Electronic travel authorisation schemes around the world

What counts as a travel authorisation

This table covers schemes for people who do not need a visa. They apply online before travel, give passport and personal details, answer security questions and pay a fee where one applies. The EU says an ETIAS authorisation will not be a visa ⁶. The UK says an ETA does not guarantee entry, and a border officer still decides on arrival ³.

E-visas are left out. An e-visa is a visa applied for online by people who need one. Our page on e-visas explains the difference. Sri Lanka is a borderline case. Its portal calls the ETA a tourist visa, so we label it that way ¹⁵.

Schemes table

Fees and rules change often. Each cell cites its source. Use the official site in the last column and check the web address with care. Many copycat sites charge more ^3,6. Where a source did not state validity, the cell says so.

Running schemes: points to note

• United States: DHS set the total ESTA fee at $40.62 from 16 October 2026. It is made up of $17, a $10.62 cost recovery fee and $13. A denied applicant pays $10.62 ¹.
• Canada: the eTA is for travellers who fly to or transit through a Canadian airport. Applicants need a passport, a card and an email address ².
• United Kingdom: the ETA costs £20 and allows visits of up to 6 months ³.
• Australia: the only charge is the AUD20 service charge to use the Australian ETA app ⁴.
• New Zealand: the NZeTA costs from NZD 17 and lasts 2 years for most travellers. Processing can take up to 72 hours ⁵.
• South Korea: nationals of 22 countries, including Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Japan, the UK and the US, do not need a K-ETA from 1 January to 31 December 2026. They may still apply and pay ¹³.
• Israel: ETA-IL became mandatory for visa-exempt tourists on 1 January 2025. Travellers apply up to 72 hours before arrival ¹⁴.
• Kenya: the eTA was unveiled on 5 January 2024 under regulations gazetted on 2 January 2024 ¹⁰. In June 2025 Kenya exempted more countries ¹¹.
• Hong Kong: Indian nationals must register before a visa-free visit of up to 14 days. Those in direct air transit who stay in the airport do not need to ¹⁷.

Announced schemes not yet running

ETIAS will cover visa-free visitors to 30 European countries for short stays ⁷. As of 19 October 2026 it is not in operation. The official FAQ, last edited on 28 August 2026, says no applications are being collected. The EU will announce the start date several months ahead ⁶. In July 2026 press reports said the launch could slip to 2027 ⁸.

Japan's Cabinet approved a bill on 10 March 2026 to amend the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act and create JESTA. Visa-exempt visitors would submit personal details online before departure. The target start is fiscal 2028. The fee will be set with reference to other countries ¹⁸.

Thailand planned a free ETA for visa-exempt visitors, with a pilot by December 2024 and a full launch by June 2025. In November 2024 the launch was pushed back with no new date ¹⁹. We found no later official start date.

How to spot an official site

Governments warn about third-party sites. GOV.UK says other sites may charge more and give no faster decision ³. The EU says any amount above €20 paid for ETIAS goes to an intermediary ⁶. Korea's K-ETA portal warns about lookalike agency and phishing sites that charge high fees ¹². ATTA, a travel trade body, says Seychelles travel authorisations go through the official government website only ¹⁶.

What this table leaves out

We list only schemes we could confirm from an official page or a dated report we opened. Other ETA-type schemes exist or have been announced. We left them out where we could not confirm the scheme name, fee and status as of 19 October 2026. Arrival cards filed online, such as digital arrival forms, are not travel authorisations and are not listed.