How to determine if you require a visa to enter the UK is covered in this article.

Citizens of a number of nations, the majority of which are EU and Commonwealth states, are permitted entrance without a visa for up to six months under the UK visa policy. If your country is not listed on the list of exempted nations, you must apply for a standard UK tourist visa.

No of your nationality, you need a visa for vacations lasting more than six months or for trips where you will be working.

Do I Need a Visa for the UK?

You do not require a visa to enter the UK for up to six months if you are from the US, an EU member state, or certain Commonwealth nations.

If you are from one of the following nations, you simply require a UK visa:

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

Only for owners of emergency and service passports.

You do not require a visa if you have a current biometric passport from Venezuela with an electronic chip.

*Instead of obtaining a visa, citizens of Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, or the United Arab Emirates may apply for an electronic visa waiver (EVW).

UK Visa-Free Countries

Visa-free entry to the UK is available to nationals of the following nations for stays of up to six months:

• EU/EFTA Member States
• 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

Keep in mind:

• You can only stay for three months, not six if you come from the Republic of Ireland.
• You must still carry the necessary paperwork for a UK visa application to show the immigration officers even if you are visa-exempt.

Do I Need a Transit Visa for the UK?

You will also need a transit visa if you generally need one to enter the UK as a tourist. For the UK, there are two different types of transit visas and the requirements vary based on the nation you are from:

• Transit Visa for Visitors. If you want to cross the British border but leave the country within 48 hours, you’ll require this kind of visa. If you are from a nation that ordinarily necessitates UK visiting permits, you must obtain a Visitor in Transit Visa (see above).
• Visa for Direct Airside Transit (DATV). If you plan to change flights in a UK airport without passing through British border control, you will need this form of visa. If you are from one of the following nations, you require a DATV:
• Afghanistan
• Albania
• Algeria
• Angola
• Bangladesh
• Belarus
• Bolivia
• Burma
• Burundi
• Cameroon
• China (PRC)
• Colombia
• Congo
• The Democratic Republic of the Congo
• Northern Cyprus
• Ecuador
• Eritrea
• Ethiopia
• The Gambia
• Ghana
• Guinea
• Guinea-Bissau
• India
• Iran
• Iraq
• Ivory Coast
• Jamaica
• Kenya
• Kosovo
• Lebanon
• Lesotho
• Liberia
• Macedonia
• Malawi
• Moldova
• Mongolia
• Montenegro
• Nepal
• Nigeria
• Pakistan
• Palestinian Authority
• Rwanda
• Senegal
• Serbia
• Sierra Leone
• Somalia
• South Africa
• Sri Lanka
• Sudan
• Swaziland
• Tanzania
• Turkey
• Uganda
• Venezuela
• Vietnam
• Zimbabwe

Note: Transit Visa if not required if you already have a valid visa issued by Australia, Canada, New Zealand or the United States of America.

Will EU Nationals Need UK Visa After Brexit?

Until at least December 31, 2020, when the Brexit transitional phase is scheduled to finish, there won’t be any modifications to the visa requirements for citizens of the EU. Until then, EU citizens are still permitted to visit the UK for vacations and brief business trips without a visa. Starting in January 2021, the specific visa requirements for short journeys are still uncertain, but for immigration purposes, EU nationals are anticipated to begin using the same point-based system as everyone else in the UK.

The British government made this choice in order to put their own citizens first and choose “the brightest and the finest from around the world, improving the economy and our communities, and unleashing this country’s full potential.”

Staying in the UK for More Than Six Months

A visa is required for anyone planning to stay in the UK for longer than six months. For instance, if you are a US citizen seeking to relocate to the UK for job or other reasons and will be there for longer than six months, you must apply for a UK visa. The above-mentioned visa exemptions are only valid for brief visits (up to six months) during which you won’t be working in the UK.

Requirements for EU citizens: Prior to Brexit, EU citizens were allowed to go to the UK for business or pleasure, regardless of the length of their stay. The UK government has recently changed its immigration policies, making it more difficult for unskilled EU nationals to reside there because they will now be subject to the country’s point-based immigration system testing. When the Brexit transition period ends on December 31, 2020, it is still unclear exactly how the visa requirements will alter.