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.
