Every family member who needs an ETA needs an approval in their own name, and that includes babies and young children. One parent’s ETA does not cover a child, and a parent who is already approved still has to apply for each child. The rule is simple to state. The practical part is getting each application right, which is where most family problems start.
Some children do not need an ETA at all. British and Irish citizens are exempt, and so are some children with existing UK immigration permission or certain school-trip arrangements. Those exceptions depend on each child’s passport and status, so they are not a reason to assume that a child is exempt because the parent is not.
The short answer
Plan the family as a set of separate travellers. List everyone, check each passport, confirm which people need an ETA and which do not, and make sure each applicant has the right document and photograph. Then check the connections, the passport expiry dates and the decision timing for every person.
Do children need their own UK ETA?
Yes, where an ETA is required for the child’s journey. The ETA is an individual travel authorisation, linked to the passport a child will travel on. An approval for one person is not an approval for another, even if they are a sibling, a twin or a close relation.
Each child’s passport and status should be checked separately. Two children on the same booking can have different answers. One may be a British citizen and need no ETA, while the other is on a non-British passport and needs one. Work through each child on their own before you assume the family has the same position.
Some children are exempt. The most common examples are British and Irish citizens, children with valid UK immigration permission, and children travelling on a qualifying France-UK school trip. Each exemption has its own conditions, covered later in this guide.
Do babies and infants need a UK ETA?
Babies are travellers in their own right for ETA purposes. Where an ETA is required, a baby needs an ETA linked to the baby’s own passport. A newborn who travels on an ETA-eligible passport is in the same position as an older child, so the parent’s approval does not carry across.
Families sometimes assume that a baby is added to a parent’s approval, as an extra name on the same document. That is not how the system works. Each person has an individual approval. For a baby, that means an application made for the baby, with the baby’s own passport details, rather than an addition to a parent’s application.
If a newborn has not yet received a passport, plan around that. An ETA is linked to a passport, so the travel passport needs to exist before the application can be completed for that child.
Can a family share one UK ETA?
No. There is no single ETA that covers the whole family, and no group approval. Each traveller has an individual ETA, with their own passport details, photographs and decision. A family of four on ETA-eligible passports needs four approvals.
That does not mean the family has to make four separate trips to a computer. One adult can work through the applications for other family members, as explained in the next section. What matters is that each person has an individual application that is correct and complete.
Can a parent apply for a child?
Yes. A person can apply for another traveller, and a parent is the most common applicant for a child. The current rules depend on whether that person is with you when you apply.
| Situation | How to apply | What the applicant needs |
|---|---|---|
| The person is with you | In the UK ETA app, scanning their passport and face with your phone’s camera | The traveller’s own passport, with the camera scan completed on the spot |
| The person is not with you | Online, as an application for someone else | A photograph of the traveller’s passport details page and a photograph of their face |
The second route matters for families where a child is not travelling with the parent who is applying, for example when a grandparent or another relative is taking the child. The application still belongs to the child. The adult completing it is handling the paperwork on the child’s behalf.
The rule is not that only a biological parent can apply. Any adult can apply for another traveller, subject to the current process. What matters is that the details, passport and photographs belong to the person travelling.
What you need for a child’s application
For each child, the application needs the following. These items are the ones the current process asks for:
- the child’s own travel passport, valid for the trip and the passport the child will fly on;
- the child’s passport details, copied exactly from the data page, including the name as printed;
- a photograph of the passport details page;
- a photograph of the child’s face that meets the digital photo rules;
- an email address you check, since the decision is sent there;
- the answers to the application questions, given truthfully and completely;
- a payment card or mobile wallet for the payment step.
The full preparation is set out on our UK ETA requirements page. For the service options on this site, see UK ETA fees and processing options. Nothing in this guide shows an amount, and none should be taken from anywhere else.
Does a baby or child need a photograph?
Yes. An application needs a photograph of the traveller’s face as well as a photograph of the passport details page. For a child or a baby, the face photograph has to meet the digital photo rules, and a photograph that does not meet them can cause delay or rejection.
A practical approach helps. Use a neutral background and even light, keep the face fully visible, and avoid filters or heavy editing. For a baby, a parent can take the photograph in the place where the baby is calm, with the baby facing the camera. Take a few shots and check them before you upload. Do not rely on a photograph taken for a different purpose, because it may not meet the same requirements.
What if family members hold different passports?
The ETA question follows each traveller’s own nationality and status, not the family’s overall position. A family can travel together and still have different requirements for each person.
Consider a family where a parent holds an Australian passport, a child holds a British passport and the other parent holds an Indian passport. The three travellers have different starting points. The British child does not need an ETA. The Australian parent and the Indian parent each need to check the rules for their own passport, and they should not assume the answer is the same for both of them.
The point is to check each person individually. A family that does this early avoids the most common problem: one member is approved and another is not, or one passport is used for the booking and a different one is used for the application.
What if my child is British or Irish?
British and Irish citizens do not need an ETA. Current rules also say that a dual citizen with British or Irish citizenship cannot obtain one, so the family should travel on the British or Irish passport.
To show British or Irish citizenship when you travel, a child can present a valid British passport, another valid passport with a certificate of entitlement showing the right of abode in the UK, or a valid Irish passport. Check the travel-document options before you fly, because an airline will ask for evidence of citizenship.
This guide does not decide whether a child is British or Irish. Citizenship depends on the law and the child’s own circumstances, and it cannot be worked out from a parent’s birthplace or family history. If you are not sure whether your child is a British or Irish citizen, take advice on that question before you plan the trip. Do not apply for an ETA on the wrong passport as a way of getting round the question.
What if my child already has UK immigration permission?
A child who holds valid permission to live, work or study in the UK, or settled or pre-settled status, generally does not need an ETA for travel to the UK. The permission has to be current and has to cover the child’s situation. Our guides on the UK visa routes explain the position in more detail, but this article does not cover immigration status in depth.
If your child has permission, carry the evidence that shows it, and check the position before booking. A child who is not sure of their status should not travel on the assumption that they are exempt.
What if my child gets a new passport?
An ETA is linked to the passport the child used in the application. If that passport expires, is lost, stolen or damaged, or is replaced because the child’s details change, the new passport is a different document. Where an ETA is required, a new ETA is generally needed for the new passport.
Families should check each child’s passport expiry date early. A passport that is renewed in the weeks before a trip is a common cause of problems. If a new passport is issued, make sure the child travels on the document that the application names.
Can family applications be decided separately?
Yes. Each application concerns one traveller, so each decision is made separately. Applications submitted together may not be decided at the same moment, and one approval does not mean that the others have been approved. Do not plan on a family-wide decision time.
For planning, use the same timing guidance as any single application. Many decisions arrive by email within a day, but allow up to three working days, and check each person’s inbox and spam folder. Our processing time guide explains the detail. A family should not book non-refundable travel until every person has received an approval.
Travelling to the UK with one parent
Travelling with one parent is common, and it is worth separating two questions. The first is whether each traveller needs an ETA, which is covered throughout this guide. The second is whether there are extra arrangements for a child travelling with one adult, which is a different matter.
An ETA does not replace any consent or child-travel arrangement that may be relevant to a particular trip. Border Force may ask about the relationship between a child and the adult travelling with them, and some families choose to carry evidence of that relationship. The current UK rules for children travelling to the UK note that evidence could include a letter from the child’s parents giving authority for the child to travel with you, as well as a birth certificate where the surnames differ. That guidance does not present it as a mandatory document in every case, so treat it as useful evidence rather than a compulsory checklist.
If you are travelling with a child who is not your own, carry evidence of the relationship and of the reason for the trip, and be ready for questions at the border.
Can a child travel to the UK without a parent?
A child under 18 can travel to the UK without a parent where the current Visitor requirements are met, and where the arrangements for the child’s travel and stay are in place. The child still needs their own ETA where one is required.
Families considering this should plan carefully. Ask the airline what it requires for an unaccompanied minor. Think about who will meet the child on arrival, and where the child will stay. Keep contact details to hand for every adult involved. Parental consent and the arrangements that go with it can vary by family and by trip, so take advice if you are not sure what your situation requires.
Do children on school trips need a UK ETA?
Some do not, but this is not a general exemption for school groups. Current rules exempt a child travelling as part of a France-UK school trip when that trip is run under the specified travel information arrangement for such trips. The exemption depends on the trip and the paperwork, not simply on the school or the children’s nationality.
Do not assume that every school group, or every European pupil, is exempt. If your school trip is not covered by the specified arrangement, each child needs to check their own position before the trip. Ask the school or the trip organiser to confirm, in writing, which arrangement applies.
Do children need an ETA for a UK airport connection?
The same principle applies to children as to adults. Where an ETA is required for the child and the connection takes the child through UK border control, the requirement may apply. A connection that keeps the child airside is treated differently, because qualifying airside transit does not need an ETA.
Families flying with small children should check the transit arrangements before booking, since a change of terminal or a need to collect bags can make a connection landside. Our UK ETA transit and layovers guide sets out how to tell the difference, and the same questions apply to every person on the booking.
Practical tips when travelling with a baby
- Check the baby’s own passport, and confirm that the ETA, where one is required, is linked to that passport.
- Do not assume a parent’s ETA covers the baby.
- Make sure the passport you bring is the one the application names.
- Account for a passport that is due to be replaced, and check whether a new ETA would be needed.
- Check the airline’s arrangements for infants, including any seat or documentation rules it sets for its own bookings.
- Keep the travel details, accommodation and onward journey accessible, so they can be shown if asked.
This list does not add any compulsory paperwork. It is a set of checks that make a family trip smoother, and most of them come down to matching the right passport to the right application.
UK ETA family travel checklist
- List every traveller separately, including babies.
- Check the passport nationality and status of each person.
- Confirm whether each traveller needs an ETA for their own journey.
- Check whether anyone is British, Irish, or otherwise exempt.
- Use each person’s own passport for their application.
- Prepare a face photograph and a passport photograph for each applicant.
- Check names, passport numbers and expiry dates carefully before submitting.
- Check for any newly issued or replacement passports.
- Confirm every required ETA has been granted before you travel.
- Check the transit arrangements separately for each connection.
- Keep onward travel and accommodation details available.
Common ETA mistakes families make
- Assuming one ETA covers the family. Each traveller has an individual approval.
- Forgetting the baby. A baby who needs an ETA needs one in their own name.
- Overlooking a child with a different nationality. One child’s status can differ from the parents’.
- Using the wrong passport details. Copy the details exactly from the passport.
- Travelling after a child receives a new passport. A new passport generally needs a new ETA.
- Assuming family applications are approved together. Each decision is separate.
- Confusing the ETA with permission to enter. An ETA is permission to travel, and entry is decided at the border.
- Misunderstanding airside transit. A connection can be landside even when the family thinks it is airside.
- Assuming every school trip is exempt. Only qualifying trips under the specified arrangement are covered.
- Assuming parents and children have the same immigration status. Each person’s position depends on their own passport and permission.
Can children use UK eGates?
Children can use the standard eGates only where the conditions are met. Current guidance says the traveller must be at least 8 years old, must have a biometric passport with the biometric symbol on the cover, must be 120 cm or taller, and must have a valid digital immigration status or a record of a digital exemption. Travellers aged 8 to 17 must be accompanied by an adult to use the gates.
Nothing guarantees that a gate will be available or will accept a particular child. If a gate cannot complete the check, your family will be directed to a Border Force desk. Children under 8, and children who do not meet the height condition, will go to an officer. Do not plan the arrival around a gate, and do not confuse the standard eGates with the newer contactless process.
An ETA does not guarantee entry
An ETA is permission to travel. It does not guarantee admission to the UK for a parent or a child. A Border Force officer decides whether each traveller may enter, and the Visitor rules apply to the purpose and length of the trip for each person.
Answer questions clearly and truthfully, and keep the passports and approval emails to hand for every family member.
Frequently asked questions
Do children need a UK ETA?
Where an ETA is required for the journey, yes. Each child needs an approval in their own name, linked to their own passport. Some children are exempt, for example British and Irish citizens.
Do babies need a UK ETA?
Where an ETA is required, a baby needs one too, linked to the baby’s own passport. A parent’s approval does not cover the baby.
Can a child be included on a parent’s ETA?
No. Every traveller has an individual ETA. A child is applied for separately, with the child’s own passport details and photographs.
Can a parent apply for a child’s ETA?
Yes. A person can apply for another traveller. If the child is with you, you can apply in the UK ETA app. If the child is not with you, you apply online with photographs of the child’s passport and face.
Does my child need a photograph?
Yes. The application needs a photograph of the traveller’s face that meets the digital photo rules, as well as a photograph of the passport details page.
What if my child has a different passport nationality?
Then the child is checked against the rules for that passport. A child can have a different ETA requirement from the parents, so check each person separately.
Do British children need an ETA?
No. British citizens do not need an ETA. A child who is a British citizen should travel on a British passport, and an ETA should not be used as a way of dealing with missing British documents.
Do Irish children need an ETA?
No. Irish citizens do not need an ETA, and a child who holds Irish citizenship travels on an Irish passport.
What happens if my child gets a new passport?
The ETA is linked to the passport named in the application. A new or replacement passport generally needs a new ETA where one is required.
Can a child travel to the UK without a parent?
A child under 18 can travel without a parent where the Visitor requirements are met and the travel and stay arrangements are in place. Take advice on consent and arrangements before you book.
Do children need an ETA for a UK transit?
When an ETA is required for the child and the connection takes them through UK border control, yes. A qualifying airside connection is treated differently.
Can children use UK eGates?
Children aged 8 or over can use eligible eGates when the conditions are met, including a biometric passport, a height of 120 cm or more, and an adult for those aged 8 to 17. Use is never guaranteed.
Does an ETA guarantee entry for my child?
No. An ETA is permission to travel. A Border Force officer decides whether each traveller may enter.