United Kingdom visa requirements · checked 13 October 2026

Visa & Entry Requirements for United Kingdom

Q: What documents do I need to enter the United Kingdom?

Passport validity: GOV.UK says your identity document (for example your passport or identity card) will be checked when you arrive at a UK port or airport, and that it should be valid for the whole of your stay. Travel insurance: No official source we could read states a travel insurance requirement for the UK. Return or onward ticket: No official source we could read states an onward or return ticket requirement. Proof of funds: GOV.UK says visitors must be able to show that they can support themselves and their dependants during the trip, or have funding from someone else.

Most travellers need a visa for the United Kingdom: 114 of 198 passports must apply at an embassy or consulate, while 1 passport enters visa-free.

GOV.UK says most visitors need an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) or a visa, and that you usually need an ETA rather than a visa if you’re from Europe, the USA, Australia, Canada or certain other countries. An ETA costs £20 and lasts for 2 years or until your passport expires, whichever is sooner; a Standard Visitor visa costs £135 for up to 6 months. As a Standard Visitor you can usually stay in the UK for up to 6 months. Some people do not need an ETA, for example those with a British or Irish passport, or with permission to live, work or study in the UK.

Check your passport

Your passport

Destination

Passports visa-free

eVisa or eTA online

114

Embassy visa required

Do I need a visa for United Kingdom? Quick answers

Another passport? Use the checker or find it in the table below.

Visa for United Kingdom — requirements summary

Visa-free: 1 (1%)
eTA: 83 (42%)
Visa required: 114 (58%)

All travellers must meet the entry rules set by United Kingdom, and they depend on your nationality. Find your passport below — you may be able to enter visa-free, or need an eVisa, a visa on arrival or a visa from an embassy.

Passport	Requirement	Max stay	Details
Afghanistan	Visa required	—	Details →
Albania	Visa required	—	Details →
Algeria	Visa required	—	Details →
Andorra	eTA	180 days	Details →
Angola	Visa required	—	Details →
Antigua and Barbuda	eTA	180 days	Details →
Argentina	eTA	180 days	Details →
Armenia	Visa required	—	Details →
Australia	eTA	180 days	Details →
Austria	eTA	180 days	Details →
Azerbaijan	Visa required	—	Details →
Bahamas	eTA	180 days	Details →
Bahrain	eTA	180 days	Details →
Bangladesh	Visa required	—	Details →
Barbados	eTA	180 days	Details →
Belarus	Visa required	—	Details →
Belgium	eTA	180 days	Details →
Belize	eTA	180 days	Details →
Benin	Visa required	—	Details →
Bhutan	Visa required	—	Details →
Bolivia	Visa required	—	Details →
Bosnia and Herzegovina	Visa required	—	Details →
Botswana	Visa required	—	Details →
Brazil	eTA	180 days	Details →
Brunei	eTA	180 days	Details →
Bulgaria	eTA	180 days	Details →
Burkina Faso	Visa required	—	Details →
Burundi	Visa required	—	Details →
Cambodia	Visa required	—	Details →
Cameroon	Visa required	—	Details →
Canada	eTA	180 days	Details →
Cape Verde	Visa required	—	Details →
Central African Republic	Visa required	—	Details →
Chad	Visa required	—	Details →
Chile	eTA	180 days	Details →
China	Visa required	—	Details →
Colombia	Visa required	—	Details →
Comoros	Visa required	—	Details →
Costa Rica	eTA	180 days	Details →
Côte d'Ivoire	Visa required	—	Details →
Croatia	eTA	180 days	Details →
Cuba	Visa required	—	Details →
Cyprus	eTA	180 days	Details →
Czechia	eTA	180 days	Details →
Denmark	eTA	180 days	Details →
Djibouti	Visa required	—	Details →
Dominica	Visa required	—	Details →
Dominican Republic	Visa required	—	Details →
DR Congo	Visa required	—	Details →
Ecuador	Visa required	—	Details →
Egypt	Visa required	—	Details →
El Salvador	Visa required	—	Details →
Equatorial Guinea	Visa required	—	Details →
Eritrea	Visa required	—	Details →
Estonia	eTA	180 days	Details →
Eswatini	Visa required	—	Details →
Ethiopia	Visa required	—	Details →
Fiji	Visa required	—	Details →
Finland	eTA	180 days	Details →
France	eTA	180 days	Details →
Gabon	Visa required	—	Details →
Gambia	Visa required	—	Details →
Georgia	Visa required	—	Details →
Germany	eTA	180 days	Details →
Ghana	Visa required	—	Details →
Greece	eTA	180 days	Details →
Grenada	eTA	180 days	Details →
Guatemala	eTA	180 days	Details →
Guinea	Visa required	—	Details →
Guinea-Bissau	Visa required	—	Details →
Guyana	eTA	180 days	Details →
Haiti	Visa required	—	Details →
Honduras	Visa required	—	Details →
Hong Kong	eTA	180 days	Details →
Hungary	eTA	180 days	Details →
Iceland	eTA	180 days	Details →
India	Visa required	—	Details →
Indonesia	Visa required	—	Details →
Iran	Visa required	—	Details →
Iraq	Visa required	—	Details →
Ireland	Freedom of movement	—	Details →
Israel	eTA	180 days	Details →
Italy	eTA	180 days	Details →
Jamaica	Visa required	—	Details →
Japan	eTA	180 days	Details →
Jordan	Visa required	—	Details →
Kazakhstan	Visa required	—	Details →
Kenya	Visa required	—	Details →
Kiribati	eTA	180 days	Details →
Kosovo	Visa required	—	Details →
Kuwait	eTA	180 days	Details →
Kyrgyzstan	Visa required	—	Details →
Laos	Visa required	—	Details →
Latvia	eTA	180 days	Details →
Lebanon	Visa required	—	Details →
Lesotho	Visa required	—	Details →
Liberia	Visa required	—	Details →
Libya	Visa required	—	Details →
Liechtenstein	eTA	180 days	Details →
Lithuania	eTA	180 days	Details →
Luxembourg	eTA	180 days	Details →
Macau	eTA	180 days	Details →
Madagascar	Visa required	—	Details →
Malawi	Visa required	—	Details →
Malaysia	eTA	180 days	Details →
Maldives	eTA	180 days	Details →
Mali	Visa required	—	Details →
Malta	eTA	180 days	Details →
Marshall Islands	eTA	180 days	Details →
Mauritania	Visa required	—	Details →
Mauritius	eTA	180 days	Details →
Mexico	eTA	180 days	Details →
Micronesia	eTA	180 days	Details →
Moldova	Visa required	—	Details →
Monaco	eTA	180 days	Details →
Mongolia	Visa required	—	Details →
Montenegro	Visa required	—	Details →
Morocco	Visa required	—	Details →
Mozambique	Visa required	—	Details →
Myanmar	Visa required	—	Details →
Namibia	Visa required	—	Details →
Nauru	Visa required	—	Details →
Nepal	Visa required	—	Details →
Netherlands	eTA	180 days	Details →
New Zealand	eTA	180 days	Details →
Nicaragua	Visa required	—	Details →
Niger	Visa required	—	Details →
Nigeria	Visa required	—	Details →
North Korea	Visa required	—	Details →
North Macedonia	Visa required	—	Details →
Norway	eTA	180 days	Details →
Oman	eTA	180 days	Details →
Pakistan	Visa required	—	Details →
Palau	eTA	180 days	Details →
Palestine	Visa required	—	Details →
Panama	eTA	180 days	Details →
Papua New Guinea	eTA	180 days	Details →
Paraguay	eTA	180 days	Details →
Peru	eTA	180 days	Details →
Philippines	Visa required	—	Details →
Poland	eTA	180 days	Details →
Portugal	eTA	180 days	Details →
Qatar	eTA	180 days	Details →
Republic of the Congo	Visa required	—	Details →
Romania	eTA	180 days	Details →
Russia	Visa required	—	Details →
Rwanda	Visa required	—	Details →
Saint Kitts and Nevis	eTA	180 days	Details →
Saint Lucia	Visa required	—	Details →
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines	eTA	180 days	Details →
Samoa	eTA	180 days	Details →
San Marino	eTA	180 days	Details →
Sao Tome and Principe	Visa required	—	Details →
Saudi Arabia	eTA	180 days	Details →
Senegal	Visa required	—	Details →
Serbia	Visa required	—	Details →
Seychelles	eTA	180 days	Details →
Sierra Leone	Visa required	—	Details →
Singapore	eTA	180 days	Details →
Slovakia	eTA	180 days	Details →
Slovenia	eTA	180 days	Details →
Solomon Islands	eTA	180 days	Details →
Somalia	Visa required	—	Details →
South Africa	Visa required	—	Details →
South Korea	eTA	180 days	Details →
South Sudan	Visa required	—	Details →
Spain	eTA	180 days	Details →
Sri Lanka	Visa required	—	Details →
Sudan	Visa required	—	Details →
Suriname	Visa required	—	Details →
Sweden	eTA	180 days	Details →
Switzerland	eTA	180 days	Details →
Syria	Visa required	—	Details →
Taiwan	eTA	180 days	Details →
Tajikistan	Visa required	—	Details →
Tanzania	Visa required	—	Details →
Thailand	Visa required	—	Details →
Timor-Leste	Visa required	—	Details →
Togo	Visa required	—	Details →
Tonga	eTA	180 days	Details →
Trinidad and Tobago	Visa required	—	Details →
Tunisia	Visa required	—	Details →
Türkiye	Visa required	—	Details →
Turkmenistan	Visa required	—	Details →
Tuvalu	eTA	180 days	Details →
Uganda	Visa required	—	Details →
Ukraine	Visa required	—	Details →
United Arab Emirates	eTA	180 days	Details →
United States	eTA	180 days	Details →
Uruguay	eTA	180 days	Details →
Uzbekistan	Visa required	—	Details →
Vanuatu	Visa required	—	Details →
Vatican City	eTA	180 days	Details →
Venezuela	Visa required	—	Details →
Vietnam	Visa required	—	Details →
Yemen	Visa required	—	Details →
Zambia	Visa required	—	Details →
Zimbabwe	Visa required	—	Details →

United Kingdom visa types, fees and processing times

Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA)

eTA

Fee: 20 GBP
Max stay: 180 days
Valid for: 730 days
Entries: Multiple
Extension: Possible

GOV.UK says it costs £20 to apply online or through the UK ETA app, and that each person travelling needs an ETA, including babies and children.

Documents (2)

Photo of the passport
Photo of the applicant's face

Official application site →

Standard Visitor Visa

eVisa

Fee: 135 GBP
Max stay: 180 days
Extension: Possible

GOV.UK says that if you need a Standard Visitor visa, you must apply online before you travel to the UK and attend an appointment at a visa application centre. It lists £234 for a Standard Visitor visa for medical reasons (maximum stay 11 months) or for academics (12 months), and £506, £903 and £1,128 for the 2, 5 and 10 year long-term Standard Visitor visas, each with a maximum stay of 6 months per visit.

Official application site →

Student Visa

eVisa

Fee: 558 GBP
Extension: Possible

GOV.UK says you’ll also have to pay the healthcare surcharge as part of your application. You can apply if you’re 16 or over and, among the listed conditions, have been offered a place on a course by a licensed student sponsor; you’ll usually get a decision within 3 weeks if you’re outside the UK.

Official application site →

Skilled Worker Visa

eVisa

Extension: Possible

Fee and processing time not published — confirm with the embassy or consulate before you apply.

Official application site →

Visitor in Transit Visa

eVisa

Fee: 74.50 GBP

GOV.UK says to apply for a Visitor in Transit visa if you’ll be going through UK border control but leaving the UK within 48 hours, and that it costs £74.50, which may change slightly depending on which country you’re in. A Direct Airside Transit visa is for changing flights in the UK without going through UK border control.

Official application site →

Entry requirements for United Kingdom

Passport validity

GOV.UK says your identity document (for example your passport or identity card) will be checked when you arrive at a UK port or airport, and that it should be valid for the whole of your stay.

GOV.UK — Entering the UK✓ Checked 13 Oct 2026

Travel insurance

6 months

No official source we could read states a travel insurance requirement for the UK. GOV.UK’s migrant health guide says all overseas visitors will be charged 150% of the cost of NHS treatment unless they are exempt, that people who have a visitor visa and those with a visa for under 6 months need to pay for any healthcare at the point of use unless they are exempt, and that accident and emergency services are free of charge irrespective of an overseas visitor’s country of normal residence.

GOV.UK (Department of Health and Social Care) — NHS entitlements: migrant health guide✓ Checked 13 Oct 2026

Return or onward ticket

No official source we could read states an onward or return ticket requirement. GOV.UK says visitors must be able to show that they will leave the UK at the end of their visit and that they can pay for their return or onward journey, or have someone else fund it.

GOV.UK — Standard Visitor visa✓ Checked 13 Oct 2026

Proof of funds

GOV.UK says visitors must be able to show that they can support themselves and their dependants during the trip, or have funding from someone else. No official source we could read states an amount.

GOV.UK — Standard Visitor visa✓ Checked 13 Oct 2026

Overstay penalties

12 months

Knowingly remaining in the UK beyond the time limited by one's leave is a criminal offence. On summary conviction the penalty is imprisonment up to the general limit in a magistrates' court or a fine, or both (England and Wales); up to 12 months or a fine up to the statutory maximum, or both (Scotland); up to six months or a fine up to the statutory maximum, or both (Northern Ireland). On indictment it is up to four years or a fine, or both. Under the Immigration Rules, a person aged 18 or over who overstayed is treated as having breached immigration laws, and an application for entry clearance or permission to enter must be refused if made within the relevant period: 12 months if they left voluntarily at their own expense; 2 years if they left voluntarily at public expense within 6 months of notice of liability for removal (or of the end of any appeal or review, whichever is later); 5 years if they left voluntarily at public expense later than that; 10 years if they were removed at public expense. An overstay of 30 days or less that began on or after 6 April 2017 is disregarded if the person left voluntarily and not at the Secretary of State's expense.

legislation.gov.uk (The National Archives) — Immigration Act 1971, section 24 (Illegal entry and similar offences)✓ Checked 13 Oct 2026

Customs allowances

Cash of £10,000 or more must be declared when carried between Great Britain and a country outside the UK. For Northern Ireland, cash of €10,000 or more must be declared when carried between Northern Ireland and a non-EU country.

GOV.UK — Taking cash in and out of Great Britain✓ Checked 13 Oct 2026

United Kingdom visa requirements statistics

198

Passports covered

114

Most common: Visa required

Least common: Visa-free

Visa-free access

Understanding United Kingdom visa requirements

We track the entry rules of United Kingdom for 198 passports. The most common situation is visa required, which applies to 114 passports (58%). 1% of passports can enter without a visa. The least common is visa-free (1 passport).

Entry categories for United Kingdom

Visa-free entry: 1 passport can enter without a visa.
eTA: 83 passports need an electronic travel authorisation before departure.
Visa required: 114 passports must apply at an embassy or consulate.

What else you need to enter United Kingdom

Passport validity: GOV.UK says your identity document (for example your passport or identity card) will be checked when you arrive at a UK port or airport, and that it should be valid for the whole of your stay.
Travel insurance: No official source we could read states a travel insurance requirement for the UK.
Return or onward ticket: No official source we could read states an onward or return ticket requirement.
Proof of funds: GOV.UK says visitors must be able to show that they can support themselves and their dependants during the trip, or have funding from someone else.

Open your passport in the table for the exact rules — maximum stay, fees, how to apply and the official source. Entry rules change at short notice: confirm with the embassy of United Kingdom or its official immigration website before you travel.

Frequently asked questions about United Kingdom visas

Do I need a visa for the United Kingdom?

Most travellers need a visa for the United Kingdom: 114 of 198 passports must apply at an embassy or consulate, while 1 passport enters visa-free. It depends on your passport — check yours.

What is the UK ETA and who needs it?

GOV.UK says an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) lets you travel to the UK, Jersey, Guernsey or the Isle of Man for up to 6 months, and that you usually need one rather than a visa if you’re from Europe, the USA, Australia, Canada or certain other countries. An ETA costs £20 and lasts for 2 years or until your passport expires, whichever is sooner; you can travel to the UK as many times as you want while you have one. Some people do not need an ETA, for example if you have a British or Irish passport, or permission to live, work or study in the UK.

Do US citizens need a visa for the UK?

Usually an ETA rather than a visa: GOV.UK says you usually need an ETA rather than a visa if you’re from Europe, the USA, Australia, Canada or certain other countries. An ETA costs £20 and lets you travel to the UK for up to 6 months, and you must wait until you get an email confirming you have an ETA before you travel to the UK.

How much does a UK Standard Visitor visa cost?

GOV.UK lists the Standard Visitor visa at £135, with a maximum length of stay of 6 months. The 2, 5 and 10 year long-term Standard Visitor visas cost £506, £903 and £1,128, each with a maximum length of stay of 6 months per visit.

Can EU citizens enter the UK with a national ID card?

Only in some cases. GOV.UK says citizens from the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein need a valid passport, a valid Irish passport card or (in some cases) a valid national identity card to enter the UK. They can use a valid national identity card if they have settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme, an EU Settlement Scheme family permit or a frontier worker permit, or are an S2 Healthcare Visitor, or if they have applied for settled or pre-settled status and been issued with confirmation that the application is valid. GOV.UK says citizens from these countries, except Irish citizens, need an ETA to travel to the UK without a visa.

How long can visitors stay in the UK?

GOV.UK says an ETA lets you travel to the UK for up to 6 months, and that as a Standard Visitor you can usually stay in the UK for up to 6 months. As a Standard Visitor you cannot do paid or unpaid work for a UK company or as a self-employed person, unless you’re doing a permitted paid engagement or event, or live in the UK for long periods of time through frequent or successive visits.

Do US citizens need a visa for the United Kingdom?

US citizens need an eTA for the United Kingdom. Full rules for United States passport holders.

Do German citizens need a visa for the United Kingdom?

German citizens need an eTA for the United Kingdom. Full rules for Germany passport holders.

Do Indian citizens need a visa for the United Kingdom?

Indian citizens need a visa for the United Kingdom. Full rules for India passport holders.

What documents do I need to enter the United Kingdom?

Passport validity: GOV.UK says your identity document (for example your passport or identity card) will be checked when you arrive at a UK port or airport, and that it should be valid for the whole of your stay. Travel insurance: No official source we could read states a travel insurance requirement for the UK. Return or onward ticket: No official source we could read states an onward or return ticket requirement. Proof of funds: GOV.UK says visitors must be able to show that they can support themselves and their dependants during the trip, or have funding from someone else.

How many countries can visit United Kingdom without a visa?

1 of 198 passports can enter United Kingdom visa-free (1%). 83 can apply online (eVisa or eTA), and 114 need a visa from an embassy.

Data: TravelRequirements.info — Entry Requirements Dataset, AXG Sp. z o.o. (CC BY 4.0) — official sources are linked on each passport page. Gaps filled from the Passport Index dataset (MIT).

Check other requirements

Travelling from United Kingdom?

Where can United Kingdom citizens travel visa-free?

United Kingdom passport holders can visit 118 countries without a visa. Open a country for the exact rules.

Map and full list →