Transport companies face £2,000 fines per passenger without ETA in the UK

Transport companies could face penalties of up to £2,000 per passenger without a valid Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) filed at the UK border. The Home Office published its updated guidance on 23 September 2026.

New guidance from the Home Office

The official Document checks and charges for carriers highlights that starting 22 September 2026, transport companies may incur financial penalties for passengers who arrive at the UK border without a valid travel authorisation, such as an ETA.

The framework is not new. It is drawn from section 40 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999, which already subjected airlines and maritime companies to £2,000 penalties per passenger arriving without valid travel documents or required visas. The update incorporates the ETA explicitly into the list of breaches subject to fines.

British and Irish nationals unaffected; EEA and Swiss nationals also impacted unless covered under the withdrawal agreement.

Fully digital checks for ETA

No physical documents are needed for the ETA. Official guidance states that receiving a message — “0A” (boarding allowed) — from Home Office systems verifies the passenger’s eligibility to travel.

The penalty process follows the same logic. In “No ETA” cases, Home Office Border Force officers cross-check transport company records and issue an IS80B form when a fine may apply. The company has 30 days to submit its representations, during which the “0A” status can be raised as a mitigating factor.

resultantly, transport companies now have a direct financial interest in verifying ETA eligibility before allowing passenger boarding. The guidance also stresses that the decision to transport or not remains entirely with the carrier.

ETAs are linked to passports, not people

Common errors involve passport details at reservation stage. According to the official ETA page, the authorisation is tied to the specific passport used in the application. It is valid for two years — or until passport expiry if sooner — with no refunds available.

Passengers face three scenarios where they think they have a valid ETA but the system disagrees:

• a new passport after the ETA application — the authorisation remains attached to the old passport;

• a passport that expired post approval — the ETA expires with it;

• double-national passengers using the wrong passport for travel.

The case of the four Bordeaux-Bègles rugby players held at Bristol on 15 October 2026 illustrates the first scenario: they later renewed their passports without reapplying for the ETA.

Transit passengers require special attention

A transit passenger who remains in an international zone and does not enter the UK does not need an ETA. As explained in our article on passenger transit in the UK, the defining factor is their movement inside the airport.

But whenever they have to physically cross the UK border — even in transit — the ETA is mandatory. The Home Office guidance explicitly notes flights between different UK airports as requiring this authorisation.

Other countries also apply rules to transport companies. Canada, under its Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations, applies fines to commercial carriers transporting non-compliant foreigners, including those failing to meet eTA requirements. The fines start at 3,200 CAD, with reductions for registered airlines contributing to inspection performance under a performance agreement.

The texts only target transport companies, not travel agencies. Any additional costs levied against agencies stem from individual carrier’s debit memorandum policies, varying between airlines — and not rooted in Home Office regulations. Delegating risk checks to a travel agency makes only more sense.