UK ETA
Using the app is simple and fast. Total time to complete the process was less than 10 minutes including getting approved. The official app will walk you through the process. No need to have someone take your picture before hand or during the process. The app will select your selfie camera for your face scan and then your picture. If you find that your phone is having issues finding your chip on the back page of your passport, try after removing the case.
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Not sure which app you used, but there are many third-party websites and apps that don't make a clear distinction that they are not the UK government. The tablet version of government app has a horrible rating - 1.9 out of 5 in the Google app store at this time. The phone version seems to be better. Not sure about Apple products.
To be sure you get the official app, start from the government website: https://gov.uk/eta/apply
There are links on that page to the official apps. The official app icon resembles the royal crown. If the apps don't work for you, you can apply on the website.
Note that if you use a third-party app, at the least you're probably paying extra. At worst, you may be exposing your passport and travel data.
Just incase there are any dual citizens like me. If you were born in the UK, you cannot apply for an ETA with your American passport, you must use your British passport to enter the country. If you let your British passport lapse (as my son has) you must apply for a new one.
Right now, I’m trying to persuade him to get a move on and apply because this has affected many people so the wait time to receive a passport has really gone up. While he has no immediate plans to visit, he may be asked to travel for work or indeed take his family for a vacation. But you know how children can be when you try to give good advice😀
British is correct. I had let my U.K. passport expire and had to renew it ready for my travel plans later this year. The process took four weeks for me. I still haven’t figured out why a now U.S. Citizen, who has lived in the U.S. for decades, suddenly requires a U.K. Passport but rules are rules!
We used the official site with the crown. It took a little checking to make sure it was the right on.
I think Ken from Vegas gave very sound advice about making sure you are on an official site, whether it be governmental, tourism for a specific country or for purchasing tickets for venues. I never go through third parties. Thanks, Ken.
So for us ex Brits, who are US Citizens by naturalisation, who thought that they automatically renounced their UK citizenship because of the wording in the US Naturalization Oath of Allegiance (which states you "renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state, or sovereignty". It would appear that that renunciation insn't worth the paper it was written on as far as the UK Government is concerned. To legally lose your UK citizenship, you must have explicitly submitted a Form RN application directly to the UK Home Office and paid a fee to receive an official Declaration of Renunciation. Well I have't done that so now I need to go dust off my 1977 issued UK passport and convince them that the long haired 21 year old in the picture is actually the balding wisened old man that they see in the new passport application form. They have truely lost the plot over there in my humble opinion.
Rwilso15 I couldn’t agree more. Total madness.
Rwilso15. Yes, yes, I remember saying all those words. Fortunately apart from a short lapse of a couple of months when we forgot to renew our passports, we have always kept them current….you just never know
Perhaps I am reading this wrong, but taking the “Oath” does not automatically relinquish citizenship. Each country has its own policies. My foreign citizenship is still valid and always has been.
No, it does not relinquish citizenship of your birth country, But there are certainly ‘British citizens’ who have had to give in their British passports when they became American citizens in the past. There is some sort of rule has change over the years.
There are countries that frown on dual citizenship and some that do not allow it. Obviously the UK and Denmark are ok.
"They have truely lost the plot over there in my humble opinion."
If you haven't told them - how would expect the UK gov to know, even though you have sworn an Oath saying you "renounce..."?
Section 12 - British Nationality Act 1981.