What is an eVisa, and how is it different from an ETA?

Three things get confused all the time: electronic visas, visas on arrival and travel authorisations. Here is the difference.

eVisa

A real visa issued online. You apply on the government portal, upload documents, pay, and receive an approval by email or in an app. The visa is linked to your passport number. Examples: India e-Visa, Turkey e-Visa, Azerbaijan ASAN Visa, Saudi eVisa, Kenya eTA, Vietnam e-Visa. Processing takes from minutes to several working days.

Visa on arrival

You get the visa at the airport or land border after landing, usually against a fee in cash or by card. Queues can be long, and some countries now require an online pre-registration first. Thailand, for example, offers visa on arrival to a short list of nationalities for 2,000 THB.

Travel authorisation (ETA, ESTA, eTA, ETIAS, JESTA)

Not a visa. A quick online screening for travellers who are already visa-exempt. Cheap, fast, valid for several years and multiple trips. Without it, airlines refuse boarding. The UK ETA and US ESTA are in force; ETIAS (EU) and JESTA (Japan) are still to launch.

Digital visa (UK eVisa)

Confusingly, the UK uses "eVisa" for the digital record of any visa or immigration status, replacing the passport sticker. It is a format, not a visa type.

How to avoid scams

• Apply only on the government domain (.gov, .gov.uk, .go.jp, europa.eu and so on).
• Third-party "visa services" charge a markup for filling in the same form. Some are honest, many are not.
• If a product does not exist yet (ETIAS, JESTA), nobody can sell it to you.

Last reviewed: 21 October 2026. Rules change; confirm with the official source before you travel.