An ETA allows you to travel to the United Kingdom to visit for up to 6 months. Whether you can apply depends on the date you travel as well as your nationality.
For most countries included in the scheme (currently 88 countries have been announced) this is a new option introduced in 2025. For many conference delegates this will be a cheap and convenient way to attend the IATEFL conference, whilst for others (many European countries) it will add a small additional cost to entering the United Kingdom for the conference but avoid the need for a visa.
There is a charge of £10 for an ETA and it is valid for 2 years.
Visit the United Kingdom government website to see if your nationality is included in the scheme.
If your country is not listed, then you may well need to apply for a visa. You can check here based on your own particular circumstances: http://www.gov.uk/check-uk-visa
IATEFL cannot give guidance on what is the most appropriate permission, authorisation or visa for you to enter the United Kingdom. These will depend on your own particular circumstances. Please visit the UK Government website for further information.
The fastest way to apply for an ETA is to download the UK ETA app, available for Apple and Android devices. Click here for further information on applying, and links to the UK ETA app.
Be careful!
There are a lot of websites claiming to offer an Electronic Travel Authorisation service for the UK. We strongly recommend going directly to the official UK Government website linked to above.
Please check the UK Government website (useful links below), or contact your local British Consulate, for instructions on for doing. Different visas have different requirements.
- Check if you need a UK visa
- How to apply for a visa to come to the UK
- Guide to supporting documents
Delegates who require an invitation letter in order to make visa arrangements should first make a conference booking online. Under the Personal Information section, tick the ‘invitation letter required’ box and fill in your passport number where indicated. Please ensure you have filled in your full name, postal address, nationality, passport number, and your email address carefully in the correct fields.
As invitation letters are sent out manually there may be a delay in receiving your letter during busy times, please allow up to two weeks from the time of your booking for your letter to arrive by email.
Please note that invitation letters are only for overseas delegates who require an invitation to assist with their travel visa application. Delegates who require a letter for their place of work to secure time off or funding should instead download an Employer justification letter (see above).