA Expiry Date |
Use calendar reminders or digital alerts to track your eTA’s expiry and prevent accidental overstays. |
|
Travel Within the Permitted Timeframe |
Understand your UK eTA validity and plan your trip to the UK carefully so that you do not intentionally or unintentionally overstay. |
|
Seek Advice in Uncertain Situations |
Reach out to UK Visas and Immigration in the event of illness, delays, or doubts prevent inadvertent non-compliance. |
|
Avoid Last-Minute Departures |
Avoid leaving the UK on the UK ETA's last day. Depart early to ensure an easy exit and prevent airport delays. |
What to Do If Your UK ETA Is About to Expire?
If your UK eTA is near expiry or has already expired you must take the following actions:
- If You’re Outside the UK: You cannot renew your UK eTA so you must apply for a new UK eTA before your departure.
- If You’re Inside the UK: The expiry of your ETA does not require you to leave earlier just make sure to not stay more than 6 months in the UK.
Note: You cannot re-enter the UK with an expired eTA, you must apply for a new eTA in order to travel to the UK again.
UK eTA Reapplication Process
Step 1: Apply Online
Fill out the UK eTA application form with complete and accurate details.
Step 2: Upload & Pay
Upload the required documents and pay the eTA fee using an acceptable payment option.
Step 3: Receive eTA Approval
An approved UK eTA will be sent to the applicant’s registered email address.
Note: Print a copy of your approved eTA for travelling to the United Kingdom.
Content Disclaimer: This information reflects updates as of October 2026. Travellers are advised to consult the relevant authorities, including embassies and airlines, to confirm all details before making travel arrangements.
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