Visas to the UK

 

As the UK Border Agency informs, it depends on your nationality and the purpose of your visit to the United Kingdom whether or not you need to apply for entry clearance. Depending on your nationality, you will come under one of two categories:

• visa national; or
• non-visa national.

 

Non-Visa Nationals

 

A non-visa national is a national or citizen of any country that is not listed in Appendix 1 of the immigration rules below (nationals of countries listed in Appendix 1 are visa nationals). A non-visa national does not need a visa to come to the United Kingdom for less than six months, unless it is a requirement of the immigration category under which they are entering. A non-visa national coming to the United Kingdom for more than six months will need a visa.

 

Appendix 1 - Visa requirements for the United Kingdom

1. Subject to paragraph 2 below, the following persons need a visa for the United Kingdom:

(a) Nationals or citizens of the following countries or territorial entities:

Afghanistan
Albania
Algeria
Angola
Armenia
Azerbaijan
Bahrain
Bangladesh
Belarus
Benin
Bhutan
Bolivia
Bosnia Herzegovina
Burkina Faso
Burma
Burundi
Cambodia
Cameroon
Cape Verde
Central African Republic
Chad
People's Republic of China (except those referred to in sub-paragraphs 2(d) and (e) of this Appendix)
Colombia
Comoros
Congo
Cuba
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Djibouti
Dominican Republic
Ecuador
Egypt
Equatorial Guinea
Eritrea
Ethiopia
Fiji
Gabon
Gambia
Georgia
Ghana
Guinea
Guinea Bissau
Guyana
Haiti
India
Indonesia
Iran
Iraq
Ivory Coast
Jamaica
Jordan
Kazakhstan
Kenya
Korea (North)
Kuwait
Kyrgyzstan
Laos
Lebanon
Lesotho
Liberia
Libya
Macedonia
Madagascar
Malawi
Mali
Mauritania
Moldova
Mongolia
Morocco
Mozambique
Nepal
Niger
Nigeria
Oman
Pakistan
Peru
Philippines
Qatar
Russia
Rwanda
Sao Tome e Principe
Saudi Arabia
Senegal
Sierra Leone
Somalia
South Africa
Sri Lanka
Sudan
Surinam
Swaziland
Syria
Taiwan (except those referred to in sub-paragraph 2(h) of this Appendix)
Tajikistan
Tanzania
Thailand
Togo
Tunisia
Turkey
Turkmenistan
Uganda
Ukraine
United Arab Emirates
Uzbekistan
Venezuela (except those referred to in sub-paragraph 2(i) of this Appendix)
Vietnam
Yemen
Zambia
Zimbabwe
The territories formerly comprising the socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia

(b) Persons who hold passports or travel documents issued by the former Soviet Union or by the former Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.

(c) Stateless persons.

(d) Persons who hold non-national documents.

2. The following persons do not need a visa for the United Kingdom:

(a) those who qualify for admission to the United Kingdom as returning residents in accordance with paragraph 18;

(b) those who seek leave to enter the United Kingdom within the period of their earlier leave and for the same purpose as that for which that leave was granted, unless it

(i) was for a period of six months or less; or

(ii) was extended by statutory instrument or by section 3C of the Immigration Act 1971 (inserted by section 3 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999);

(c) DELETED

(d) those nationals or citizens of the People's Republic of China holding passports issued by Hong Kong Special Administrative Region;

(e) those nationals or citizens of the People's Republic of China holding passports issued by Macao Special Administrative Region;

(f) those who arrive in the United Kingdom with leave to enter which is in force but which was given before arrival, so long as those in question arrive within the period of their earlier leave and for the same purpose as that for which leave was granted, unless that leave -

(i) was for a period of six months or less, or

(ii) was extended by statutory instrument or by section 3C of the Immigration Act 1971 (inserted by section 3 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999);

(g) DELETED

(h) those nationals or citizens of Taiwan who hold a passport by Taiwan that includes the number of the identification card issued by the competent authority in Taiwan in it.

(i) those nationals or citizens of Venezuela who hold a passport issued by the Republic of Venezuela that contains biometric information held in an electronic chip.

 

Visa Nationals

 

Visa nationals are those who need a visa for every entry to the United Kingdom (UK), though some may be able to “Transit Without Visa”. Those who need visas for transit as well are listed below under Direct Airside transit.

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

* Since 1 July 2009, nationals of South Africa need a visa to enter or transit through the UK.

** Since 18 May 2009, nationals of Bolivia and Venezuela need a visa to enter or transit through the UK.  Venezuelan nationals holding valid biometric passports containing an electronic chip issued since 2007 will be exempt from the visa requirement.

*** Since 1 July 2009, nationals of Lesotho and Swaziland need a visa to enter or transit through the UK.

 

Direct Airside Transit Visa (DATV) nationals

  

In addition to needing a visa to enter the United Kingdom, nationals of the following countries also need a visa to transit through the UK, known as Direct Airside Transit Visa (DATV).

Afghanistan	Kosovo
Albania	Lebanon
Algeria	Lesotho***
Angola	Liberia
Bangladesh	Macedonia
Belarus	Malawi
Bolivia**	Moldova
Burma	Mongolia
Burundi	Montenegro
Cameroon	Nepal
China, Peoples Republic of	Nigeria
Colombia	Palestinian Authority
Congo	Pakistan
Congo, Democratic Republic of	Rwanda
Cyprus, northern part of	Senegal
Ecuador	Serbia (including documents issued by the United Nations Mission in Kosovo)
Eritrea	Sierra Leone
Ethiopia	South Africa*
Gambia	Sudan
Ghana	Somalia
Guinea	Sri Lanka
Guinea-Bissau	Swaziland***
India	Tanzania
Iran	Turkey
Iraq	Uganda
Ivory Coast	Venezuela**
Jamaica***	Vietnam
Kenya	Zimbabwe

* Since 1 July 2009, nationals of South Africa need a visa to enter or transit through the UK.

** Since 18 May 2009, nationals of Bolivia and Venezuela need a visa to enter or transit through the UK.  Venezuelan nationals holding valid biometric passports containing an electronic chip issued since 2007 will be exempt from the visa requirement.

*** Since 1 July 2009, nationals of Lesotho and Swaziland need a visa to enter or transit through the UK.

 

For further information on visas to come to the UK, please consult the official website of the UK Border Agency http://www.ukvisas.gov.uk/en/.