United Kingdom Visa Policy

Check the UK’s visa policy and find out travel requirements for your nationality.

Visa Policy for the United Kingdom

The visa policy of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (UK) is the list of requirements and restrictions for nationals of other countries who wish to visit the UK.

The UK visa policy covers the 4 constituent countries that make up the United Kingdom: England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, as well as the Crown dependencies of the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands (the Bailiwick of Guernsey and the Bailiwick of Jersey).

Travelers from the majority of countries must apply for a visa for the United Kingdom at their nearest UK Visa Application Centre.

There are a number of different types of visa for the UK. The type required depends on the foreign visitor’s nationality, length of stay, and purpose of travel.

Types of UK visa include the Standard Visitor visa, the Marriage Visitor visa, the UK work visa, various categories of student visa, and a number of other visa options.

Around 90 different nationalities currently do not require a visa to enter the UK for stays of up to 6 months.

The UK ETA is currently required for citizens of some visa-exempt countries. This electronic travel authorization replaces the previously used UK EVW.

See below further information about the UK’s rules and regulations regarding entry visas.

Tourist Visa Policy for the United Kingdom

The visa or travel authorization required to visit the United Kingdom as a tourist depends on the nationality of the foreign traveler.

Nationals of a select few countries must apply online for the UK electronic travel authorization (ETA), which allows them to visit for purposes of tourism. All travelers from these countries, including children,  must have a valid ETAto enter the United Kingdom or Crown dependencies.

The UK ETA permits holders to stay in the UK for up to 6 months.

The Standard Visitor visa functions as a UK tourist visa, as well as covering visits for purposes such as business and visiting family. This multi-purpose visa replaced various other UK visas and permits foreign nationals to visit the UK for tourism.

The Standard Visitor visa for the UK can be obtained by completing an application form and attending an interview at a UK Visa Application Centre.

Learn more about the UK’s policy on tourist visas below.

UK Electronic Travel Authorization

The Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) for the United Kingdom is a visa waiver due to launch in late 2023.

It is a multiple-entry travel authorization valid for 2 years from approval, or until the passport expires. It allows the holder to visit the UK for up to 6 months per entry.

The UK ETA is an electronic authorization system that functions in a similar way to Canada’s eTA and the ESTA for the United States. The system will add an extra level of security screening for visa-exempt travelers that eliminates the need to obtain a visa.

The ETA for the UK will first become an entry requirement for nationals of Qatar on November 15 2023, before being rolled out to citizens of other GCC countries and Jordan on Febuary 22 2024.

It is also expected that other countries will subsequently be added to the ETA eligibility list. These may include EU and European Free Trade Association (EFTA) passport holders, and other visa-exempt nationalities such as US citizens and Australians.

Like the EVW, the ETA for the UK can be acquired by applying online.

Find more information about travelers who will be eligible for the UK ETA below.

EVW for the UK

The Electronic Visa Waiver (EVW) for the United Kingdom was previously used for visa-exempt nationalities. It has now been replaced by the UK ETA.

Travelers no longer need an EVW, and the system is now inactive. Visa-exempt visitors to the UK should consult the country’s visa policy to see if they need an ETA instead.

Visa Required for the UK

Around 150 nationalities require a visa in advance for the UK. There are various types of UK visa, depending on the foreign national’s purpose of entering the country.

The UK Standard Visitor visa permits a foreign national to visit the United Kingdom for leisure, business (including sports-related, artistic, and entertainment events), and medical treatment. These generally allow the holder to stay in the UK for up to 6 months.

According to UK immigration policy, foreign nationals require a residence card to live in the country and a work visa to work in the UK economy. There are a number of different types of British work visa, depending on the length and type of work.

There are separate visas available for people who wish to get married, study, or join family already living in the UK.

Each type of UK visa has its own set of requirements.

UK visa application process

UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) is a division of the United Kingdom’s Home Office. It has many UK Visa Application Centres around the world where foreign nationals can attend an appointment to apply for a visa.

As part of the application process, the UK visa policy requires an international traveler to submit biometric identifiers (fingerprints, digital image of the face, etc.) unless the individual plans to visit the Channel Islands only.

Residents of various countries and territories must be tested for tuberculosis if they plan to stay in the UK for 6 months or more.

See below the list of nationalities that require a visa to visit the UK and Crown dependencies.

Visa Required for the UK: Country list

  • Afghanistan
  • Aland Islands
  • Albania
  • Algeria
  • American Samoa
  • Angola
  • Anguilla
  • Antarctica
  • Armenia
  • Aruba
  • Azerbaijan
  • Bahrain
  • Bangladesh
  • Belarus
  • Benin
  • Bermuda
  • Bhutan
  • Bolivia
  • Bonaire
  • Bosnia and Herzegovina
  • British Indian Ocean Territory
  • Burkina Faso
  • Burundi
  • Cambodia
  • Cameroon
  • Cape Verde
  • Cayman Islands
  • Central African Republic
  • Chad
  • China
  • Christmas Island
  • Cocos Islands
  • Colombia
  • Comoros
  • Congo
  • Cook Islands
  • Cuba
  • Curacao
  • Democratic Republic of the Congo
  • Djibouti
  • Dominican Republic
  • Ecuador
  • Egypt
  • Equatorial Guinea
  • Eritrea
  • Ethiopia
  • Falkland Islands
  • Faroe Islands
  • Fiji
  • French Guiana
  • French Polynesia
  • Gabon
  • Gambia
  • Georgia
  • Ghana
  • Gibraltar
  • Greenland
  • Guadeloupe
  • Guam
  • Guernsey
  • Guinea
  • Guinea Bissau
  • Guyana
  • Haiti
  • India
  • Indonesia
  • Iran
  • Iraq
  • Isle of Man
  • Ivory Coast
  • Jamaica
  • Jersey
  • Jordan
  • Kazakhstan
  • Kenya
  • Kuwait
  • Kyrgyzstan
  • Laos
  • Lebanon
  • Lesotho
  • Liberia
  • Libya
  • Macedonia
  • Madagascar
  • Malawi
  • Mali
  • Martinique
  • Mauritania
  • Mayotte
  • Moldova
  • Mongolia
  • Montenegro
  • Montserrat
  • Morocco
  • Mozambique
  • Myanmar
  • Nepal
  • New Caledonia
  • Niger
  • Nigeria
  • Niue
  • Norfolk Island
  • North Korea
  • Northern Mariana Islands
  • Oman
  • Pakistan
  • Palestinian Territory
  • Peru
  • Philippines
  • Pitcairn Islands
  • Puerto Rico
  • Qatar
  • Reunion
  • Russian Federation
  • Rwanda
  • Saint Barthelemy
  • Saint Helena
  • Saint Martin
  • Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  • Sao Tome and Principe
  • Saudi Arabia
  • Senegal
  • Serbia
  • Sierra Leone
  • Sint Maarten
  • Somalia
  • South Africa
  • South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
  • South Sudan
  • Sri Lanka
  • Sudan
  • Suriname
  • Svalbard and Jan Mayen
  • Swaziland
  • Syrian Arab Republic
  • Tajikistan
  • Tanzania
  • Thailand
  • Togo
  • Tokelau
  • Tunisia
  • Turkey
  • Turkmenistan
  • Turks and Caicos Islands
  • Uganda
  • Ukraine
  • United Arab Emirates
  • United States Virgin Islands
  • Uzbekistan
  • Venezuela
  • Vietnam
  • Wallis and Futuna
  • Yemen
  • Zambia
  • Zimbabwe

Transit Visa Required

Travelers of certain nationalities may need a UK transit visa in order to change flights in the country.

There are 2 types of transit visa for the UK.

The Visitor in Transit visa allows the holder to pass through border control and leave the airport for up to 48 hours between flights.

The Direct Airside Transit visa (DATV) is required by many nationalities to transit through a UK airport even if they do not pass through border control. The only airports that offer airside transit are London Heathrow, London Gatwick, and Manchester.

To apply for a UK transit visa, foreign nationals need to provide proof of onward travel and proof that they have permission to enter their destination country after leaving the UK (e.g. a visa for that country).

Visa Not Required for the United Kingdom

Citizens of various countries and territories may enter the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, as well as the Crown dependencies, without a UK visa, at least for a certain period of time.

Thanks to the Common Travel Area arrangement between the UK and the Republic of Ireland, Irish nationals have the right to travel to the UK and remain there indefinitely.

Citizens of Commonwealth countries who have right of abode in the UK under the Immigration Act 1971 and citizens of Gibraltar have the same right.

Citizens of all EU countries and EFTA countries also currently have freedom of movement to the UK. However, now that the UK has left the EU, this will soon end once the transition period is complete.

Nationals of over 50 other countries and territories, including British Overseas Territories citizens (who do not have full British citizenship) are visa-exempt for entering the UK and may stay in the country for a maximum of 6 months without a visa.

However, if they enter the UK from the Republic of Ireland, they may only stay for up to 3 months.

Check which nationalities are exempt from UK visa requirements in the list below.

Visa Not Required for the United Kingdom: Country list

  • Andorra
  • Antigua and Barbuda
  • Argentina
  • Australia
  • Austria
  • Bahamas
  • Barbados
  • Belgium
  • Belize
  • Botswana
  • Brazil
  • British Virgin Islands
  • Brunei Darussalam
  • Bulgaria
  • Canada
  • Chile
  • Costa Rica
  • Croatia
  • Czech Republic
  • Denmark
  • Dominica
  • El Salvador
  • Estonia
  • Federated States of Micronesia
  • Finland
  • France
  • Germany
  • Greece
  • Grenada
  • Guatemala
  • Honduras
  • Hong Kong
  • Hungary
  • Iceland
  • Ireland
  • Israel
  • Italy
  • Japan
  • Kiribati
  • Latvia
  • Liechtenstein
  • Lithuania
  • Luxembourg
  • Macau
  • Malaysia
  • Maldives
  • Malta
  • Marshall Islands
  • Mauritius
  • Mexico
  • Monaco
  • Namibia
  • Nauru
  • Netherlands
  • New Zealand
  • Nicaragua
  • Norway
  • Palau
  • Panama
  • Papua New Guinea
  • Paraguay
  • Poland
  • Portugal
  • Republic of Cyprus
  • Romania
  • Saint Kitts and Nevis
  • Saint Lucia
  • Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  • Samoa
  • San Marino
  • Seychelles
  • Singapore
  • Slovakia
  • Slovenia
  • Solomon Islands
  • South Korea
  • Spain
  • Sweden
  • Switzerland
  • Taiwan
  • Timor Leste
  • Tonga
  • Trinidad and Tobago
  • Tuvalu
  • United States
  • Uruguay
  • Vanuatu
  • Vatican City

School Pupils Resident in the European Economic Area and Switzerland

School pupils who are not citizens of the European Union or European Economic Area countries or of Switzerland, but who are legal residents of one of these countries, may visit the UK without a visa as part of an organized school group accompanied by a teacher.

Visa requirements checker

Select nationality
United Kingdom

Disclaimer
Handyvisas.com is not owned by, or affiliated with any government agency. We are a private, online agency that provides assistance in submitting applications for tourist visits to different countries around the world. Applications can also be made directly through government websites.