Before booking a trip abroad, three questions come up: which identity document do you need (passport, and with what validity), do you need a visa, and do you need an electronic travel authorization to request online before departure? The answer depends on your nationality, the destination, the length and the purpose of the stay. Cape Verde is one example, covered in our guide to the Cape Verde visa and EASE pre-registration.
This page brings together our guides on entry requirements: electronic authorizations (ESTA for the United States, the UK ETA, the eTA for Canada) and general rules. Each guide points to the official website of the country concerned and explains how to avoid paid intermediaries. The information was checked on 14 October 2026 and, for the points below that cite US and UK government sources, on 12 November 2026; it can change at any time, so always confirm on the official source before you leave.
Entry requirements: key points
- Reference sources: for US citizens, the country page on travel.state.gov (U.S. Department of State); for UK citizens, the entry requirements section of the GOV.UK foreign travel advice (UK FCDO).
- Electronic authorization is not a visa: an ESTA, ETA or eTA is requested online in a few minutes for a short tourist stay; a visa is requested from a consulate or an official visa portal, with much longer lead times.
- Official sites only: esta.cbp.dhs.gov (United States), gov.uk/eta (United Kingdom), canada.ca (Canada). Private sites that offer to « do it for you » charge extra fees.
- Passport: check its expiry date when you book; some countries require several months of validity after your return date.
- Children: every child, even a baby, needs their own travel document and, where applicable, their own electronic authorization.
Our guides on entry requirements
| Guide | Who it is for | What you will find |
|---|---|---|
| ESTA: the authorization for the United States | Tourist or business stay of up to 90 days in the United States (UK citizens use ESTA or a visa; US citizens do not need one) | Official price, validity, lead times, cases where a visa is compulsory, traps of fake sites |
| eTA: the authorization for Canada | Air travel to Canada or transit through a Canadian airport | Price, 5-year validity, cases where it is not needed (arrival by land or sea) |
| ETA: the authorization for the United Kingdom | Stay of up to 6 months in the United Kingdom (US citizens need an ETA; UK citizens do not) | Price, official app, response time, children |
| Egypt visa: e-visa or visa on arrival | Tourist stay in Egypt | Official e-visa, visa on arrival, special Sinai visa, price |
| Tanzania and Zanzibar visa | Safari or beach stay in Tanzania | Official online application, price, lead times, combined with Kenya |
Passport, visa, electronic authorization: what is the difference?
| Document | What it is for | Where to get it |
|---|---|---|
| Passport | Compulsory for most international travel; some countries require an electronic or biometric passport | Your national passport agency (the U.S. Department of State, or HM Passport Office); lead times vary by season |
| Electronic travel authorization (ESTA, ETA, eTA…) | Pre-authorization for nationals exempt from a visa; does not guarantee entry | Online, on the official website of the destination country |
| Visa | Entry permission issued by the destination country for a given purpose and length (long tourist stay, study, work…) | Embassy or consulate, or an official electronic visa platform depending on the country |
An electronic authorization does not replace the border check: on arrival, the immigration officer decides whether you are admitted. It is, however, checked at boarding: without a valid authorization linked to the passport you present, the airline can refuse to let you board.
Entry requirements for the US, UK and Canada: what the official sources say
US citizens traveling to the United Kingdom (travel.state.gov, « United Kingdom » country page, last updated 11 August 2025): all U.S. citizens traveling to the UK for tourism, family visits, business meetings, conferences or short-term study for 6 months or less must have an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) before travel. According to GOV.UK (ETA guidance, checked 12 November 2026), an ETA lets you travel to the UK, Jersey, Guernsey or the Isle of Man for up to 6 months, and you need one if you pass through border control at a UK airport before continuing your journey. Every traveler needs their own ETA, including babies and children. The official fee shown is £20, and GOV.UK warns to avoid websites that imitate government services.
UK citizens traveling to the United States (GOV.UK FCDO foreign travel advice, « USA », updated 18 August 2026): you must have the correct approval before travel, either a valid US visa or an Electronic System for Travel Authorisation (ESTA), depending on your circumstances and purpose of travel. A valid ESTA or visa does not guarantee entry. To enter or transit through the US you must have one of the two, and your passport must be valid for the length of your planned stay.
UK citizens traveling to Canada (GOV.UK FCDO foreign travel advice, « Canada », updated 2 June 2026): to enter or transit through Canada, most people need a visa or an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA), not both. You do not need an eTA if you arrive by land or sea (you must have acceptable travel documents and ID). Your passport must be valid for the length of your planned stay. For US citizens, see the Canada country page on travel.state.gov (last updated 11 August 2025).
How to check a country’s entry requirements in 4 steps
- Read the country page of your government: travel.state.gov for US citizens, GOV.UK foreign travel advice for UK citizens, « Entry requirements » section: required document, minimum passport validity, visa or electronic authorization, rules for minors. Note the update date shown at the top of the page.
- Go to the official website of the destination country (immigration ministry, embassy) for the exact price and procedure: it is the authority.
- Check your stopovers. A transit may require an authorization: this is the case for the United States (ESTA for those eligible), Canadian airports (eTA) and the United Kingdom when you pass through border control (ETA).
- Request the authorization early, ideally before buying the ticket: most answers arrive quickly, but extra review can take several days.
Unofficial websites: how to spot them
Beware of unofficial websites. Many private sites imitate the official forms, appear at the top of search results (often as ads) and charge the same procedure several times more, without speeding up processing. Check the site address before entering your passport and bank card details.
- The address: official sites end in .gov (United States, with esta.cbp.dhs.gov), .gc.ca or canada.ca (Canada), gov.uk (United Kingdom).
- The price: compare with the official fee in our guides; a much higher amount points to an intermediary.
- « Express processing » or « application check » claims: no intermediary can obtain a faster decision than the administration itself, as the UK government, for example, reminds applicants.
- If in doubt, start from the link given on travel.state.gov or GOV.UK rather than from a search engine.
Administrative checklist before a trip abroad
- Passport: check the expiry date and the validity required by the country (often several months after your return); allow for processing time if a renewal is needed. GOV.UK notes that many countries require the passport to be valid for 6 months or more during travel.
- Visa or electronic authorization: apply on the official site, before buying the ticket if possible, for each traveler.
- Stopovers: check the transit rules of the countries you pass through (the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom in particular).
- Minors: each child travels with their own document; check the destination’s rules for a minor traveling without both parents.
- Insurance: check the cover for medical costs and repatriation, essential in countries where care is expensive.
- Government alerts: US citizens can enroll in the U.S. Department of State’s Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP), and UK citizens can sign up for FCDO travel advice email alerts, to receive safety updates.
- Copies: keep a digital copy of your passport, authorizations and bookings, separate from the originals.
- Money: check your card limits and the local currency with our guide to exchanging money and using cards when traveling.
For the list of things to bring, our guide on what to pack offers a full checklist, papers included.
Entry requirements by destination: our country pages
Our country pages summarize entry requirements for US and UK travelers and point to the official source. For a trip to North America, see our guide to traveling to the United States (with New York, California or Florida) and our Canada guide. For the United Kingdom, see our United Kingdom page, London and Scotland. In Oceania, the Australia and New Zealand pages detail the authorizations specific to those countries. For Asia, the Japan and Thailand pages cover entry conditions.
For Europe, our Europe page lists the countries of the continent. For the Schengen area, our page on the ETIAS authorization explains who is concerned and what changes for non-European travelers.
Some destinations or programs require insurance covering medical costs and repatriation for the whole stay: our travel insurance guide explains how to compare cover.
Frequently asked questions
Where can I check a country’s entry requirements?
US citizens: the country page on travel.state.gov. UK citizens: the entry requirements section of the GOV.UK foreign travel advice. Then the official website of the destination country, which is the authority for price and procedure.
What is the difference between a visa and an electronic travel authorization?
An electronic authorization (ESTA, ETA, eTA) is requested online for a short tourist or business stay by nationals exempt from a visa. A visa is requested from a consulate for a given purpose and length, with longer lead times.
Do I need an electronic authorization for a stopover?
Sometimes: GOV.UK says you need an ETA if you pass through border control at a UK airport, and an ESTA or visa is required to enter or transit through the US; Canada requires a visa or eTA to enter or transit.
Are websites that offer to do the ESTA or ETA for me legal?
They are not official and charge extra fees, without getting a faster decision. Go directly through the website of the government concerned.
Does my child need their own authorization?
Yes: for the UK ETA, every traveler including babies and children needs their own, and the same applies to the ESTA.
Our sources
- U.S. Department of State, travel.state.gov country pages « United Kingdom » and « Canada » (last updated 11 August 2025), read on 12 November 2026.
- UK FCDO, GOV.UK foreign travel advice, USA (updated 18 August 2026) and Canada (updated 2 June 2026), read on 12 November 2026.
- GOV.UK, Apply for an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA), checked 12 November 2026.
- Official websites: esta.cbp.dhs.gov (U.S. Customs and Border Protection), canada.ca (IRCC), gov.uk/eta (UK Visas and Immigration), consulted on 14 October 2026.
- Our methodology
Updated November 2026.
