UK ETA for Android

Under 20 minutes to download, apply, and be approved YMMV

For any Americans struggling to scan the passport chip, here’s what worked for me after dozens of attempts (with an Android 13 Mini): -Remove phone case and open passport up to inside back cover -Place phone face up on inside back cover so that the top of the phone is about a third of the way down from the top of the passport Needless to say, not an intuitive process in the slightest.

This app simply does not work as advertised. I need to pass through the country next month. As a US citizen I have traveled to the UK and numerous other countries using the same passport. The app does not read my US passport chip so I had to visually verify the information. Ok, I could deal with that. I had issues with it taking an approved facial image and photograph, but the app finally accepted them. When I finally got through it all and had it accept all my information, I paid my £10 and processing fees (~$13) only to be told via email the next day that my application was rejected with no specific explanation of why except that I will need to reapply and PAY AGAIN! I supposedly will need this to get into the country, but what is to stop them from rejecting my further attempts? UK govt, I hope you are listening. You are pissing off a lot of people!

The app tells you to place your phone on the front of your closed passport to scan the embedded chip, but that didn’t work for me. But once I opened the cover and placed it on that plastic page with all your data, it immediately worked.

You would think with all the money that the government has to spend that they’d be able to produce a functional application. Of course, it doesn’t much matter because we’re forced to use this regardless.