Does the UK ETA Need Biometrics or Fingerprints? 2026

UK ETA biometrics do not involve fingerprints, an appointment or an interview. You apply from your phone in minutes. In the official ‘UK ETA’ app, you photograph your face and scan your passport, and that is the whole biometric step. The ETA costs £20 and most decisions arrive automatically.

要点： The UK ETA needs a facial photo only, taken through the app or the GOV.UK website. Unlike a full UK visa, it involves no fingerprints, visa-centre visit or interview. It costs £20, lasts two years, and most applicants get an automatic decision in minutes.

If a past visa trip meant queuing at an application centre, this will be a relief. Our overview of the UK ETA とビジター向けの意味 sets the scene, and the ETA versus full UK visa comparison shows why the two feel so different.

What UK ETA biometrics involve (no fingerprints)

No. UK ETA biometrics are limited to a facial photo, and fingerprints are not collected at all. Fingerprint enrolment is part of visa applications, not the ETA. To apply, you supply a facial image through the official ‘UK ETA’ app or on GOV.UK. No one takes your prints, and you never sit across a desk from a caseworker.

The app handles most of the work. It uses your phone’s NFC chip reader to scan the passport you will travel on, then asks for a photo of your face and a short face scan. The GOV.UKのETA公式ページ confirms the £20 fee, and the Home Office reported 24.8 million ETAs issued since the scheme began in October 2023 in its April 2026 factsheet. A process this light is what makes that volume manageable.

UK ETA biometrics versus full visa biometrics

A full UK visa usually means booking a visa centre appointment to give fingerprints and a photo; the ETA replaces all of that with a self-taken facial image. For a visa you go to a building at a booked time, while an ETA application can be finished from your sofa.

If you have given biometrics for a visa before, our guide on UK visa processing time after biometrics explains that slower route. Compare it with the Standard Visitor visa steps およびより広い UK visa types. For most visa-free visitors, that single contrast — a phone photo instead of a fingerprint appointment — is why the ETA feels closer to online check-in than to a formal immigration case.

Unsure which route you need? You can apply for the ETA directly on GOV.UK for £20, or let us check your details and submit the form with you.

How to complete the ETA facial photo step

The photo step takes a couple of minutes if you follow the prompts and use good light. The app guides you through it. Here is what to expect so nothing gets flagged.

1. Scan your passport. Hold the passport to the back of your phone so the NFC reader can read the chip on the same document you will travel on.
2. Take your photo. Use plain background and even light, with no glasses or hat. A rejected photo is the most common snag — see our ETA photo fix guide.
3. 質問に答えて £20 を支払います。 詳細と適格性に関する質問を確認してください。 ETA のよくある質問と回答ガイド それらを説明します。
4. 決定を追跡します。 ほとんどは自動です。メールとアプリで確認してください。 ステータス確認ガイド.

専門家のヒント： お使いの電話に NFC がない場合、またはパスポートチップが読み込めない場合は、GOV.UK ETA ウェブサイトでパスポートページの写真をアップロードして申請することができます。アプリは不要で、指紋認証と予約も完全に回避できます。

ETA が指紋認証をスキップする理由

ETA は短期訪問のための渡航許可であり、居住または就労資格ではないため、ビザよりもはるかに少ないデータで済みます。 A facial image links the permit to the right person and passport; fingerprints add nothing for a quick tourist check. That design choice keeps the process fast and lets the system approve most applications automatically.

Because there is no centre to visit and no prints to give, millions apply each year. If your history means you need a visa rather than an ETA, expect the fuller biometric process instead. A visa gets far closer scrutiny than an ETA, and that difference is intentional.

スマートフォンまたはアプリなしで申請できる人

You do not need a smartphone: the GOV.UK ETA webpage accepts applications without the app, and another person can apply on your behalf. That matters for older travellers and anyone with an older handset. The facial image is still needed, but it can be uploaded rather than captured by NFC.

• NFC電話なし: use the website and upload your passport photo page instead of scanning the chip.
• 相対者に対する申請: 家族members can complete the form for someone else. Check who needs one in our ETA要件ガイド.
• 適格性に関する質問: 正直に答えてください。 ETA セキュリティ質問ガイド.
• £20 でカバーされるもの: その ETAの手数料と費用ガイド は固定の単一料金を確認しています。

大阪の太郎さんを例にとってみましょう。彼は過去の申請経験からビザセンターへの訪問を心配していましたが、ソファからわずか10分で ETA を完了しました — 1 枚の写真、1 つのパスポートスキャン、印刷物なし。スマートフォンを持たないトロント出身の祖母は、GOV.UK ウェブサイトでパスポートページをアップロードし、息子に申請してもらい、同じ午後に承認が届きました。

このサイトは独立した支援サービスであり、政府機関ではありません。GOV.UK で直接 UK ETA を申請することもできますし、写真と詳細をまず確認してもらいたい場合は、当社のチェックと支援サービスを利用することもできます。公式ルートを開始するには、 GOV.UK apply-for-an-ETA ページ はアクセスするべき場所です。

要するに、ETA には指紋採取、予約、面接が不要です。1 枚の鮮明な顔写真とパスポートスキャンのみが必要な生体認証であり、申請は数分で完了するように設計されています。ほとんどの旅行者にとって、これは旅の最も簡単な部分です。

よくある質問

Does the UK ETA require fingerprints?

No. UK ETA biometrics are limited to a facial photo. Fingerprints are collected for visa applications, not the ETA. You provide only a face scan and a passport scan through the app or the GOV.UK website.

Do I need an appointment or interview for an ETA?

No. There is no appointment, visa-centre visit or interview. You apply from home using the app or website, take a photo, scan your passport, and usually receive an automatic decision within minutes.

What biometric information does the ETA collect?

A facial image only. You take a photo and a short face scan, and the app reads your passport chip by NFC. No fingerprints or in-person enrolment are involved at any stage of the ETA process.

Can I apply without the UK ETA app?

Yes. The GOV.UK ETA website accepts applications without the app. You upload a photo of your passport page instead of scanning the chip. This suits phones without NFC and older devices.

How is the ETA different from visa biometrics?

A full UK visa usually needs fingerprints and a photo taken at a visa application centre by appointment. The ETA needs only a self-taken facial image, done on your phone, with no fingerprints and no visit.

英国のETAはいくらかかりますか？

The ETA costs £20 per applicant. There is no extra charge for the photo or any faster tier. It lasts two years and covers multiple short visits, so one payment works for several trips.

Why was my ETA photo rejected?

Usually poor light, a busy background, glasses or a hat. Retake it with a plain wall and even lighting. A clear facial image is the single most important part of the biometric step.

Can someone else apply for my ETA?

Yes. A relative or friend can complete the application for you, which helps travellers without a smartphone. Your facial photo is still needed, but there is no appointment and no fingerprints to arrange.

著者について: エレノア・ウィンスレード、シニア旅行文書編集者。Eleanor は 2017 年以来 UK の入国要件を取り上げており、初めての申請者とご家族向けの分かりやすいステップバイステップのガイダンスを専門としています。公式な手続きは gov.uk/eta に記載されています。
更新: 2026-08-24