The United Kingdom visa policy grants EU citizens and citizens of over 60 other countries the possibility to enter the UK visa-free for up to six months. However, all non-British nationals need to apply for a visa if they intend to stay longer.
For example, if you are a US citizen, you can visit the UK without a visa for up to six months. But, if you are planning to work, study or move to the UK, you must apply for the appropriate visa scheme.
Do I Need a Visa to Visit the United Kingdom?
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
- Cape 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
Is Invitation Letter Required for the United Kingdom Visitor Visa?
To apply for the UK visit visa it is required that the applicant submits an invitation letter. A letter of invitation for the UK visit visa is a letter written by a citizen or legal resident of the United Kingdom, addressed to a foreigner with whom they have family ties or friendship, inviting them to stay over at their house. It is also a confirmation that they have enough room for the visitor, for the entire period of their stay in the UK.
This letter, also known as a sponsorship letter for UK Visa, can also be written in another format. The letter can be written addressed to the UK consular officer, confirming that they are willing to admit an international with whom they have family ties or friendship, and also that they have enough room for the visitor for the entire period of their stay in the UK. Either version is acceptable.
In order for the letter to be valid and taken into account by the UK consular officer, the host who writes the letter must fulfill the following requirements:
- must be a UK citizen or lawful permanent resident
- must be a visitor’s friend, boyfriend/girlfriend or relative
- must have a registered place (home, flat)
- must have enough room for the visitor during their whole period of stay 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
- Cape 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 decide if you can transit without a visa. In any case, it is best to check with your airline before leaving.
Landside Transit in the UK
All nationals who need a visa to enter the UK for short trips also need a visa to transit in the UK landside. Landside transit passengers are those who need or wish to pass through the UK border and enter the UK for different purposes such as changing airports, collecting baggage, or arriving at airports where no airside transfer is possible.
Transit without a visa (TWOV) does not apply 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 United Kingdom?
All international students, besides British citizens, need a visa in order to study in the UK. You can apply for a Student visa to study in the UK provided that:
- 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 United Kingdom?
Yes, all non-British nationals need a visa if they want to work in the UK. You can start working in the UK by applying for a short-term work visa or long-term work visa. Some of the UK work visas you can apply for are:
- Skilled Worker visa
- Health and Care Worker visa
- Charity Worker visa (Temporary Work)
- Creative Worker visa (Temporary Work)
- Government Authorized 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)
