Whether you need a UK ETA depends on the country that issued your passport, not on your US green card. The ETA is open only to non-visa nationals, so someone who carries an ETA-eligible passport applies for the £20 authorization, while a traveler whose citizenship falls in the visa group needs a full UK visa instead. Your permanent residence in America carries no weight in Britain. What counts is the passport you travel on.
TL;DR: Britain checks your citizenship, never your US residence. Hold an ETA-eligible passport and you apply for the £20 ETA online. Hold a passport from a visa-required country and you need a Standard Visitor visa, not an ETA. Confirm your case on the official UK visa checker before you book anything.
| Quick facts | Detail |
|---|---|
| What decides it | The country on your passport, not your card |
| ETA-eligible passport | Apply for the £20 UK ETA |
| Visa-required passport | Apply for a Standard Visitor visa |
| US green card role | None for UK entry decisions |
| ETA validity | 2 years or until the passport expires |
Do green card holders need a UK ETA?
It depends entirely on your passport. A green card makes you a permanent resident of America, yet it never turns you into a US citizen, and Britain sorts travelers by citizenship. Carry a passport from a country inside the ETA scheme and you apply for the £20 authorization; hold one from a visa-required nation and the ETA is not offered to you. If your green card and your passport point in different directions, the passport decides.
This catches out plenty of long-term US residents. A person who has lived in Boston for two decades still flies to Britain on their Brazilian, Indian, or Nigerian document, and that is what the UK reads. The scheme reached non-European nationalities on 8 January 2025 and European travelers on 2 April 2025, with the fee fixed at £20 since 8 April 2026. Our guide on the UK ETA and dual US citizenship covers the related case of holding two passports.
Why Britain looks at your passport, not your card
The UK border runs on nationality, which means each arrival is judged by the country that issued their passport rather than by where they live. A green card is a purely American status; it grants no right to enter Britain and is not something UK officers assess at all. So two permanent residents standing in the same queue can face opposite requirements: one clears entry on an ETA, and the other must hold a visa.
The line Britain draws is between “visa nationals” and everyone else. People outside that group can travel on an ETA for short trips; visa nationals must get a visa in advance for any visit. The official ETA guidance lists the eligible countries, and the Standard Visitor guidance explains the alternative. For the bigger picture, see our complete UK ETA guide.
Two real cases make it concrete. Priya, an Indian citizen who is a US permanent resident, plans a week in London; because India is a visa-required country, she files for a UK visitor visa. Lucas, a Brazilian citizen with the same residency, needs only the £20 ETA, since Brazil is outside that group. They live in America on the same status and take the same trip, yet they need different documents because they hold different passports.
Who qualifies for the ETA and who needs a visa
Citizens of countries such as Brazil, Canada, Australia, Japan, and the United States use the ETA for short UK visits, while citizens of nations like India, Nigeria, Pakistan, and China must apply for a visa. A green card cannot move you from one group to the other; your nationality alone sets the category. Check your own document against the current lists rather than guessing.
| Your citizenship | What you need for the UK |
|---|---|
| ETA-eligible (e.g. Brazil, Canada, Japan) | UK ETA (£20) |
| Visa-required (e.g. India, Nigeria, China) | Standard Visitor visa |
| US citizen (with or without other status) | UK ETA (£20) |
| Dual national with an eligible passport | ETA on that passport |
These lists shift over time, so treat the rows as examples, not gospel. If you hold more than one citizenship, our dual citizens guide explains which document to use, and the ETA versus tourist visa comparison shows how the two routes differ in cost and time.
We are an independent assistance service, not the UK government. You can apply directly on gov.uk for £20, or use our checking and support service if your citizenship-and-residence mix is complicated and you want it reviewed before travel.
How to check whether you need an ETA or a visa
Run the government’s official checker using the document you will travel on, and within a minute it tells you whether an ETA, a visa, or nothing at all applies to your trip. Do this before booking flights, because a visa takes far longer to obtain and can reshape your whole timeline. A Standard Visitor visa can take about 3 weeks to process in 2026 and costs around £135, against roughly 3 working days and £20 for the ETA. The tool is free and takes a few clicks.
- Have the passport ready — you enter the issuing country, not your residency.
- Open the UK visa and ETA checker and choose your citizenship and reason for travel.
- Read the result: ETA, visa, or no authorization required.
- Apply for the right route early — the ETA is fast; a visa needs weeks of lead time.
If the checker sends you toward the ETA, our processing-time guide sets expectations and common mistakes to avoid keeps the form clean. If it points to a visa, the ETA versus visitor visa guide explains what comes next.
Pro tip: Book nothing non-refundable until the checker confirms your route. Permanent residents whose passports fall in the visa group sometimes assume a quick ETA will do, buy flights, then learn they need a visa that takes weeks — a costly mix-up that a two-minute check avoids.
Applying for the UK ETA as a green card holder
If you qualify, apply using the exact passport you will fly on, pay the £20 fee, and expect a decision usually within three working days. Once granted in 2026 the ETA stays valid for two years and allows stays of up to six months per visit. Never enter your green card as the travel document; the authorization links to your passport number, and a mismatch at check-in causes trouble. Apply well ahead of departure so nothing hinges on the last minute.
Keep one rule front of mind: the passport you apply with must be the one you present at check-in and the border. Renew that passport later and you will need a fresh ETA, since it is tied to the document. Our application guide walks through each field, the 2026 requirements and cost breakdown confirms the £20 charge, and how to pay safely covers checkout. For frequent visits, the multi-entry rules show how one approval spans two years, and if a problem arises, read what to do after a refusal.
Frequently asked questions about the UK ETA for green card holders
Does my US green card let me into the UK?
No. It is a US residence status and carries no UK entry rights. Britain decides by your citizenship, so you still need either an ETA or a visa depending on your citizenship.
I have a green card but a non-US passport. Do I need an ETA?
If that passport is covered by the ETA scheme, yes — file for the £20 ETA. If your citizenship falls in the visa group, you need a visitor visa instead. The official tool confirms which applies.
Can a permanent resident from a visa-required country get an ETA?
No. The ETA serves only non-visa nationals. When your passport comes from a visa-required nation, the authorization is not available and you must apply for a UK visa, whatever your US status.
Which document do I use to apply — passport or green card?
Your passport. The ETA links to your passport number, and that is what you show at the border. Do not list the green card as your travel document on the application.
How do I find out if I need an ETA or a visa?
Use the government’s UK visa and ETA checker with your passport’s country. It tells you within a minute whether an ETA, a visa, or no authorization is required for the trip.
How much is the UK ETA and how long is it valid?
It costs £20. After approval it lasts two years, or until your passport expires, and allows multiple UK visits of up to six months each.
Does living in the US for years change my UK requirement?
No. Years of US residence do not affect Britain’s nationality-based rules. Whether you have held the card one year or twenty, your citizenship still sets what you need.
About the author: The ETA UK Editorial Team at etavisauk.us writes practical guides for Americans traveling to the UK and checks every figure against official UK government sources before publishing.
Last updated: 2026-08-01 — verified against gov.uk schedule.