Over the past decade, a growing number of countries have introduced an online pre-travel authorisation for visitors who don't need a full visa — a lightweight registration step that screens travellers before they board rather than only at the border. They're often confused with visas, and with each other, but they're not interchangeable: each covers a different destination, has its own cost and validity, and none of them changes how long you're actually allowed to stay. Here's how the main ones compare.
What all of these schemes have in common
Every scheme on this list shares the same basic shape: it applies only to travellers who are already visa-exempt for that destination, it's completed online before departure, it's linked electronically to your passport rather than stamped or stickered into it, and it does not extend or replace the underlying visa-free stay allowance — it just adds a pre-screening step in front of it. None of them guarantee entry; the immigration officer at the border always makes the final call, authorisation or not. And in every case, the only safe place to apply is the destination's own official government site — third-party sites that mimic the real application and charge a hefty markup exist for all of these schemes.
The lineup at a glance
| Scheme | Destination | Typical validity | Stay allowed |
|---|---|---|---|
| ESTA | United States | 2 years or passport expiry | Up to 90 days |
| ETIAS | Schengen Area | 3 years or passport expiry | 90 days in any 180 |
| UK ETA | United Kingdom | ~2 years or passport expiry | Set by immigration on arrival |
| Canada eTA | Canada (air arrivals) | 5 years or passport expiry | Up to 6 months |
| NZeTA | New Zealand | 2 years or passport expiry | Up to 90 days (varies) |
| K-ETA | South Korea | ~2 years or passport expiry | Set by the visa-waiver agreement |
Treat these figures as a general shape rather than a fixed reference — validity periods and fees are exactly the kind of detail that gets adjusted after a scheme launches, so confirm the current numbers on the relevant official site before applying.
ESTA (United States)
ESTA authorises Visa Waiver Program travellers to visit the US for tourism or business, and is required for every visit under that programme, with no current exemption trial the way K-ETA has. It's tied to a fairly detailed set of eligibility questions — a past visa refusal, an arrest even without conviction, or recent travel to a handful of specific countries can disqualify you even if your nationality is otherwise covered. See our full USA ESTA guide for the eligibility detail and application steps.
ETIAS (Schengen Area)
ETIAS will apply across the entire Schengen Area on a single authorisation, once it is in force — its rollout has already been delayed more than once, so check whether it's actually live before assuming either way. Crucially, it doesn't touch the underlying Schengen 90/180-day rule: an ETIAS authorisation valid for three years does not mean three years of stay, only three years during which you can travel without reapplying, each visit still counted against the rolling 90-day allowance. See our ETIAS explained guide for the current status and how to apply once it launches.
UK ETA
The UK ETA extended a requirement that previously applied mainly to visa nationals out to the much larger group of visa-free visitors, including EU citizens who could previously travel with just a passport. It doesn't apply to British or Irish citizens, and travellers who already hold a UK visa continue under their existing permission rather than adding an ETA on top. Full detail in our UK ETA guide.
Canada's eTA
Canada's eTA is required only for air arrivals — visa-exempt travellers entering by land or sea from the US generally follow a different process. It stands out for its long validity (five years) and its notably wide permitted stay of up to six months per visit, longer than most of the other schemes here. US citizens are a specific exception and don't need one at all. See our Canada eTA guide for the application steps.
New Zealand's NZeTA
New Zealand's NZeTA is bundled at application with a separate charge, the International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy, so the total cost is higher than the authorisation fee alone suggests. It's required for most visa-waiver visitors arriving by air or sea, and New Zealand's strict biosecurity declaration on arrival is a genuinely separate step that catches out travellers who assume the NZeTA covers everything. See our New Zealand NZeTA guide for the full process.
South Korea's K-ETA
K-ETA is the outlier on this list in one specific way: South Korea has repeatedly suspended the requirement for a large subset of nationalities as a trial, meaning many travellers from otherwise-eligible countries currently don't need to apply at all — but this status has changed before and could change again. Our K-ETA explained guide covers how to check your current status rather than assuming either way.
What none of these replace
If your nationality requires a full visa for a given destination — rather than being visa-exempt — none of these lighter authorisations apply to you; you still need to go through the standard visa application process for that country. And even where you are visa-exempt and hold a valid authorisation, immigration officers at the actual border retain full discretion to refuse entry if they aren't satisfied with your stated purpose or documentation. An approved authorisation gets you to the border in a position to be considered — it isn't a guarantee.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need more than one of these if my trip covers several countries?
Very possibly, yes. Each authorisation covers only its own destination or bloc — a US ESTA has no bearing on entry to the UK, and a UK ETA doesn't cover Schengen travel. Check each leg of a multi-country trip separately rather than assuming one authorisation carries over.
Are any of these the same as a visa?
No. All of them are pre-screening tools for travellers who are already visa-exempt for that destination. If your nationality requires a visa for a given country, none of these authorisations substitutes for it.
Does a longer validity period mean I can stay longer on each trip?
No — validity and permitted stay are different things. A five-year Canada eTA, for example, just means you can use the same authorisation for repeated trips over five years; each individual visit is still capped at the permitted stay length set by immigration on arrival.
Is it safe to apply through a site that isn't the government's own?
Be cautious. Every scheme here has attracted unofficial copycat sites that charge well above the real government fee, and some don't clearly disclose that they aren't official. Apply directly through the destination's own government domain in each case.
Sources and further reading:
- Official applications: US Customs and Border Protection (ESTA), ETIAS authority, UK government (UK ETA), Government of Canada (eTA), New Zealand Immigration (NZeTA), and k-eta.go.kr (K-ETA).
- European Commission for ETIAS policy background and the Schengen 90/180-day rule.
- Always confirm current requirements for your specific nationality before travelling.