Visa policy of the United Kingdom

The visa policy of the United Kingdom is the policy by which Her Majesty's Government determines visa requirements for visitors to the United Kingdom, and the Crown dependencies of Guernsey, Jersey, and the Isle of Man. Visitors must obtain a visa unless they are exempt.

The UK is no longer a member of the European Union (since 31 January 2020), but is in a transition period until at least 31 December 2020 implementing EU law, including the right to freedom of movement (with relevant opt-outs). It operates its own visa policy and maintains the Common Travel Area with the Republic of Ireland, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man.

British Overseas Territories generally apply their own similar but legally distinct visa policies.

Visa policy map

Visa policy of the United Kingdom

  United Kingdom

  Freedom of movement (EU/EEA/CH citizens)

  Visa-free entry for 6 months, subject to UK Visitor Rules (no UK jobs market work, no recourse to public funds)

  Electronic visa waiver countries

  Visa required for entry, and landside transit (unless holding exemption documents); visa-free airside transit

  Visa required for entry, and both landside and airside transit (unless holding exemption documents)

The following individuals can enter the United Kingdom, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man without a visa:

As of right

• British nationals:
  • British citizens
  • British Overseas Territories citizens deriving their statuses from Gibraltar
  • British subjects with the right of abode in the United Kingdom
• Citizens of Commonwealth countries who have the right of abode in the United Kingdom under the Immigration Act 1971
• Irish citizens under the Common Travel Area arrangements
• All European Union citizens (at least until 31 December 2020)
• Citizens of EFTA member states (at least until 31 December 2020)

Non-visa nationals

British nationals and citizens of 56 countries and territories are visa-exempt for stays in the UK of up to 6 months (or 3 months if they enter from the Republic of Ireland):

British nationals: British Overseas Territories citizens not deriving their statuses from Gibraltar British Nationals (Overseas) British Overseas citizens British protected persons British subjects without the right of abode in the United Kingdom
Andorra Antigua and Barbuda Argentina Australia Bahamas Barbados Belize Botswana Brazil Brunei Canada Chile Costa Rica Dominica East Timor El Salvador Grenada Guatemala Honduras Hong Kong Israel Japan Kiribati Macau Malaysia Maldives Marshall Islands Mauritius	Mexico Micronesia Monaco Namibia Nauru New Zealand Nicaragua Palau Panama Papua New Guinea Paraguay Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Lucia Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Samoa San Marino Seychelles Singapore Solomon Islands South Korea Taiwan Tonga Trinidad and Tobago Tuvalu United States of America Uruguay Vanuatu Vatican City

Rules for non-visa nationals

they must not work during their stay in the UK (although study is permitted as a 'student visitor'), with limited exceptions for authorized "permitted paid engagements" of up to one month they must not register a marriage or register a civil partnership during their stay in the UK they can present evidence of sufficient money to fund their stay in the UK (if requested by the border inspection officer) they intend to leave the UK at the end of their visit and can meet the cost of the return/onward journey if under the age of 18, they can demonstrate evidence of suitable care arrangements and parental (or guardian's) consent for their stay in the UK

Passport stamp with 6 months' leave to enter endorsed in the travel document of a non-visa national at the juxtaposed controls at the Port of Calais.

Non-visa nationals arriving in the UK from outside the Common Travel Area receive a passport stamp in their travel document at the UK Border Force entry checkpoint with the observation 'Leave to enter for six months: employment and recourse to public funds prohibited'. However, non-visa nationals who use the ePassport gates do not receive a passport stamp. Similarly, non-visa nationals who entered the UK using the previous Iris Recognition Immigration System (which was in operation from 2004 to 2013) did not receive a passport stamp.

Instead of endorsing a passport stamp, UK Border Force officers are permitted by law to grant leave to enter by fax or e-mail, and may also grant leave to enter orally (including by telephone) if a non-visa national arriving in the UK from outside the Common Travel Area seeks to stay as a visitor for up to 6 months.

Starting from 20 May 2019, Australian, Canadian, Japanese, New Zealand, Singaporean, South Korean and United States citizens who enter the UK as a visitor and are granted leave to enter for 6 months do not receive a passport stamp, regardless of whether they use an ePassport gate or a staffed counter. However, citizens of the these countries who enter the UK without a visa as a short-term student (for up to 6 months), on a permitted paid engagement, with a Tier 5 (Temporary Worker - Creative and Sporting) Certificate of Sponsorship (for up to 3 months), or to accompany or join an EU/EEA/Swiss citizen family member are not eligible to use the ePassport gates and must use a staffed counter, where they will receive a passport stamp.

In the case of general aviation flights arriving in the UK from outside the Common Travel Area, travellers may not be inspected by the UK Border Force on arrival (depending on the risk assessment conducted on the basis of the travellers' information submitted in advance via the General Aviation Report (GAR) form) and may be 'remotely cleared' instead. In this case, although leave to enter is granted to a non-visa national, no passport stamp is received.

All travellers arriving in the UK directly from the Republic of Ireland (i.e. from within the Common Travel Area) are not subject to routine checks by the UK Border Force on arrival in the UK. By virtue of the Immigration (Control of Entry through Republic of Ireland) Order 1972, non-visa nationals are automatically deemed to receive leave to remain in the UK for 3 months (also known as 'deemed leave') and are not permitted to engage in gainful employment during this period. In this situation, no passport stamp is received upon entry to the UK.

Similarly, all persons travelling between the UK and the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man (i.e. within the Common Travel Area) are not subject to routine immigration checks and no passport stamps are endorsed (although customs checks are sometimes carried out on passengers travelling between the UK and the Channel Islands, as they are separate customs areas). By virtue of Schedule 4 to the Immigration Act 1971, any leave to enter that is granted by the Crown Dependencies has effect as if the leave to enter had been given by the UK (and vice versa) under the same conditions and for the same period of time.

All travellers arriving in the Crown Dependencies (the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man) directly from the Republic of Ireland (i.e. from within the Common Travel Area) are not subject to routine immigration checks and do not receive a passport stamp on arrival. Non-visa nationals are automatically deemed to receive leave to enter for 3 months and are not permitted to engage in gainful employment during this period.

Electronic visa waiver (EVW)

Citizens of the following countries can obtain an electronic visa waiver (EVW) online:

Kuwait Oman Qatar United Arab Emirates

EVW rules
A holder of an EVW authorisation can visit and/or study in the UK for up to 6 months without a visa. An EVW is only valid for one entry, and a new EVW must be obtained each time an eligible person wishes to enter the UK to visit and/or study for up to 6 months without a visa. The EVW is valid for visits up to 90 days to Ireland once a holder has cleared immigration in the United Kingdom.

School pupils resident in the European Economic Area and Switzerland

Rules for the school pupils resident in the European Economic Area and Switzerland

School pupils who fulfil all of the following conditions can enter the UK without a visa: are not EU, EEA or Swiss citizens, and legally reside in a European Union member state, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland, and are travelling to the UK as a member of an organised school group (the school must be a general education school, not a specialist institution), and the group is accompanied by a teacher from the school, and the pupils' details and the purpose of the journey is listed on the common format form endorsed by the school

Gibraltar

Additional exemptions for Gibraltar

Visa nationals who fulfill one of the following criteria can enter Gibraltar without a visa: holders of a valid UK multiple entry visa issued for 6 months or more or a biometric residence permit (BRP), regardless of category, or holders of indefinite leave to remain in the UK, or holders of a Certificate of Entitlement to the Right of Abode in the UK, or holders of an EU family residence permit/card, or holders of the equivalent of indefinite leave to remain in any Schengen member state, or citizens of China, India, Mongolia, Morocco and Russia holding a Schengen multiple entry visa with a minimum remaining validity of 7 days (for a stay of up to 21 days in Gibraltar), or citizens of China, Russia and Ukraine visiting Gibraltar on a day trip as part of an organised tour arranged through a Gibraltar-based tour operator

British Irish Visa Scheme (BIVS)

Citizens of the following countries can travel to the UK without a visa if they hold a valid Irish visa endorsed with BIVS:

• China
• India

Rules for Irish visa holders

To be eligible for visa-free travel, applicants for Irish visas must apply at a UK/Irish visa application centre in India or China, and first clear immigration in Ireland before arriving in the UK. Holders of BIVS visas issued by Ireland are only allowed to travel directly from Ireland to the UK and not from other countries, unless transiting in the UK on their ways to Ireland. The length of stay in the UK is no longer than the remaining period of validity of the person’s current permission to remain in Ireland. A UK transit visa is not required if the person is transiting through the UK to Ireland by air and arrives in Ireland no later than 23:59 on the day after his or her arrival in the UK. The scheme might be expanded for all visa requiring nationals in the future.

Non-ordinary passport holders

Holders of diplomatic or service category passports of the following countries do not require a visa:

Bahrain D Sp China 1 D S PA Indonesia D Kuwait D Sp Oman D Sp S*

Qatar D Sp South Africa D Turkey D United Arab Emirates D Sp S* Vietnam D

_{D — diplomatic passports
Sp — special passports
S — service passports
S* — service passports and a printed Electronic Visa Waiver (EVW)
PA — public affairs passports
1 – only for accompanying a Minister or above for the purpose of an official visit}

Visa waiver also applies to holders of United Nations laissez-passer when they travel to the United Kingdom on official business.

Date of visa changes

Visa exemption Unknown: Andorra, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania and Vatican Antigua and Barbuda, Australian, Bahamian, Barbadian, Belizean, Botswana, Bruneian, Canadian, Cypriot, Dominica, East Timorese, Grenadian, Irish, Kiribati, Malaysian, Maltese, Marshallese, Micronesian, Namibian, New Zealand, Nauruan, Palauan, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucian, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoan, Seychellois, Singaporean, Solomon Islands, Tongan, Trinidad and Tobago, Tuvaluan and Vanuatuan citizens have never needed a visa to gain access to the United Kingdom 1 January 1947: France 15 February 1947: Belgium and Luxembourg 1 March 1947: Norway 22 March 1947: Denmark 1 April 1947: Sweden 15 April 1947: Netherlands 24 June 1947: Liechtenstein and Switzerland 1 July 1947: Iceland 1 January 1948: Italy 8 November 1948: Monaco 12 November 1948: United States 1 October 1949: San Marino 1 October 1953: France (French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Réunion residents) 16 June 1953: Greece 16 December 1954: Finland 1 January 1955: Portugal 1 January 1960: Mexico 1 June 1960: Spain 1 March 1961: Uruguay 1 June 1961: All other countries of Latin America: Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama and Paraguay 2 December 1962: Japan 15 March 1967: Israel 3 May 1968: Austria (resumed) 18 December 1969: South Korea 8 June 1990: Argentina (resumed) 1 October 1990: Czech Republic (signed as Czechoslovakia) and Hungary 25 June 1991: Slovenia July 1992: Estonia 1 July 1992: Poland 1 July 1997: Hong Kong 17 April 2002: Macau 18 December 2002: Maldives, Mauritius and Papua New Guinea (resumed) 18 December 2003: Slovakia (resumed) 22 March 2006: Croatia (resumed) 1 January 2007: Bulgaria and Romania 3 March 2009: Taiwan Electronic Visa 1 January 2014: Oman, Qatar and United Arab Emirates 6 April 2016: Kuwait Diplomatic and service category passports 25 October 2007: China conditional (diplomatic, service passports and public affairs passports accompanying a Minister or above for the purpose of an official visit) 6 April 2011: Oman, Qatar and United Arab Emirates (diplomatic and special passports) 9 January 2012: Turkey (diplomatic passports) 1 October 2013: Kuwait (diplomatic and special passports) 30 December 2013: Vatican (service and temporary service passports) 6 April 2014: Bahrain (diplomatic and special passports) 3 August 2015: South Africa (diplomatic passports) 8 October 2015: Vietnam (diplomatic passports) 6 April 2016: Indonesia (diplomatic passports) Cancelled Visa free travels was cancelled because of the World War II with following countries: Belgium, Denmark, France, Greece, Iceland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Monaco, Netherlands, Norway, San Marino, Sweden, Switzerland (All have been resumed in 1940s - 1950s) 1938: Austria (was resumed in 1968) 21 May 1938: Germany (was resumed) 24 January 1973: Cuba 19 May 1980: Iran 1982: Argentina (was resumed in 1990) 1985: Sri Lanka 1986: Bangladesh, Ghana, India and Pakistan 1 February 1987: Nigeria 1989: Haiti 22 June 1989: Turkey 1 April 1990: Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia 3 October 1990: East Germany 1991: Uganda 1992: Yugoslavia (current as Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia) 1 October 1994: Ivory Coast and Sierra Leone 27 October 1995: Gambia 5 January 1996: Tanzania 8 March 1996: Kenya 4 April 1996: Bahrain, Dominican Republic, Fiji, Guyana, Kuwait, Maldives, Mauritius, Niger, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Qatar, Suriname, United Arab Emirates and Zambia (Maldives, Mauritius and Papua New Guinea were resumed in 2002) 27 May 1997: Colombia 1 August 1997: Ecuador 8 October 1998: Slovakia (was resumed in 2003) 19 November 1999: Croatia (was resumed in 2006) 9 November 2002: Zimbabwe 9 January 2003: Jamaica 2 March 2006: Malawi 18 May 2009: Bolivia 3 March 2009: South Africa 1 July 2009: Eswatini and Lesotho 5 May 2014: Venezuela

Transit

There are two types of transit through the United Kingdom under the United Kingdom Transit Rules — airside transit and landside transit. The Transit Without Visa facility for visa requiring nationals was abolished, effective 1 December 2014, and replaced with United Kingdom Transit Rules. Notwithstanding the lists below, in general, even persons from 'Direct Airside transit visa-exempt nationalities' require a transit visa if transiting though the UK to other parts of the Common Travel Area including Ireland.

Airside transit

• available only at London Heathrow Airport, Gatwick Airport and Manchester Airport.
• available only to those passengers arriving and departing by air to an international destination other than Ireland on the same day.
• available only to those passengers not leaving the airside zone of the airport and not passing through immigration control.
• concerns those passengers that would normally require a visitor visa to enter the United Kingdom but who either hold a Direct Airside Transit visa, a passport of a transit visa exempt country or who hold direct airside transit visa exemption documents.

Landside transit

• available only to those passengers arriving and departing by air by 23:59 the next day who require passing through immigration control and leaving the airport building only for transit purposes.
• concerns those passengers that would normally require a visitor visa to enter the United Kingdom but who hold a Visitor in Transit visa or landside visa exemption documents.

Direct Airside transit visa-exempt nationalities

Armenia Azerbaijan Bahrain Benin Bhutan Bolivia Bosnia and Herzegovina Burkina Faso Cambodia Cape Verde Central African Republic Chad Colombia Comoros Cuba Djibouti Dominican Republic Ecuador Equatorial Guinea Fiji Gabon Georgia Guyana Haiti Indonesia Jordan Kazakhstan North Korea Kuwait Kyrgyzstan Laos Madagascar Mauritania Montenegro Morocco Mozambique Oman Peru Philippines Qatar Russia Sao Tome and Principe Saudi Arabia Suriname Taiwan Tajikistan Thailand Togo Tunisia Turkmenistan Ukraine United Arab Emirates Uzbekistan Zambia Venezuela

Stateless persons holding UN Convention 1954 travel documents and refugees whose original nationality is exempt.

Direct Airside transit visa required

Afghanistan Albania Algeria Angola Bangladesh Belarus Burundi Cameroon China DR Congo Congo Egypt Eritrea Ethiopia

Gambia Ghana Guinea Guinea-Bissau India Iran Iraq Ivory Coast Jamaica Kenya Kosovo Lebanon Lesotho Liberia Libya

Malawi Moldova Mongolia Myanmar Nepal Nigeria North Macedonia Pakistan Palestine Rwanda Senegal Serbia Sierra Leone Somalia South Africa

South Sudan Sri Lanka Sudan Swaziland Syria Tanzania Turkey Uganda Venezuela Vietnam Yemen Zimbabwe

Direct Airside Transit visa exemption documents

The exemption applies where travellers:

• arrive and depart by air, and
• the onward flight must be confirmed, and must depart the same day, and
• have proper documentation for their destination (including a visa for the destination country if necessary), and
• fulfil any one of the below conditions:

1. have a valid visa for Australia, Canada, New Zealand or the US, whether or not travelling to or from those countries, or
2. have a valid Australian or New Zealand residence visa; or
3. have a valid Canadian permanent resident card issued on or after 28 June 2002; or
4. have a valid uniform format residence permit issued by an EEA state under Council Regulation (EC) number 1030/2002; or
5. have a valid Irish biometric visa endorsed BC or BC BIVS; or
6. have a valid uniform format category D visa for entry to a state in the European Economic Area (EEA); or
7. have a valid US I-551 permanent resident card issued on or after 21 April 1998; or
8. have an expired I-551 permanent resident card issued on or after 21 April 1998, accompanied by an I-797 extension letter; or
9. have a standalone US Immigration Form 155A/155B attached to an envelope; or
10. have a valid Schengen Approved destination Scheme (ADS) group tourism visa where the holder is travelling to the country that issued it or holds a valid airline ticket from the Schengen area, provided the holder can demonstrate they entered there no more than 30 days previously on the basis of a valid Schengen ADS visa;

E-visas or e-residence permits are not acceptable for airside transit unless the airline is able to verify it with the issuing country. Nationals of Syria who are holders of US B1/B2 visas are not exempt.

Visitor in Transit visa exemption documents

The exemption applies where travellers:

• arrive and depart by air, and
• the onward flight must be confirmed, and must depart by 23:59 the following day, and
• have proper documentation for their destination (including a visa for the destination country if necessary), and
• fulfil any one of the below conditions:

1. have a valid entry visa for Australia, Canada, New Zealand or the US, and a valid airline ticket for travel via the UK, as part of a reasonable journey to or from one of those countries, or
2. have a valid airline ticket for travel via the UK as part of a reasonable journey from Australia, Canada, New Zealand or the US, if they are transiting the UK no more than 6 months after the date when they last entered Australia, Canada, New Zealand or the US with a valid entry visa for that country; or
3. have a valid Australian or New Zealand residence visa; or
4. have a valid Canadian permanent resident card issued on or after 28 June 2002; or
5. have a valid uniform format residence permit issued by an EEA state under Council Regulation (EC) number 1030/2002; or
6. have a valid Irish biometric visa endorsed BC or BC BIVS; or
7. have a valid uniform format category D visa for entry to a state in the European Economic Area (EEA); or
8. have a valid US I-551 permanent resident card issued on or after 21 April 1998; or
9. have an expired I-551 permanent resident card issued on or after 21 April 1998, accompanied by an I-797 extension letter; or
10. have a standalone US Immigration Form 155A/155B attached to an envelope;

E-visas such as those regularly issued by Australia or e-residence permits are not acceptable for landside transit.

Obtaining an entry visa

Mandatory tuberculosis testing for a long term UK visa

Visitors entering the UK, the Channel Islands and/or the Isle of Man who do not qualify for one of the visa exemptions listed above have to apply for a visa in advance through the UK Visas and Immigration at a visa application centre.

The UK visa in a Russian student's passport

All visitors must apply by registering an online account (except citizens of North Korea who must apply in person at the British Embassy), fill in the application form, pay the fee and attend an appointment at a visa application centre.

A visitor's visa for a single stay or multiple stays of up to 6 months costs £95. A multiple-entry visitor's visa valid for 2 years costs £361, 5 years £655, and 10 years £822. Special provisions are made for Chinese citizens as they are eligible for a 2-year, multiple-entry visitor's visa at a cost of £95.

Family members of EU, EEA and Swiss citizens who are not covered by one of the visa exemptions above can apply for an EEA Family Permit free of charge (instead of a visa).

Visitors applying for most types of UK visas (including a visitor's visa and an EEA Family Permit) are required to submit biometric identifiers (all fingerprints and a digital facial image) as part of the visa application process. However, diplomats, foreign government ministers and officials and members of Commonwealth Forces are exempt from the requirement to submit biometric identifiers. Applicants who have obtained a new passport and are merely requesting a transfer of their visa vignette from their old passport to their new passport are not required to re-submit biometric identifiers. In addition, applicants who are travelling directly to the Channel Islands or Gibraltar without passing through the UK or the Isle of Man are exempt from providing biometric information. Children must be accompanied by an adult when their biometric identifiers are taken. Biometric identifiers may be shared with foreign governments. Biometric identifiers are destroyed 10 years after the last date a person's fingerprints and digital facial image were captured.

Most visa applications are decided within 3 weeks.

Applicants resident in the following countries and territories who wish to enter the UK for 6 months or more are required to be tested for tuberculosis as part of the visa application process:

Afghanistan Algeria Angola Armenia Azerbaijan Bangladesh Belarus Benin Bolivia Botswana Brunei Burkina Faso Burma Burundi Cambodia Cameroon Cape Verde Central African Republic Chad China Congo DR Congo Djibouti Dominican Republic East Timor

Ecuador Equatorial Guinea Eritrea Ethiopia Gabon Gambia Georgia Ghana Guatemala Guinea Guinea-Bissau Guyana Haiti Hong Kong India Indonesia Iraq Ivory Coast Kazakhstan Kenya Kiribati Kyrgyzstan Laos Lesotho Liberia

Macau Madagascar Malawi Malaysia Mali Marshall Islands Mauritania Micronesia Moldova Mongolia Morocco Mozambique Namibia Nepal Niger Nigeria North Korea Pakistan Palau Panama Papua New Guinea Paraguay Peru Philippines Russia

Rwanda Sao Tome and Principe Senegal Sierra Leone Solomon Islands Somalia South Africa South Korea South Sudan Sri Lanka Swaziland Sudan Tajikistan Tanzania Thailand Togo Turkmenistan Tuvalu Uganda Ukraine Uzbekistan Vanuatu Vietnam Zambia Zimbabwe

After a person has successfully obtained a UK visa, if they subsequently obtain a new passport, but the UK visa in their old passport still has remaining validity, they are not required to have the UK visa vignette affixed in the old passport transferred to the new passport, but must be able to present both the new and old passports at passport control when entering the UK.

If a person who has successfully obtained a UK visa subsequently loses the passport in which the visa vignette is affixed (or if it is stolen), they have to pay the original visa fee in full again and may be required to show that their circumstances have not changed when applying for a replacement visa. However, a new 'confirmation of acceptance for studies' (CAS)/'certificate of sponsorship' (COS) is not required when applying for a replacement Tier 4/Tier 2 visa.

Visa types

These are correct as of April 2015.

Visitor visas

• Standard Visitor visa
• Marriage Visitor visa
• Permitted Paid Engagement visa
• Parent of a Tier 4 child visa
• Visa to pass through the UK in transit
  • Direct Airside Transit visa
  • Visitor in Transit visa

Work visas

• Tier 1 visa
  • Entrepreneur (minimum £200,000 investment or £50,000 if qualified)
  • Exceptional Talent (recognised leader in fields of science, humanities, engineering, medicine, digital technology or the arts)
  • General (highly skilled workers, writers, composers or artists and self-employed lawyers)
  • Graduate Entrepreneur
  • Investor (minimum £2,000,000 investment)
• Tier 2 visa (sponsored workers)
  • General
  • Intra-company Transfer (foreign company workers in a UK branch)
  • Minister of Religion
  • Sportsperson
• Tier 5 visa (temporary work for sponsored workers)
  • Charity Worker (unpaid voluntary work)
  • Creative and sporting
  • Government Authorised Exchange
  • International Agreement
  • Religious Worker
  • Youth Mobility Scheme
• Domestic Workers in a Private Household visa (cleaners, chauffeurs, cooks, personal care providers and nannies)
• Representative of an Overseas Business visa (head of a UK branch or a foreign journalist on a long-term posting)
• Turkish Businessperson visa
• Turkish Worker visa
• UK Ancestry visa (Commonwealth citizens with UK born parents or grandparents)
• Croatian national registration certificates

Student visas

• Short-term study visa
• Tier 4 visa
  • General
  • Child

Review of visa exemptions

By early 1917, all aliens (i.e. persons who were not British subjects) were required to obtain visas from a British consul before embarking for the United Kingdom. Visa requirements would then be maintained for aliens under the peacetime regime of immigration control retained after 1918.

Visa policy of the UK from 1960 to the present

  United Kingdom

  Visa-free access (subject to UK arrival with credible presentation as a visitor)

In March 2007, the Home Office announced that it would carry out its first Visa Waiver Test to review the list of countries and territories outside the European Union, European Economic Area and Switzerland whose nationals are exempt from holding a visa for the UK.

After carrying out the review, in July 2008, Jacqui Smith, the Home Secretary, and David Miliband, the Foreign Secretary, announced to Parliament that the results of the test showed a 'strong case' for introducing visa regimes for 11 countries (Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Lesotho, Malaysia, Mauritius, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Trinidad and Tobago and Venezuela) having taken into account the following factors (including the extent to which they were being addressed by the countries' authorities):

• Passport security and integrity
• The degree of co-operation over deportation or removal of the countries' nationals from the UK
• Levels of illegal working in the UK and other immigration abuse (such as fraudulent asylum claims)
• Levels of crime and terrorism risk posed to the UK

Following the July 2008 announcement, the UK Government entered into a 6-month period of 'detailed dialogue' with the governments of the 11 countries 'to examine how risks can be reduced in a way that obviates the need for a visa regime to be introduced'. In order to maintain visa-free access to the UK, the 11 countries had to 'demonstrate a genuine commitment to put into effect credible and realistic plans, with clear timetables, to reduce the risks to the UK, and begin real implementation of these plans by the end of the dialogue period'.

On 9 January 2009, the new visa rules announced required citizens of Bolivia, Lesotho, South Africa and Swaziland to obtain a visa, and only Venezuelan nationals travelling on biometric passports with an electronic chip issued since 2007 could continue to enter the UK without a visa. The existing visa-free status for citizens of Botswana, Brazil, Malaysia, Mauritius, Namibia and Trinidad and Tobago was maintained.

Starting from 3 March 2009, a transitional regime was put in place until 30 June 2009 for South African citizens - those who held a valid South African passport and had previously entered the UK lawfully using that passport could continue to enter the UK without a visa, whilst all other South African citizens were required to apply for a visa. On the same day, Taiwan citizens were able to enter the UK without a visa. On 18 May 2009, Bolivian citizens were no longer able to enter the UK without a visa and Venezuelan citizens were required to present a biometric passport to enter the UK without a visa. On 1 July 2009, all South African citizens were required to apply for a visa to enter the UK. On the same day, citizens of Lesotho and Swaziland were required to apply for a visa to enter the UK.

On 30 March 2010, Alan Johnson, the Home Secretary, and David Miliband, the Foreign Secretary, announced to Parliament that, having carried out a review of visa regimes in relation to Eastern Caribbean countries, 5 countries (Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Grenada, St Kitts and Nevis and St Vincent and the Grenadines) would have their visa-free status maintained. At the same time, the UK Government would enter a six-month period of 'detailed dialogue' with the governments of 2 countries (Dominica and St Lucia), who would have to 'demonstrate a genuine commitment to put into effect credible and realistic plans, with clear timetables, to reduce the risks to the UK, and begin implementing these plans by the end of the dialogue period' to maintain their visa-free status. On 2 March 2011, Theresa May, the Home Secretary, and William Hague, the Foreign Secretary, announced to Parliament that the governments of Dominica and St Lucia 'have made concrete improvements to the immigration, border control and identity systems which would not have happened without the test', and so the visa-free status for the 2 countries would be maintained.

On 13 June 2011, new Immigration Rules were laid before Parliament that came into force on 4 July 2011 introducing a new streamlined application procedure (waiving the normal requirements to provide documentary evidence of maintenance and qualifications at the time of application) for some non-visa nationals from 'low-risk countries' who wish to study in the UK for more than 6 months and apply for Tier 4 entry clearance. The following 15 countries and territories were categorised as 'low-risk' and included in 'Appendix H' of the Immigration Rules: Argentina, Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Croatia, Hong Kong, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Trinidad and Tobago and the United States. Although the announcement did not relate to a Visa Waiver Test per se, it showed that the UK Border Agency considers some countries and territories in the list of visa-free nationalities to be lower risk than others. In particular, Trinidad and Tobago, which was considered to be a high-risk country from a visa regime perspective in 2008 when the Visa Waiver Test was carried out, was now viewed by the UK Border Agency as a low-risk country. On 5 September 2012, two more countries (Botswana and Malaysia) were added to the list of 'low-risk' nationalities for the purpose of Tier 4 entry clearance applications, i.e. 'Appendix H', (taking effect on 1 October 2012), whilst on 6 September 2013, Barbados was also added to 'Appendix H' (taking effect on 1 October 2013). Again, although the announcement did not relate to a Visa Waiver Test per se, it showed that Botswana, Malaysia and Barbados (countries which were considered to be a high-risk countries from a visa regime perspective when the Visa Waiver Test was carried out in 2008 in the case of Botswana and Malaysia, and in 2010 in the case of Barbados) were now viewed by the UK Border Agency as low-risk countries.

In March 2013, it was revealed that Theresa May, the Home Secretary, was considering removing Brazil from the list of visa-exempt nationalities due to concerns about illegal immigration, since Brazil was fifth in the top 10 of illegal immigrant nationalities in the UK according to Home Office figures for 2011, and was the only country on the list for which short-term visitors do not need a visa. However, the UK Government later decided to retain the visa exemption for Brazilian citizens, a decision which was seen as attempting to develop closer trading links with Brazil.

On 1 January 2014, an electronic visa waiver (EVW) scheme was introduced, enabling citizens of Oman, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates who have obtained an EVW authorisation online to visit and/or study in the UK for up to 6 months without a visa; with Kuwait added to the EVW scheme during February 2016.

After 'assessing countries against a list of risk and compliance criteria', the UK Government added Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and the UAE to 'Appendix H' (the list of 'low-risk' nationalities for the purpose of Tier 4 student visa applications) at various periods between 2014 and 2018 but according to the Cambridge Education Group, Oman was to be removed from this Appendix. However, it doesn't seem like this may have occurred.

These two changes reflect the UK Government's view that Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and the UAE should now be regarded as low-risk countries from a visa regime perspective and it is possible that, in future, nationals of these four countries will be classified as non-visa nationals (enabling them to visit and/or study in the UK without a visa for up to 6 months without having to obtain an EVW authorisation online every time they wish to enter the UK).

On 13 March 2014, the UK Government announced that, with effect from 5 May 2014, Venezuelan citizens (including those with biometric passports) would require a visa to enter the UK.

At present, although citizens of Argentina, Brazil, Israel, holders of Hong Kong SAR passports and Macao SAR passports are able to visit and/or study in the UK without a visa for up to 6 months, and although citizens of Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates with an EVW can visit and/or study in the UK without a visa for up to 6 months, if they decide to stay for more than 6 months and have been granted entry clearance permitting them to do so, they are required to register with the police at a cost of £34 within 7 days of arriving in the UK (or within 7 days of obtaining their visa if they apply within the UK).

In January 2020, British ambassador to Ukraine announced that there would be no visa-free arrangements for Ukrainian citizens.

On April 9, 2020, the Home Office issued a new immigration rule imposing visa restriction on low-skilled people workers with effect from January 2021. The restriction introduced a new point-based immigration system, allotting points for certain skills, salaries, qualification and shortage occupations. Any worker with points falling below the given threshold will be restricted from applying for UK work visa, as per the new immigration rule. Free Movement, a UK-based website updating, commenting, training and advising on immigration and asylum laws, claims that nurses, hospital porters, cleaners, postal workers, etc., are to be worst affected by the new immigration law.

Entry and stay conditions for EU/EEA/Swiss citizens

Main article: Directive 2004/38/EC on the right to move and reside freely

Directive 2004/38/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 April 2004 recognises the right of citizens of the Union and their family members to move and reside freely within the territory of the Member States defines the right of free movement for citizens of the European Economic Area (EEA), which includes the European Union (EU) and the three European Free Trade Association (EFTA) members Iceland, Norway and Liechtenstein. Switzerland, which is a member of EFTA but not of the EEA, is not bound by the Directive but rather has a separate bilateral agreement on the free movement with the EU.

Citizens of all European Economic Area (EEA) member states and Switzerland holding a valid passport or national identity card enjoy freedom of movement rights in each other's territory and can enter and reside in the each other's territory without a visa.

By law EU, EEA and Swiss citizens are entitled to use their valid national identity cards as travel documents to enter the UK, in practice UK Border Force officials have to examine in greater detail identity cards issued by some member states which have cheapest-produced, non-standard, limited security features and hence more susceptible to tampering/forgery. This exceeds counterparts in the Schengen Area (who, by its law, must only perform a 'rapid' and 'straightforward' visual check for signs of falsification and tampering and are not obliged to use technical devices (such as document scanners, UV light and magnifiers) when such passports and/or national identity cards present at external border checkpoints), as a matter of policy UKBF officials are required to examine physically all passports and national identity cards presented by EU/EEA/Swiss citizens for signs of forgery and tampering. In addition, unlike Schengen area counterparts who may only perform a 'rapid' and 'straightward' database check and may only check to see if the traveller is on a database containing persons of interest on a strictly 'non-systematic' basis where such a threat is 'genuine', 'present' and 'sufficiently serious'), as a matter of policy UKBF officials are required to check every EU/EEA/Swiss citizen and their passport/national identity card against the Warnings Index (WI) database. For this reason, when presented with a non-machine readable identity card, it can take up to four times longer for a UKBF official to process the card as the official has to enter the biographical details of the holder manually into the computer to check against the WI database and, if a large number of possible matches is returned, a different configuration has to be entered to reduce the number of possible matches. For example, at Stansted Airport UKBF officials have been known to take longer to process Italian paper identity cards because they often need to be taken out of plastic wallets, because they are particularly susceptible to forgery/tampering and because, as non-machine readable documents, the holders' biographical details have to be entered manually into the computer.

If EU, EEA and Swiss nationals are unable to present a valid passport or national identity card at the border, they must nonetheless be afforded every reasonable opportunity to obtain the necessary documents or have them brought to them within a reasonable period of time or corroborate or prove by other means that they are covered by the right of free movement. Where, after being given every reasonable opportunity, they are still unable to demonstrate their identity and nationality, they should be either considered for Temporary Admission to allow further enquiries to be made or refused entry.

However, entry can be refused to an EU/EEA/Swiss national on public policy, public security or public health grounds where the person presents a "genuine, present and sufficiently serious threat affecting one of the fundamental interests of society". If the person has obtained permanent residence in the country where he/she seeks entry (a status which is normally attained after 5 years of residence), the member state can only expel him/her on serious grounds of public policy or public security. Where the person has resided for 10 years or is a minor, the member state can only expel him/her on imperative grounds of public security (and, in the case of minors, if expulsion is necessary in the best interests of the child, as provided for in the Convention on the Rights of the Child). Expulsion on public health grounds must relate to diseases with 'epidemic potential' which have occurred less than 3 months from the person's the date of arrival in the Member State where he/she seeks entry.

Non-EU/EEA/Swiss citizen family members

A family member of an EU/EEA/Swiss citizen who is in possession of a valid residence card indicating their status is exempt from the need to hold a visa when entering outside Schengen member states (UK, Ireland, Bulgaria, Romania, Cyprus) when they are accompanying their EU/EEA/Swiss family member or are seeking to join them.

Such a person is so exempt regardless of the accompanying/joining condition above to enter the Schengen area, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland if that card is issued from one of the European Economic Area states or Switzerland (also called a Stamp 4 EU FAM card).

As of 6 April 2015, the non-EU family members of an EU national who are in possession of and present their residence card, which is issued to them under article 10 of directive 2004/38, along with proof of nationality are entitled to enter the UK without the need to apply for an EEA Family Permit. Such persons will need to prove their relation to any EU national family member who would be but is not accompanying them, by providing a document such as the marriage or birth certificate, contact details and both parties be able to evidence the relationship. Where the EU national family member is already in the UK, the non-EU family members should be able to prove their relation is living in the UK and their right of residency exists, i.e. current exercise of their Treaty of Rome rights. Therefore such residing in the UK either: less than three months (the initial right of residence); or if more than three months, then as a worker, self-employed, self-sufficient or a student or they acquired the status of permanent residency after having resided in the UK for five years.

Reciprocity

Main article: Visa requirements for British nationals

Of the 58 countries and territories outside the European Union, European Economic Area and Switzerland whose citizens are granted 6 months' visa-free access to the UK, the following offer full reciprocal treatment to British citizens: Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Canada, Dominica, Grenada, Hong Kong, Macao, Mexico, Monaco, New Zealand, Panama, San Marino and Vatican City. However, New Zealand requires British citizens to obtain an Electronic Travel Authority (at a cost of NZD $9 on Immigration New Zealand's mobile app, or NZD $12 if completed online), and additionally pay an International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy (at a cost of NZD $35), in advance of travel.

Other countries and territories only offer partially reciprocal treatment to British citizens (i.e. visa-free access that is less than 6 months). The following countries permit British citizens to stay without a visa for up to 90 days (or 3 months) only: Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Brunei, Chile, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guyana, Honduras, Israel, Malaysia, Namibia, Nicaragua, Paraguay, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Singapore, Solomon Islands, South Korea, Trinidad and Tobago, United States and Uruguay. (However, the United States requires British citizens to obtain an ESTA (at a cost of US$14) in advance if entering the US by air or by sea, whilst Australia requires British citizens to obtain an eVisitor authorisation online in advance free of charge, although the UK does not require Australian and US citizens to obtain an authorisation in advance.) The following countries and territories permit British citizens to stay without a visa for up to 90 days (although an extension is possible for a stay beyond 90 days): Botswana, Japan and Taiwan. The following countries also only offer partially reciprocal treatment: Belize (1 month), Fiji (4 months, extendable for an extra 2 months), Colombia (90 days), Bolivia (90 days), Ecuador (90 days), Kiribati (30 days), Maldives (30 days), Marshall Islands (30 days), Mauritius (60 days for tourists, 90 days on business), Micronesia (30 days), Nauru (30 days), Palau (30 days), Peru (90 days), St Lucia (6 weeks), Samoa (60 days), Seychelles (1 month, extendable to 12 months), Tonga (31 days), Tuvalu (1 month), Vanuatu (30 days) and Venezuela (90 days).

No reciprocity

• Papua New Guinea requires British citizens to obtain a visa on arrival that is valid for up to 60 days and costs PGK100 (tourist) or PGK500 (business)
• Timor-Leste requires British citizens to obtain a visa on arrival valid for up to 30 days at a cost of US$30.

Visitor statistics

Most visitors arriving to United Kingdom were from the following countries of nationality. Note the statistics for Ireland are fluid; no visitor conditions attach and visits across the land border are not counted.

Nationality	Total
	2018	2017	2016	2015	2014	2013	2012	2011
United States	3,877,000	3,910,000	3,455,000	3,266,000	2,976,000	2,778,000	2,840,000	2,846,000
France	3,693,000	3,956,000	4,064,000	4,171,000	4,114,000	3,974,000	3,787,000	3,633,000
Germany	3,262,000	3,380,000	3,341,000	3,249,000	3,220,000	3,048,000	2,967,000	2,947,000
Ireland	2,782,000	3,029,000	2,897,000	2,632,000	2,486,000	2,350,000	2,453,000	2,574,000
Spain	2,530,000	2,413,000	2,397,000	2,197,000	1,986,000	1,746,000	1,716,000	1,836,000
Netherlands	1,954,000	2,136,000	2,062,000	1,897,000	1,972,000	1,891,000	1,735,000	1,789,000
Poland	1,817,000	1,807,000	1,921,000	1,707,000	1,494,000	1,339,000	1,222,000	1,057,000
Italy	1,808,000	1,779,000	1,990,000	1,794,000	1,757,000	1,636,000	1,521,000	1,526,000
Belgium	1,116,000	1,148,000	1,048,000	1,175,000	1,122,000	1,174,000	1,113,000	984,000
Australia	1,003,000	1,092,000	982,000	1,043,000	1,057,000	1,058,000	993,000	1,093,000
Romania	987,000	944,000	891,000	693,000	471,000	377,000	267,000	259,000
Canada	850,000	835,000	828,000	708,000	649,000	731,000	704,000	740,000
Sweden	827,000	831,000	821,000	850,000	869,000	784,000	777,000	794,000
Switzerland	808,000	989,000	940,000	872,000	864,000	807,000	832,000	768,000
Denmark	735,000	– 730,000	730,000	756,000	662,000	696,000	636,000	614,000
Norway	673,000	712,000	700,000	771,000	874,000	838,000	771,000	739,000
India	511,000	562,000	415,000	422,000	390,000	373,000	339,000	355,000
China	472,000	406,000	307,000	325,000	233,000	237,000	215,000	181,000
Hungary	437,000	415,000	397,000	328,000	323,000	276,000	262,000	210,000
Portugal	431,000	482,000	492,000	392,000	395,000	285,000	292,000	283,000
Czech Republic	412,000	375,000	414,000	465,000	352,000	356,000	325,000	286,000
United Arab Emirates	392,000	374,000	365,000	347,000	260,000	304,000	256,000	241,000
Lithuania	372,000	327,000	242,000	271,000	198,000	202,000	171,000	178,000
Austria	322,000	307,000	302,000	277,000	263,000	275,000	268,000	271,000
Israel	278,000	265,000	209,000	205,000	185,000	179,000	138,000	164,000
Bulgaria	266,000	262,000	248,000	173,000	184,000	125,000	138,000	97,000
Japan	– 247,000	247,000	246,000	194,000	222,000	225,000	243,000	237,000
Hong Kong	243,000	230,000	218,000	204,000	159,000	163,000	135,000	149,000
Brazil	240,000	244,000	187,000	324,000	293,000	258,000	260,000	276,000
South Africa	224,000	230,000	188,000	231,000	217,000	225,000	211,000	194,000
New Zealand	216,000	220,000	213,000	207,000	196,000	165,000	175,000	— 187,000
Finland	214,000	258,000	261,000	245,000	255,000	212,000	208,000	233,000
Greece	200,000	213,000	227,000	225,000	238,000	181,000	159,000	225,000
Russia	181,000	227,000	147,000	164,000	249,000	214,000	227,000	211,000
Turkey	177,000	230,000	196,000	192,000	196,000	154,000	145,000	126,000
Mexico	153,000	155,000	106,000	102,000	92,000	109,000	84,000	78,000
Slovakia	142,000	179,000	156,000	175,000	132,000	146,000	120,000	117,000
Nigeria	107,000	119,000	101,000	128,000	134,000	157,000	154,000	142,000
Pakistan	102,000	69,000	66,000	58,000	75,000	63,000	73,000	65,000
Cyprus	96,000	163,000	135,000	136,000	119,000	123,000	111,000	124,000
Thailand	93,000	94,000	77,000	79,000	76,000	74,000	75,000	65,000
Luxembourg	76,000	83,000	104,000	122,000	97,000	90,000	83,000	73,000
Malta	72,000	104,000	87,000	74,000	100,000	85,000	65,000	64,000
Egypt	— 43,000	43,000	42,000	47,000	59,000	54,000	50,000	41,000
Morocco	32,000	– 33,000	33,000	29,000	35,000	31,000	26,000	19,000
Barbados	22,000	– 11,000	11,000	16,000	9,000	10,000	6,000	11,000
Sri Lanka	20,000	17,000	22,000	16,000	17,000	24,000	— 20,000	20,000
Jamaica	15,000	8,000	4,000	14,000	— 10,000	10,000	— 7,000	7,000
Tunisia	5,000	7,000	12,000	14,000	9,000	10,000	— 9,000	— 9,000
Total	37,905,000	39,214,000	37,609,000	36,115,000	34,377,000	32,692,000	31,084,000	30,798,000

See also

• Visa policy of the British Overseas Territories
• Common Travel Area
• Visa requirements for British citizens
• UK Electronic Travel Authorisation