Guide On How To Get UK Tourist Visa

The UK visa policy allows EU citizens and citizens of more than 60 other countries to enter the UK without a visa for up to six months. Non-British nationals must apply for a visa if they plan to stay for an extended period of time.

For example, US citizens can visit the UK without a visa for up to six months. However, if you intend to work, study, or relocate to the UK, you must apply under the relevant visa scheme.

Do I Need a Visa to Visit the UK?

Nationals of the countries and territories listed below need a visa to enter the UK, even for short visits:

• Afghanistan
• Albania
• Algeria
• Angola
• Armenia
• Azerbaijan
• Bahrain
• Bangladesh
• Belarus
• Benin
• Bhutan
• Bolivia
• Bosnia and Herzegovina
• Burkina Faso
• Burundi
• Cambodia
• Cameroon
• Cabo Verde
• Central African Republic
• Chad
• China
• Colombia
• Comoros
• Republic of the Congo
• Democratic Republic of the Congo
• Cuba
• Cyprus
• Djibouti
• Dominican Republic
• Ecuador
• Egypt
• El Salvador
• Equatorial Guinea
• Eritrea
• Eswatini
• Ethiopia
• Fiji
• Gabon
• Gambia
• Georgia
• Ghana
• Guinea
• Guinea-Bissau
• Guyana
• Haiti
• India
• Indonesia
• Iran
• Iraq
• Ivory Coast
• Jamaica
• Jordan
• Kazakhstan
• Kenya
• South Korea
• Kosovo
• Kuwait
• Kyrgyzstan
• Laos
• Lebanon
• Lesotho
• Liberia
• Libya
• Madagascar
• Malawi
• Mali
• Mauritania
• Moldova
• Mongolia
• Montenegro
• Morocco
• Mozambique
• Myanmar
• Nepal
• Niger
• Nigeria
• North Macedonia
• Oman
• Pakistan
• Palestine
• Peru
• Philippines
• Qatar
• Russia
• Rwanda
• Sao Tome and Principe
• Saudi Arabia
• Senegal
• Serbia
• Sierra Leone
• Somalia
• South Africa
• South Sudan
• Sri Lanka
• Sudan
• Suriname
• Syria
• Taiwan
• Tajikistan
• Tanzania
• Thailand
• Togo
• Tunisia
• Turkey
• Turkmenistan
• Uganda
• Uganda
• Ukraine
• United Arab Emirates
• Uzbekistan
• Venezuela
• Vietnam
• Yemen
• Zambia
• Zimbabwe

Holders of diplomatic and special passports do not require a visa for official visits, tourist visits, or transit.

Visa-Free Countries for the UK

Nationals of the following countries can freely enter the UK without a visa and remain for up to six months:

• European-Union citizens
• Andorra
• Antigua and Barbuda
• Argentina
• Australia
• Bahamas
• Barbados
• Belize
• Botswana
• Brazil
• Brunei
• Canada
• Chile
• Costa Rica
• Dominica
• Timor-Leste
• Grenada
• Guatemala
• Honduras
• Hong Kong
• Iceland
• Israel
• Japan
• Kiribati
• Liechtenstein
• Macau
• Malaysia
• Maldives
• Marshall Islands
• Mauritius
• Mexico
• Micronesia
• Monaco
• Namibia
• Nauru
• New Zealand
• Nicaragua
• Norway
• 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
• Switzerland
• Taiwan
• Tonga
• Trinidad and Tobago
• Tuvalu
• United States
• Uruguay
• Vanuatu
• Vatican City

Additionally, the following categories are also exempt from applying for a UK visa:

• British Overseas Territories citizens
• British Overseas citizens
• British Nationals (Overseas)
• British protected persons
• British subjects without the right of abode in the UK

Do I Need a Visa to Transit in the UK?

ALL nationals of the countries and territories listed below need visas to enter or transit the UK:

• Afghanistan
• Albania
• Algeria
• Angola
• Bangladesh
• Belarus
• Burundi
• Cameroon
• China
• Republic of the Congo
• Democratic Republic of the Congo
• Cyprus
• Egypt
• El Salvador
• Eritrea
• Eswatini
• 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
• Syria
• Tanzania
• Turkey
• Uganda
• Venezuela
• Vietnam
• Yemen
• Zimbabwe

ALL nationals of the countries and territories listed below need visas to enter or transit the UK landside.

• Armenia
• Azerbaijan
• Bahrain
• Benin
• Bhutan
• Bolivia
• Bosnia and Herzegovina
• Burkina Faso
• Cambodia
• Cabo Verde
• Central African Republic
• Chad
• Colombia
• Comoros
• Cuba
• Djibouti
• Dominican Republic
• Ecuador
• Equatorial Guinea
• Fiji
• Gabon
• Georgia
• Guyana
• Haiti
• Indonesia
• Jordan
• Kazakhstan
• South Korea
• Kuwait
• Kyrgyzstan
• Laos
• Madagascar
• Mali
• 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
• Venezuela
• Zambia

Transiting Without a Visa in the UK (TWOV)

If you are looking to transit without a visa (TWOV), you must:

• Arrive and depart by air,
• Have a confirmed onward flight that departs before 23:59 hrs the following day,
• Hold the correct documents for your destination (e.g. a visa for that country if required).

However, an immigration officer at the UK border will determine whether you can pass without a visa. In any case, verify with your airline before departing.

Landside Transit in the UK

All nationals who require a visa to enter the UK for short-term stays must also obtain a visa to transit on British soil. Landside transit passengers are individuals who need or want to cross the UK border and enter the country for a variety of reasons, such as changing airports, collecting luggage, or landing at airports where no airside transfer is available. Transit without a visa (TWOV) is not applicable if you must leave the airport and enter the UK.

Who Is Exempt From a UK Transit Visa?

You are exempt from applying for a transit visa if you have one of the following:

• A valid visa for entry to Australia, Canada, New Zealand, or the USA (regardless if the holder is traveling to or from these countries); or a visa for entry to Australia, Canada, New Zealand, or the USA as part of a reasonable journey FROM the country in respect of which the visa is held, and it is less than 6 months since the holder last entered that country with a valid entry visa.
• A valid permanent residence permit issued by:
• Australia
• Canada, issued after 28 June 2002
• New Zealand
• USA issued after 21 April 1998 or a valid US Immigrant visa endorsed with a US arrival stamp (a wet-ink/ADIT stamp version will NOT be accepted by UK border control) or an expired I-551 Permanent Residence card in case it is accompanied by a valid I-797 letter authorizing extension, or a standalone US Immigration Form 155A/155B (attached to a sealed brown envelope)
• A valid common format residence permit issued by an EEA state or Switzerland
• A valid common format category D visa for entry to an EEA state or Switzerland
• A valid Irish biometric visa endorsed BC or BC BIVS (in order to transit to a destination other than the Republic of Ireland or the Common Travel Area)
• A valid Schengen Approved Destination Scheme (ADS) group tourism visa where the holder is traveling TO the country that issued it
• A valid airline ticket FROM the Schengen area; only if the holder can prove that they have entered there no more than 30 days previously on the basis of a valid Schengen ADS visa

Do I Need a Visa to Study in the UK?

All international students, save British nationals, require a visa to study in the United Kingdom. You can apply for a student visa to study in the UK if:

• You are 16 years old or over
• You have received an offer of an academic course from a licensed student sponsor
• You have the sufficient means to support yourself
• You are able to speak, read, understand and write in English.

Do I Need a Visa to Work in the UK?

Yes, all non-British nationals require a visa to work in the UK. You can start working in the UK by applying for a short-term or long-term work visa. You can apply for some of the following UK work visas:

• Skilled Worker visa
• Health and Care Worker visa
• Charity Worker visa (Temporary Work)
• Creative Worker visa (Temporary Work)
• Government Authorised Exchange visa (Temporary Work)
• International Agreement visa (Temporary Work)
• Seasonal Worker visa (Temporary Work)
• Graduate visa
• Innovator visa
• Start-up visa
• Apply for the Global Talent visa
• Entrepreneur visa (Tier 1)
• Investor visa (Tier 1)

Rules for EU/EEA/Swiss nationals

If you are an EU/EEA/Swiss national, you can enter the UK for holidays and short trips without a visa. Additionally, you can cross the UK border if you have a valid passport that will be valid for the duration of your stay in the UK. However, a visa is required to study or work in the UK.

You can use your EEA or Swiss national identity card as long as:

• You have received confirmation that your application is valid
• You have applied for settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme, or Jersey, Guernsey or the Isle of Man’s settlement schemes
• You have not applied to join a family member

Note: You can continue to use your national ID card to enter the UK until at least 31 December 2025.