Visa requirements for British citizens
Entry restrictions by the authorities of other states placed on citizens of the United Kingdom From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Entry restrictions by the authorities of other states placed on citizens of the United Kingdom From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Visa requirements for British citizens are administrative entry restrictions by the authorities of other states placed on citizens of the United Kingdom.
As of 2024, British citizens had visa-free or visa on arrival access to 192 countries and territories, ranking the British passport 4th in the world according to the Henley Passport Index.[1]
Additionally, the World Tourism Organisation also published a report on 15 January 2016 ranking the passport 1st in the world (tied with Denmark, Finland, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg and Singapore) in terms of travel freedom, with the mobility index of 160 (out of 215 with no visa weighted by: 1, visa on arrival weighted by 0.7, e-Visa weighted by 0.5 and traditional visa weighted by 0).[2]
The United Kingdom left the European Union on 31 January 2020, and consequently discontinued the freedom of movement for its citizens to EU countries on 31 December 2020. However, UK citizens are still eligible for visa-free access for short-term visits to the Schengen Area.
Visa requirements for other classes of British nationals such as British Nationals (Overseas), British Overseas Citizens, British Overseas Territories Citizens, British Protected Persons or British Subjects are different.
Visa requirements for British citizens were lifted by many European nations in the few years after World War II. The first changes occurred in 1947. These were removed by France on 1 January 1947. [3]
This was then quickly followed by Belgium on 15 February 1947,[4] Luxembourg 15 February 1947,[5] Norway on 1 March 1947,[6] Denmark on 22 March 1947,[7] Sweden on 1 April 1947,[8] Netherlands on 15 April 1947,[9] Switzerland on 24 June 1947[10] Liechtenstein on 24 June 1947[10] and Iceland on 1 July 1947.[11]
The requirement was lifted by Italy on 1 January 1948,[12] Monaco (8 November 1948),[13] Austria (15 May 1955),[14][15] Paraguay (27 November 1966),[16] United States (1 July 1988), Poland (1 July 1992), Bulgaria (March 1997),[17] Romania (1 January 2001),[18] Serbia and Montenegro (31 May 2003),[19] Ukraine (1 May 2005),[20] Georgia (1 June 2006),[21] Moldova (1 January 2007),[22] Kyrgyzstan (27 July 2012),[23] Armenia (10 January 2013), Kazakhstan (15 July 2014),[24] Indonesia (13 June 2015),[25] Vietnam (1 July 2015)[26] Belarus (12 February 2017),[27] Cape Verde (1 January 2019),[28] Uzbekistan (1 February 2019),[29] Turkey (2 March 2020)[30] and Oman (December 2020).
Electronic visas for British citizens were introduced: India (15 August 2015),[31] Djibouti (18 February 2018),[32] Malawi (October 2019) Mongolia (November 2021). In April 2021 India announced that it would stop issuing Electronic visas for British citizens from August 2021, however this was reinstated in December 2022.[33].
Honduras cancelled a visa-free regime for British citizens as a reciprocal measure in August 2024.[34] Similarly, Namibia will introduce visas for British citizens for reciprocity reasons, starting April 2025.[35]
Country / Region | Visa requirement | Visa fee | Allowed stay | Notes (excluding departure fees) |
---|---|---|---|---|
![]() |
Visa required[36] |
| ||
![]() |
Visa not required[38] | 90 days | ||
![]() |
Visa required[39][40] | |||
![]() |
Visa not required[41] | |||
![]() |
Visa not required[42] | 30 days |
| |
![]() |
Visa not required[45][46] | 6 months | ||
![]() |
Visa not required[47][48] | 90 days[49] | ||
![]() |
Visa not required[50] | 180 days |
| |
![]() |
eVisitor[52] | 90 days |
| |
![]() |
Visa not required[54] | 90 days |
| |
![]() |
eVisa[58][59] | 30 days | ||
![]() |
Visa not required[60][61] | 8 months |
| |
![]() |
eVisa / Visa on arrival[62] | 14 days |
| |
![]() |
Visa on arrival[64] | 30 days |
| |
![]() |
Visa not required[68][69] | 6 months | ||
![]() |
Visa not required[70][71] | 30 days | ||
![]() |
Visa not required[74] | 90 days |
| |
![]() |
Visa not required[75][76] | |||
![]() |
eVisa[77][78] | 30 days |
| |
![]() |
eVisa[79][80][81] | |||
![]() |
Visa not required[84][85] | 90 days |
| |
![]() |
Visa not required[87] | 90 days |
| |
![]() |
Visa not required[88] | 90 days | ||
![]() |
Visa not required[89][90] | 90 days |
| |
![]() |
Visa not required[92][93] | 90 days[94] | ||
![]() |
Visa not required[95] | 90 days |
| |
![]() |
eVisa / Visa on arrival[96][97] | 1 month | ||
![]() |
Visa on arrival[98] | 1 month |
| |
![]() |
eVisa / Visa on arrival[100][101] | 30 days |
| |
![]() |
eVisa[102][103] |
| ||
![]() |
Electronic Travel Authorization[104] | 6 months |
| |
![]() |
Visa not required[107][28] | 30 days |
| |
![]() |
Visa required[109][110] | Due to security concerns, the UK Government advises its citizens to avoid travelling to Central African Republic.[111] | ||
![]() |
Visa required[112] | |||
![]() |
Visa not required[113][114] | 90 days |
| |
![]() |
Visa required[115][116] |
| ||
![]() |
Visa not required[120][121] | 90 days | ||
![]() |
Visa on arrival[124] | 45 days | ||
![]() |
Visa required[125][126] | |||
![]() |
eVisa[127][128][129] | 7 days | ||
![]() |
Visa not required[130][131] | 3 months | ||
![]() |
eVisa[132][133] | 3 months |
| |
![]() |
Visa not required[134] | 90 days |
| |
![]() |
eVisa[135] | 90 days |
| |
![]() |
Visa not required[136] | 90 days |
| |
![]() |
Visa not required[137] | 90 days |
| |
![]() |
Visa not required[138] | 90 days |
| |
![]() |
eVisa[139][140] | 90 days | ||
![]() |
Visa not required[141] | 6 months | ||
![]() |
Visa not required[142][143] | 30 days | ||
![]() |
Visa not required[146] | 90 days |
| |
![]() |
eVisa / Visa on arrival[147][148][149] | 30 days | ||
![]() |
Visa not required[150] | 6 months | ||
![]() |
eVisa[151][152] | |||
![]() |
Visa required[153][154] |
| ||
![]() |
Visa not required[155] | 90 days |
| |
![]() |
Visa not required[156] | 30 days | ||
![]() |
eVisa / Visa on arrival[157] | up to 90 days |
| |
![]() |
Visa not required[160] | 4 months | ||
![]() |
Visa not required[161] | 90 days |
| |
![]() |
Visa not required[162] | 90 days |
| |
![]() |
eVisa[163][164] | 90 days |
| |
![]() |
Visa not required[165] | 90 days | ||
![]() |
Visa not required[166] | 1 year | ||
![]() |
Visa not required[167] | 90 days |
| |
![]() |
Visa required[168][169] |
| ||
![]() |
Visa not required[170] | 90 days |
| |
![]() |
Visa not required[171] | 6 months |
| |
![]() |
Visa not required[173] | 90 days | ||
![]() |
eVisa[174][175] | 90 days | ||
![]() |
Visa on arrival[176] | 90 days | ||
![]() |
Visa not required[177] | |||
![]() |
Visa not required[178] | 90 days | ||
![]() |
Visa required[179] | |||
![]() |
Visa not required[180] | 90 days |
| |
![]() |
Visa not required[181] | 90 days |
| |
![]() |
eVisa[182][183] | 30 days |
| |
![]() |
e-VOA / Visa on arrival[184] | 30 days[185] | ||
![]() |
Visa required[186] |
| ||
![]() |
eVisa / Visa on arrival[188][189][190] | 60 days |
| |
![]() |
Visa not required[192] | Freedom of movement (Common Travel Area).[193] |
| |
![]() |
Visa not required[195] | 3 months |
| |
![]() |
Visa not required[197] | 90 days |
| |
![]() |
Visa not required[198] | 180 days | ||
![]() |
Visa on Arrival[199][200] | 90 days |
| |
![]() |
eVisa / Visa on arrival[202][203] |
| ||
![]() |
Visa not required[204] | 30 days | ||
![]() |
Electronic Travel Authorisation[205][206] | 90 days |
| |
![]() |
Visa not required[208] | 30 days | ||
![]() |
Visa required[209][210] | |||
![]() |
Electronic Travel Authorization[211] | 90 days |
| |
![]() |
eVisa / Visa on arrival[213][214] | 3 months | ||
![]() |
Visa not required[215][216] | 60 days | ||
![]() |
eVisa / Visa on arrival[217][218] | 30 days | ||
![]() |
Visa not required[219] | 90 days |
| |
![]() |
Free visa on arrival[220] | 1 month |
| |
![]() |
Visa not required[221] | 14 days | ||
![]() |
Visa required[222][223] |
| ||
![]() |
eVisa[224][225] | Due to security concerns, the UK Government advises its citizens to avoid travelling to Libya.[226] | ||
![]() |
Visa not required[227] | 90 days |
| |
![]() |
Visa not required[228] | 90 days |
| |
![]() |
Visa not required[229] | 90 days |
| |
![]() |
Visa on arrival[230] | 60 days |
| |
![]() |
Visa not required[231] | 30 days | ||
![]() |
Visa not required[232] | 3 months | ||
![]() |
Free visa on arrival[233] | 30 days | ||
![]() |
Visa required[234][235] | |||
![]() |
Visa not required[236] | 90 days |
| |
![]() |
Visa not required[237] | 90 days |
| |
![]() |
Visa on arrival[238] |
| ||
![]() |
Visa not required[239] | 90 days | ||
![]() |
Visa not required[240] | 180 days |
| |
![]() |
Visa not required[241] | 30 days | ||
![]() |
Visa not required[242] | 90 days |
| |
![]() |
Visa not required[243] | |||
![]() |
Visa not required[244] | 30 days |
| |
![]() |
Visa not required[245] | 90 days |
| |
![]() |
Visa not required[247] | 90 days | ||
![]() |
Visa not required[250][251] | 30 days |
| |
![]() |
eVisa[252][253] | 28 days |
| |
![]() |
Visa not required[254] | 3 months |
| |
![]() |
Visa required[256] |
| ||
![]() |
Online Visa / Visa on arrival[257] | 90 days[258] | ||
![]() |
Visa not required[259] | 90 days |
| |
![]() |
Electronic Travel Authority[260] | 6 months |
| |
![]() |
Visa not required[259] | 90 days | ||
![]() |
Visa required[264][265] | Due to security concerns, the UK Government advises its citizens to avoid travelling to Niger.[266] | ||
![]() |
eVisa[267][268] | 90 days |
| |
![]() |
Visa not required[269] | 90 days | ||
![]() |
Visa not required[270] | 90 days |
| |
![]() |
Visa not required / eVisa[271][272] | 14 days / 30 days | ||
![]() |
eVisa[273] | 90 days | ||
![]() |
Free visa on arrival[274] | 30 days | ||
![]() |
Visa not required[275] | 90 days |
| |
![]() |
eVisa[280][281] | 60 days |
| |
![]() |
Visa not required[282] | 90 days | ||
![]() |
Visa not required[283] | 183 days |
| |
![]() |
Visa not required[284][285] | 30 days | ||
![]() |
Visa not required[288] | 90 days |
| |
![]() |
Visa not required[289] | 90 days |
| |
![]() |
Visa not required[290] | 30 days | ||
![]() |
Visa not required[291] | 90 days |
| |
![]() |
Visa required[293] | Due to security concerns, the UK Government advises its citizens to avoid travelling to Russia.[294] | ||
![]() |
Visa not required[295] | 30 days |
| |
![]() |
Visa not required[296] | 3 months | ||
![]() |
Visa not required[297] | 6 weeks | ||
![]() |
Visa not required[298] | 6 months | ||
![]() |
Visa not required[299] | 60 days | ||
![]() |
Visa not required[300] | |||
![]() |
Visa not required[301] | 15 days[302] | ||
![]() |
Electronic Visa Waiver / Visa on arrival[303][304] | 6 months / 90 days |
| |
![]() |
Visa not required[306] | 90 days | ||
![]() |
Visa not required[307] | 90 days | ||
![]() |
Electronic Border System[308][309] | 3 months |
| |
![]() |
eVisa / Visa on arrival[310][311] | 3 months / 30 days | ||
![]() |
Visa not required[312] | 90 days | ||
![]() |
Visa not required[313] | 90 days |
| |
![]() |
Visa not required[314] | 90 days |
| |
![]() |
Free Visitor's permit on arrival[315] | 3 months | ||
![]() |
Visa on arrival[316] | 30 days |
| |
![]() |
Visa not required[317] | 90 days | ||
![]() |
eVisa[318][319][320] |
| ||
![]() |
Visa not required[321] | 90 days |
| |
![]() |
eVisa / Visa on arrival[322][323] | 60 days / 30 days |
| |
![]() |
Visa required[325][326] | |||
![]() |
Visa not required[327][328] | 90 days | ||
![]() |
Visa not required[331] | 90 days |
| |
![]() |
Visa not required[332] |
| ||
![]() |
eVisa[334] | Due to security concerns, the UK Government advises its citizens to avoid travelling to Syria.[335] | ||
![]() |
Visa not required[336] | 90 days | ||
![]() |
eVisa / Visa on arrival[337][338] | 60 days / 45 days | ||
![]() |
eVisa / Visa on arrival[339][340] | 90 days | ||
![]() |
Visa not required[341][342] | 60 days |
| |
![]() |
Visa on arrival[343] | 30 days |
| |
![]() |
eVisa[344][345] | 15 days | ||
![]() |
Free visa on arrival[346] | 31 days | ||
![]() |
Visa not required[347] | |||
![]() |
Visa not required[348] | 3 months | ||
![]() |
Visa not required[349] | 3 months |
| |
![]() |
Visa required[350] |
| ||
![]() |
Visa not required[351] | 1 month | ||
![]() |
eVisa[352][353] | 3 months |
| |
![]() |
Visa not required[354] | 90 days | Due to ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine, the UK Government advises its citizens to avoid travelling to Ukraine.[355] | |
![]() |
Visa not required[356] | 30 days |
| |
![]() |
Visa Waiver Program[358][359] | 90 days |
| |
![]() |
Visa not required[362] | 90 days | ||
![]() |
Visa not required[363] | 30 days | ||
![]() |
Visa not required[364] | 30 days | ||
![]() |
Visa not required[365] | |||
![]() |
Visa not required[366] | 90 days | ||
![]() |
Visa not required[368][369][370] | 45 days |
| |
![]() |
Visa required[371][372] | Due to security concerns, the UK Government advises its citizens to avoid travelling to Yemen.[373] | ||
![]() |
Visa not required[374] | 30 days |
| |
![]() |
Visa on arrival[376] | 30 days |
|
The United Kingdom, together with its Crown Dependencies of Guernsey, Jersey and the Isle of Man and the Republic of Ireland make up a Common Travel Area where:
However, there are occasionally checks on coaches and trains moving between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. British citizens living in Ireland have many of the same rights and entitlements as an Irish citizen.[377] Citizens of third countries must have passports and, if required, visas to travel between the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland.
British visas don't enable travel to Ireland for people without agreement with Ireland, and vice versa. Passengers travelling between the Common Travel Area and the Schengen Area are subject to systematic passport/identity checks.
Visitor to | Visa requirement | Allowed stay | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
![]() |
Visa not required | ||
![]() |
Visa not required | 3 months[378][379] |
|
![]() |
Visa not required | 6 months[380][381] |
|
![]() |
Special permit required[382][383] | ||
![]() |
Special permit required[384][385] | ||
![]() |
Visa not required | 1 month[386][387] |
|
![]() |
Visa not required[388][389] | 6 months |
|
![]() |
Visa not required[390] | 1 month |
|
![]() |
Visa not required | 90 days[392] | |
![]() |
Visa not required | ||
![]() |
Visa not required |
| |
![]() |
Visa not required |
| |
![]() |
Visa not required | 6 months[398] |
|
![]() |
Visa not required | 14 days[398] | |
![]() |
eVisa | 3 months | |
![]() |
Entry permit on arrival | 183 days[405] |
|
![]() |
Permission required |
| |
![]() |
Permit required | ||
![]() |
Visa not required | 90 days[410][411] |
|
Visitor to | Visa requirement | Notes (excluding departure fees) |
---|---|---|
Europe | ||
![]() |
Visa required[412] | |
![]() |
Visa not required | 90 days [413] |
![]() |
Special permit required | Special permit required (4 days: EUR 25 for Orthodox visitors, EUR 35 for non-Orthodox visitors, EUR 18 for students). There is a visitors' quota: maximum 100 Orthodox and 10 non-Orthodox per day and women are not allowed.[414][415] |
![]() |
Visa not required | Visa-free for 10 days[416] |
![]() |
Visa not required | Visa free access for 3 months. Passport required.[417] |
![]() |
Access Permit required[418] | Access Permit is required for travelling inside the zone, except Civil Use Areas. |
![]() |
Visa not required[419] | |
![]() |
Permit required | Permit issued by the local police required for staying for less than 24 hours[420] and permit issued by the Norwegian police for staying for more than 24 hours.[421] |
![]() |
Visa not required | Unlimited Stay (Indefinite Stay). |
![]() |
Special authorisation required | Several closed cities require special authorisation.[422] |
![]() |
Visa not required | Visa free, however an invitation from a South Ossetian citizen or organisation must be provided. Multiple entry visa to Russia and three-day prior notification are also required to enter South Ossetia.[423][424] |
![]() |
Visa not required | Visa free. Registration required after 24 hours.[425][426] |
Africa | ||
![]() |
Travel permit required | Visa covers Asmara only; to travel in the rest of the country, a Travel Permit for Foreigners is required (20 Eritrean nakfa).[427] |
![]() |
Visa not required |
|
![]() |
Visa not required |
|
![]() |
Visa not required | Visa not required up to 3 months in the Western Sahara controlled territory.[429] |
![]() |
Visa on arrival | Visa issued on arrival (30 days for USD 30, payable on arrival).[430][431] |
![]() |
Travel permit required | All foreigners travelling more than 25 kilometers outside of Khartoum must obtain a travel permit. |
![]() |
Travel permit required | Separate travel permit is required.[432] |
Asia | ||
![]() |
Visa on arrival[433] | Visa on arrival for 15 days. Available at Haikou Meilan International Airport and Sanya Phoenix International Airport. Visa not required for 21 days for travelling as part of a tourist group (5 or more people)[434] |
![]() |
Visa not required | 180 days[435][436] |
![]() |
PAP/RAP required | Protected Area Permit (PAP) required for whole states of Nagaland and Sikkim and parts of states Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh, Uttaranchal, Jammu and Kashmir, Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh. Restricted Area Permit (RAP) required for all of Andaman and Nicobar Islands and parts of Sikkim. Some of these requirements are occasionally lifted for a year.[437][438][439][440][441][442] |
![]() |
eVisa[443] | |
![]() |
Special permission required | Special permission required for the town of Baikonur and surrounding areas in Kyzylorda Oblast, and the town of Gvardeyskiy near Almaty.[444] |
![]() |
Visa not required | Tourists for Kish Island do not require a visa.[445] |
![]() |
Visa not required | 180 days[446] |
![]() |
Visa not required | These states have their own immigration authorities and passport is required to travel to them, however the same visa applies.[447] |
![]() |
Permission required | With the exception of the capital Malé, tourists are generally prohibited from visiting non-resort islands without the express permission of the Government of Maldives.[448] |
![]() |
Special permit required | People are not allowed to leave the capital city, tourists may only leave the capital with a governmental tourist guide (no independent visits) |
![]() |
Visa not required[449] | Arrival by sea to Gaza Strip not allowed.[450] |
![]() |
Special access required | Non-Muslims and those following the Ahmadiyya religious movement are strictly prohibited from entry.[451] |
![]() |
OVIR permit required | OVIR permit required (15+5 Tajikistani Somoni) and another special permit (free of charge) is required for Lake Sarez.[452][453][454] |
![]() |
TTP required | Tibet Travel Permit required (USD 10).[455][456] |
![]() |
Special permit required | A special permit, issued prior to arrival by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, is required if visiting the following places: Atamurat, Cheleken, Dashoguz, Serakhs and Serhetabat.[457] |
![]() |
Restricted zone | |
![]() |
Restricted zone | |
![]() |
Special permission required | Special permission needed for travel outside Sana’a or Aden.[458] |
Caribbean and North Atlantic | ||
![]() |
Visa not required | Visa not required for 30 days, extendable to 180 days.[459][460] |
![]() |
Visa not required | Visa not required up to 3 months[461][462] |
![]() |
Tourist Card on arrival | Visitors arriving at Gustavo Rojas Pinilla International Airport and Alfredo Vásquez Cobo International Airport must buy tourist cards on arrival.[463] |
![]() |
Visa not required | Visa not required for 3 months.[464] |
![]() |
Visa not required | French West Indies refers to Martinique, Guadeloupe, Saint Martin and Saint Barthélemy.[465] |
![]() |
Visa not required[419] | |
![]() |
Visa not required | All visitors are fingerprinted.[466] |
![]() |
Visa not required | Visa not required under the Visa Waiver Program, for 90 days on arrival from overseas for 2 years. ESTA required.[467] |
![]() |
Visa not required | Visa not required for 90 days.[468] |
![]() |
Visa not required | Visa not required for 3 months.[469][470] |
![]() |
Visa not required[471] | Visa not required under the Visa Waiver Program, for 90 days on arrival from overseas for 2 years. ESTA required.[467] |
Oceania | ||
![]() |
Electronic authorisation[472] | 30 days |
![]() |
Special authorisation required | Special authorisation required.[473] |
![]() |
Special permit required | Special permit required.[474] |
![]() |
Visa not required | Visa not required for 31 days.[475] |
![]() |
Special permission required | Special permission required.[476] |
![]() |
Visa not required | Visa not required.[477] |
![]() |
Visa not required[478] | 45 days |
![]() |
Visa not required | Visa not required for 3 months.[477] |
![]() |
Visa on arrival | Visa on arrival valid for 30 days is issued free of charge.[479] |
![]() |
Visa not required[480] | 45 days |
![]() |
Entry Permit required[481] | |
![]() |
Special permits required | Special permits required for Baker Island, Howland Island, Jarvis Island, Johnston Atoll, Kingman Reef, Midway Atoll, Palmyra Atoll and Wake Island.[482][483][484][485][486][487][488] |
![]() |
Visa not required | Visa not required.[489] |
South America | ||
![]() |
Visa not required | |
![]() |
Pre-registration required | Online pre-registration is required. Transit Control Card must also be obtained at the airport prior to departure.[490] |
South Atlantic and Antarctica | ||
![]() |
Special authorisation required | Special permits required for French Southern and Antarctic Lands, Argentine Antarctica, Australia Australian Antarctic Territory, Antártica Chilena Province Chilean Antarctic Territory, Australia Heard Island and McDonald Islands, Norway Peter I Island, Norway Queen Maud Land, New Zealand Ross Dependency.[382][491][492][493][494][495][496][497][498][499] |
Holders of exclusive categories of British passports have this visa-free access, to: China (diplomatic passports),[500] Kuwait (diplomatic or official passports),[501] Mongolia (diplomatic passports),[502] Qatar (diplomatic or official passports and British Diplomatic Messenger or Queen's Messenger Passports)[503] and the United Arab Emirates (diplomatic or official passports).[504]
Holders of diplomatic or service passports of any country have visa-free access to Ethiopia,[505] and Zimbabwe.[506] Holders of British official and diplomatic passports require a visa for South Africa.[507]
Many countries have entry restrictions on foreigners that go beyond the common requirement of having either a valid visa or a visa exemption. Such restrictions may be health related or impose additional documentation requirements on certain classes of people for diplomatic or political purposes.
Many countries require a minimum number of blank pages to be available in the passport being presented, typically one or two pages.[508] Endorsement pages, which often appear after the visa pages, are not counted as being valid or available.
Many African countries, including Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Côte d'Ivoire, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone and Togo, South Sudan, Uganda, and Zambia, require all incoming passengers older than nine months to one year[509] to have a current International Certificate of Vaccination or Prophylaxis, as does the South American territory of French Guiana.[510]
Some other countries require vaccination only if the passenger is coming from an infected area or has visited one recently or has transited for 12 hours in those countries: Algeria, Botswana, Cabo Verde, Chad, Djibouti, Egypt, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Lesotho, Libya, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Papua New Guinea, Seychelles, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Tunisia, Uganda, United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe.[511][512]
Very few countries, such as Paraguay, just require a valid passport on arrival.
However many countries and groupings now require only an identity card – especially from their neighbours. Other countries may have special bilateral arrangements that depart from the generality of their passport validity length policies to shorten the period of passport validity required for each other's citizens[513][514] or even accept passports that have already expired (but not been cancelled).[515]
Some countries, such as Japan,[516] Ireland and the United Kingdom,[517] require a passport valid throughout the period of the intended stay.
In the absence of specific bilateral agreements, countries requiring passports to be valid for at least 6 more months on arrival include Afghanistan, Algeria, Anguilla, Bahrain,[518] Bhutan, Botswana, British Virgin Islands, Brunei, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Cayman Islands, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Costa Rica, Côte d'Ivoire, Curaçao, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Fiji, Gabon, Guinea Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Israel,[519] Jordan, Kenya, Kiribati, Kuwait, Laos, Madagascar, Malaysia, Marshall Islands, Mongolia, Myanmar, Namibia, Nepal, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Oman, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Peru,[520] Philippines,[521] Qatar, Rwanda, Samoa, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Tanzania, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Tokelau, Tonga, Turkey, Tuvalu, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, Vanuatu, Venezuela, and Vietnam.[522]
Countries requiring passports valid for at least 4 months on arrival include Micronesia and Zambia.
Countries requiring passports with a validity of at least 3 months beyond the date of intended departure include Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Honduras, Montenegro, Nauru, Moldova and New Zealand. Similarly, the EEA countries of Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, all European Union countries (except Ireland) together with Switzerland also require 3 months validity beyond the date of the bearer's intended departure unless the bearer is an EEA or Swiss national.
Countries requiring passports valid for at least 3 months on arrival include Albania, North Macedonia, Panama, and Senegal.
Bermuda requires passports to be valid for at least 45 days upon entry.
Countries that require a passport validity of at least one month beyond the date of intended departure include Eritrea, Hong Kong, Lebanon, Macau, the Maldives[523] and South Africa.
Some countries, including Australia, Canada, Fiji, New Zealand and the United States,[524] routinely deny entry to non-citizens who have a criminal record while others impose restrictions depending on the type of conviction and the length of the sentence.
The government of a country can declare a diplomat persona non grata, banning him from entering the country or expelling him if he has already entered. In non-diplomatic use, the authorities of a country may also declare a foreigner persona non grata permanently or temporarily, usually because of unlawful activity.[525]
Kuwait,[526] Lebanon,[527] Libya,[528] Syria,[529] and Yemen[530] do not allow entry to people with passport stamps from Israel or whose passports have either a used or an unused Israeli visa, or where there is evidence of previous travel to Israel such as entry or exit stamps from neighbouring border posts in transit countries such as Jordan and Egypt.
To circumvent this Arab League boycott of Israel, the Israeli immigration services have now mostly ceased to stamp foreign nationals' passports on either entry to or exit from Israel (unless the entry is for some work-related purposes). Since 15 January 2013, Israel no longer stamps foreign passports at Ben Gurion Airport. Passports are still (as of 22 June 2017[update]) stamped at Erez when passing into and out of Gaza.[citation needed]
Iran refuses admission to holders of passports containing an Israeli visa or stamp that is less than 12 months old.
Several countries mandate that all travellers, or all foreign travellers, be fingerprinted on arrival and will refuse admission to or even arrest travellers who refuse to comply. In some countries, such as the United States, this may apply even to transit passengers who merely wish to change planes rather than go landside.[531]
Fingerprinting countries/regions include Afghanistan,[532][533] Argentina,[534] Brunei, Cambodia,[535] China,[536] Ethiopia,[537] Ghana, Guinea,[538] India, Japan,[539][540] Kenya (both fingerprints and a photo are taken),[541] Malaysia upon entry and departure,[542] Mongolia, Saudi Arabia,[543] Singapore, South Korea,[544] Taiwan, Thailand,[545] Uganda,[546] the United Arab Emirates and the United States.
Many countries also require a photo be taken of people entering the country. The United States, which does not fully implement exit control formalities at its land frontiers (although long mandated by its own legislation),[547][548][549] intends to implement facial recognition for passengers departing from international airports to identify people who overstay their visa.[550]
Together with fingerprint and face recognition, iris scanning is one of three biometric identification technologies internationally standardised since 2006 by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) for use in e-passports[551] and the United Arab Emirates conducts iris scanning on visitors who need to apply for a visa.[552][553]
On 23 June 2016, a majority of the British electorate who voted, did so to leave the European Union in a nationwide referendum.[554]
In March 2017, the UK sent notification of their intention to leave the EU to the European Council through Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty. British citizens ceased to be EU citizens upon the UK's departure from the EU thus forfeiting the rights of citizens.[555][556][557]
The UK withdrew from the EU on 31 January 2020, but British citizens retained the right of freedom of movement until the transitional period ended on 31 December 2020.
From 1 January 2021, when EU law ceased to apply to the United Kingdom, British citizens are afforded visa-free visits to the Schengen Area, for 90 days in any 180-day period.[55][56][57] British citizens also enjoy visa-free entry to Bulgaria[558] and Romania.[292]
From sometime in 2025, most visa-exempt travellers seeking entry to the EU and EEA must apply and pay for travel authorisation through ETIAS.[559][560] This was confirmed on 12 September 2018 and has no exception, yet agreed, for British citizens.[561] This excludes British-Irish travel which is governed by laws that pre-date the European Community.[562]
When in a non-EU country where there is no British embassy, British citizens no longer have the right to consular protection from the embassy of any other EU country present in that country.[563]
When in a country where there is no British embassy, British citizens may get help from the embassy of any other commonwealth country present in that country. There are also informal arrangements with some other countries, including New Zealand and Australia, to help British nationals in some countries.[564]
According to the Foreign travel advice provided by the British Government (unless otherwise noted) these are the numbers of British visitors to various countries per annum in 2015 (unless otherwise noted):[565]
Foreign travel statistics