UK ETA Refused or Rejected: What US Travelers Can Do
Short answer: A rejection and a refusal are different results. If your ETA is rejected, or the details need to change, GOV.UK says you can apply again. If it is refused, you cannot appeal; if you still want to come to the UK, you apply for a visa. You cannot get a refund after you apply, and an ETA does not guarantee entry. Stand: 25 September 2026.
Navigation: ← United Kingdom · UK ETA · ETA app · Visitor visa · Start UK ETA help
What rejected and refused mean
The email uses one of two words, and they do not lead to the same next step.
If the application is rejected, you are told the reason and you can apply again. The same applies when the details need to change: that is a new application, not an edit of the closed one. A rejection at the identity check is not assessed as a suitability refusal, so a new application is still open.
If the application is refused, you cannot appeal. A refusal is not a refusal of permission to enter the UK. If you still want to come, you will need to apply for a visa.
You cannot get a refund after you apply. That holds for a rejection and for a refusal.
An ETA also does not guarantee entry to the UK, Jersey, Guernsey, or the Isle of Man. Border officers still decide whether you may enter when you arrive.
Next step: if the word is rejected, fix the reason you were given and use the next section. If the word is refused, use the visa section.
Apply again on the official channel
Use this section after a rejection, or when the details need to change. It is not the route after a refusal.
Order of work for a new ETA request:
- Open the official apply channel at GOV.UK ETA apply, or use the UK ETA app.
- Prepare a face photo that meets the digital photo rules, and passport details that match the passport you will travel with.
- Submit the new application and wait for the decision email.
Preparation matters. If the face photo does not meet the rules, the application may be delayed or rejected. If the details taken from the passport do not match what it says on your passport, the application will be delayed or rejected.
You usually get a decision by email within a day, but it can take up to 3 working days. You know the step is finished when that decision email arrives for the new request. If nothing has arrived after 3 working days, check your spam or junk folder before contacting UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI).
When a refusal means a visa
If the ETA is refused and you still want to come to the UK, you need to apply for a visa. For a short visit, that is usually a Standard Visitor visa, filed on GOV.UK before travel.
Official guidance also says that if you have a criminal record, or you were previously refused entry into the UK, you may want to apply for a Standard Visitor visa instead of an ETA. That can be the better route before you pay for another ETA. It does not turn a refusal back into an ETA application.
That is a path choice, not a promise. UK authorities still decide whether a visitor visa is granted, and whether you enter.
Next step: read the Standard Visitor visa guide if the ETA was refused, or if that earlier history already points you away from another ETA. A visitor visa is filed on GOV.UK, not as an ETA request.
FAQ
Can I appeal a refused UK ETA?
No. If the application is refused, you cannot appeal. If you still want to come to the UK, apply for a visa. A rejection is different: you are told the reason, and you can apply again on GOV.UK ETA apply or in the UK ETA app.
Do I get the fee back if the ETA is refused?
No. You cannot get a refund after you apply. A refusal or a rejection does not return the fee for that request.
Should I apply for a visitor visa instead?
If the ETA was refused and you still want to travel, yes. You need a visa, and for a short visit that is usually a Standard Visitor visa. If you have a criminal record or were previously refused entry into the UK, official guidance says you may want that visa instead of an ETA even when an ETA would otherwise be the usual path. A visitor visa is not guaranteed if you apply for one; see the visitor visa guide.
What if there is no decision email yet?
A decision usually arrives by email within a day and can take up to 3 working days. After 3 working days with no email, check spam or junk before contacting UKVI. That wait is not a rejection or a refusal. Those are decisions, and each one has its own next step.
How my-evisas.com can help
Provided
- Optional help from my-evisas.com with an eligible UK ETA request, including after a rejection when you will apply again on the ETA path.
- Plain-language guidance that points you to the official ETA apply channel and to the visitor-visa path when that fits your situation.
Not provided
- Filing a Standard Visitor visa for you; that application stays on GOV.UK.
- A decision on your new ETA request, a refund after you apply, or a guarantee of entry. UK authorities decide those outcomes.
If you want optional help with an eligible UK ETA request, start UK ETA help.
Sources
- Apply for an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) — GOV.UK (accessed 25 September 2026)
- Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) — GOV.UK (accessed 25 September 2026)
- What you can and cannot do with an ETA — GOV.UK (accessed 25 September 2026)
- Using the UK ETA app — GOV.UK (accessed 25 September 2026)
- Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) factsheet – April 2026 — Home Office (accessed 25 September 2026)
- Immigration Rules Appendix Electronic Travel Authorisation — GOV.UK (accessed 25 September 2026)
- Electronic travel authorisation: caseworker guidance — GOV.UK (accessed 25 September 2026)
Important Notice
The information on this page is provided for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. my-evisas.com is a private service provider and not a government authority, embassy, or consulate.
Visa requirements and entry regulations can change at short notice. We do not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or timeliness of the information provided. Only the official regulations in force at the time of your application are authoritative.
As of: 25 September 2026
Binding and up-to-date information is provided exclusively by the relevant official authorities. Please verify the currently applicable requirements before your application or travel: https://www.gov.uk/eta/apply