United KingdomEurope · Northern Europe
3 visa-free · Data updated 2026-09-09
Entry overview
Electronic authorisation
Apply online for an electronic travel authorisation (ESTA, eTA, K-ETA…) before departure.
Permitted stay
180 days
Policy note：A UK Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) is required
Entry overview
The UK allows visa-exempt nationalities up to 180 days and has required an ETA since 2025. Ireland and the UK share the Common Travel Area, with separate arrangements for Irish visa holders transiting Britain.
Visa categories available
Electronic travel authorisation (eTA / ESTA)
Not a visa but a pre-screening for visa-exempt travellers. Most decisions arrive within minutes to 72 hours, the authorisation is electronically linked to your passport, and it is usually valid for 2–5 years with multiple entries. Examples: US ESTA, Canada eTA, Korea K-ETA, UK ETA, New Zealand NZeTA.
Mandatory for visa-exempt travellers heading to countries that pre-screen arrivals electronically — without it you will be denied boarding.
Transit visa / transit without visa
Needed when connecting through a third country. Some places offer 24–240 hours of transit without visa (China 240 hours, Singapore 96-hour VFTF, Japan shore pass), usually requiring onward tickets and staying within a designated area.
Long layovers, airport changes, or a short stopover en route.
Work, study and residence permits
For long-term work, study or residence. Usually requires sponsorship from an employer or school, qualifications, a police clearance certificate and a medical exam, plus residence registration after arrival.
When staying longer than a visa-free or short-stay entry allows.
Standard documents
- 1Passport valid at least 6 months beyond arrival with two blank pages
- 2Recent passport photo on a white background (35×45mm or as required)
- 3Return or onward flight booking
- 4Proof of accommodation for the whole stay
- 5Proof of funds covering the trip (3–6 months of bank statements, deposit certificate or payslips)
- 6Travel medical insurance for the whole trip (Schengen requires €30,000 minimum cover)
- 7Approved authorisation confirmation
- 8A card to pay the application fee
Application process
- 1
Step 1
Fill in personal, passport and trip details on the official site or app.
- 2
Step 2
Pay the fee online and keep the application number.
- 3
Step 3
Wait for the decision (minutes to 72 hours) and check your email or the app.
- 4
Step 4
No printing needed — it is linked to your passport, but keep a screenshot.
FAQ
Do United States passport holders need a visa for United Kingdom?+
According to our policy database, United States passport holders enter United Kingdom under “Electronic authorisation”, normally for 180 days. Rules change — always confirm with official sources before you fly.
Are visa validity and permitted stay the same thing for United Kingdom?+
No. Validity is the window in which you may use the visa; permitted stay is how long you may remain per entry. Multi-entry visas may also cap total days (for example 90 days in any 180).
Can I extend my stay or change my status in United Kingdom?+
Some places allow in-country extensions or a change of status, usually with a valid reason, proof of funds and an application before your current stay expires. Check with the local immigration authority before travelling.
Do I need a transit visa to connect through United Kingdom?+
If you stay airside and do not change terminals, most countries do not require one. If you need to enter the country, collect baggage or change airports, a transit visa or transit exemption may apply.
Can I work or study long term in United Kingdom on this basis?+
Visa-free, VOA and tourist entries normally exclude paid work and long-term study — you need a dedicated work, study or residence permit.
Entry rules by passport
United Kingdom · 233
(233)- 🇬🇬GuernseyVisa free
- 🇮🇲Isle of ManVisa free
- 🇯🇪JerseyVisa free
- 🇦🇽Åland IslandsElectronic authorisation · 180d
- 🇦🇱AlbaniaElectronic authorisation · 180d
- 🇦🇸American SamoaElectronic authorisation · 180d
- 🇦🇩AndorraElectronic authorisation · 180d
- 🇦🇬Antigua and BarbudaElectronic authorisation · 180d
- 🇦🇷ArgentinaElectronic authorisation · 180d
- 🇦🇼ArubaElectronic authorisation · 180d
- 🇦🇺AustraliaElectronic authorisation · 180d
- 🇦🇹AustriaElectronic authorisation · 180d
- 🇧🇸BahamasElectronic authorisation · 180d
- 🇧🇭BahrainElectronic authorisation · 180d
- 🇧🇧BarbadosElectronic authorisation · 180d
- 🇧🇪BelgiumElectronic authorisation · 180d
- 🇧🇿BelizeElectronic authorisation · 180d
- 🇧🇴BoliviaElectronic authorisation · 180d
- 🇧🇦Bosnia and HerzegovinaElectronic authorisation · 180d
- 🇧🇷BrazilElectronic authorisation · 180d
- 🇧🇳BruneiElectronic authorisation · 180d
- 🇧🇬BulgariaElectronic authorisation · 180d
- 🇨🇦CanadaElectronic authorisation · 180d
- 🇨🇱ChileElectronic authorisation · 180d
- 🇨🇽Christmas IslandElectronic authorisation · 180d
- 🇨🇨Cocos (Keeling) IslandsElectronic authorisation · 180d
- 🇨🇴ColombiaElectronic authorisation · 180d
- 🇨🇷Costa RicaElectronic authorisation · 180d
- 🇭🇷CroatiaElectronic authorisation · 180d
- 🇨🇼CuraçaoElectronic authorisation · 180d
- 🇨🇾CyprusElectronic authorisation · 180d
- 🇨🇿CzechiaElectronic authorisation · 180d
- 🇩🇰DenmarkElectronic authorisation · 180d
- 🇩🇴Dominican RepublicElectronic authorisation · 180d
- 🇪🇨EcuadorElectronic authorisation · 180d
- 🇸🇻El SalvadorElectronic authorisation · 180d
- 🇪🇪EstoniaElectronic authorisation · 180d
- 🇫🇮FinlandElectronic authorisation · 180d
- 🇫🇷FranceElectronic authorisation · 180d
- 🇬🇫French GuianaElectronic authorisation · 180d
- 🇬🇪GeorgiaElectronic authorisation · 180d
- 🇩🇪GermanyElectronic authorisation · 180d
- 🇬🇷GreeceElectronic authorisation · 180d
- 🇬🇱GreenlandElectronic authorisation · 180d
- 🇬🇩GrenadaElectronic authorisation · 180d
- 🇬🇺GuamElectronic authorisation · 180d
- 🇬🇹GuatemalaElectronic authorisation · 180d
- 🇬🇾GuyanaElectronic authorisation · 180d
- 🇭🇳HondurasElectronic authorisation · 180d
- 🇭🇰Hong KongElectronic authorisation · 180d
- 🇭🇺HungaryElectronic authorisation · 180d
- 🇮🇸IcelandElectronic authorisation · 180d
- 🇮🇪IrelandElectronic authorisation · 180d
- 🇮🇱IsraelElectronic authorisation · 180d
- 🇮🇹ItalyElectronic authorisation · 180d
- 🇯🇵JapanElectronic authorisation · 180d
- 🇯🇴JordanElectronic authorisation · 180d
- 🇰🇮KiribatiElectronic authorisation · 180d
- 🇽🇰KosovoElectronic authorisation · 180d
- 🇰🇼KuwaitElectronic authorisation · 180d
- 🇱🇻LatviaElectronic authorisation · 180d
- 🇱🇮LiechtensteinElectronic authorisation · 180d
- 🇱🇹LithuaniaElectronic authorisation · 180d
- 🇱🇺LuxembourgElectronic authorisation · 180d
- 🇲🇴MacaoElectronic authorisation · 180d
- 🇲🇾MalaysiaElectronic authorisation · 180d
- 🇲🇹MaltaElectronic authorisation · 180d
- 🇲🇭Marshall IslandsElectronic authorisation · 180d
- 🇲🇺MauritiusElectronic authorisation · 180d
- 🇾🇹MayotteElectronic authorisation · 180d
- 🇲🇽MexicoElectronic authorisation · 180d
- 🇫🇲MicronesiaElectronic authorisation · 180d
- 🇲🇩MoldovaElectronic authorisation · 180d
- 🇲🇨MonacoElectronic authorisation · 180d
- 🇲🇪MontenegroElectronic authorisation · 180d
- 🇳🇱NetherlandsElectronic authorisation · 180d
- 🇳🇿New ZealandElectronic authorisation · 180d
- 🇳🇮NicaraguaElectronic authorisation · 180d
- 🇲🇰North MacedoniaElectronic authorisation · 180d
- 🇲🇵Northern Mariana IslandsElectronic authorisation · 180d
- 🇳🇴NorwayElectronic authorisation · 180d
- 🇴🇲OmanElectronic authorisation · 180d
- 🇵🇼PalauElectronic authorisation · 180d
- 🇵🇦PanamaElectronic authorisation · 180d
- 🇵🇬Papua New GuineaElectronic authorisation · 180d
- 🇵🇾ParaguayElectronic authorisation · 180d
- 🇵🇪PeruElectronic authorisation · 180d
- 🇵🇱PolandElectronic authorisation · 180d
- 🇵🇹PortugalElectronic authorisation · 180d
- 🇵🇷Puerto RicoElectronic authorisation · 180d
- 🇶🇦QatarElectronic authorisation · 180d
- 🇷🇴RomaniaElectronic authorisation · 180d
- 🇰🇳Saint Kitts and NevisElectronic authorisation · 180d
- 🇱🇨Saint LuciaElectronic authorisation · 180d
- 🇵🇲Saint Pierre and MiquelonElectronic authorisation · 180d
- 🇻🇨Saint Vincent and the GrenadinesElectronic authorisation · 180d
- 🇼🇸SamoaElectronic authorisation · 180d
- 🇸🇲San MarinoElectronic authorisation · 180d
- 🇸🇦Saudi ArabiaElectronic authorisation · 180d
- 🇷🇸SerbiaElectronic authorisation · 180d
- 🇸🇨SeychellesElectronic authorisation · 180d
- 🇸🇬SingaporeElectronic authorisation · 180d
- 🇸🇽Sint MaartenElectronic authorisation · 180d
- 🇸🇰SlovakiaElectronic authorisation · 180d
- 🇸🇮SloveniaElectronic authorisation · 180d
- 🇸🇧Solomon IslandsElectronic authorisation · 180d
- 🇰🇷South KoreaElectronic authorisation · 180d
- 🇪🇸SpainElectronic authorisation · 180d
- 🇸🇪SwedenElectronic authorisation · 180d
- 🇨🇭SwitzerlandElectronic authorisation · 180d
- 🇹🇼Taiwan, ChinaElectronic authorisation · 180d
- 🇹🇱Timor-LesteElectronic authorisation · 180d
- 🇹🇴TongaElectronic authorisation · 180d
- 🇹🇹Trinidad and TobagoElectronic authorisation · 180d
- 🇹🇻TuvaluElectronic authorisation · 180d
- 🇻🇮U.S. Virgin IslandsElectronic authorisation · 180d
- 🇺🇦UkraineElectronic authorisation · 180d
- 🇦🇪United Arab EmiratesElectronic authorisation · 180d
- 🇺🇸United StatesElectronic authorisation · 180d
- 🇺🇾UruguayElectronic authorisation · 180d
- 🇻🇦Vatican CityElectronic authorisation · 180d
- 🇻🇪VenezuelaElectronic authorisation · 180d
- 🇦🇫AfghanistanVisa required
- 🇩🇿AlgeriaVisa required
- 🇦🇴AngolaVisa required
- 🇦🇮AnguillaVisa required
- 🇦🇲ArmeniaVisa required
- 🇦🇿AzerbaijanVisa required
- 🇧🇩BangladeshVisa required
- 🇧🇾BelarusVisa required
- 🇧🇯BeninVisa required
- 🇧🇲BermudaVisa required
- 🇧🇹BhutanVisa required
- 🇧🇼BotswanaVisa required
- 🇻🇬British Virgin IslandsVisa required
- 🇧🇫Burkina FasoVisa required
- 🇧🇮BurundiVisa required
- 🇨🇻Cabo VerdeVisa required
- 🇰🇭CambodiaVisa required
- 🇨🇲CameroonVisa required
- 🇰🇾Cayman IslandsVisa required
- 🇨🇫Central African RepublicVisa required
- 🇹🇩ChadVisa required
- 🇨🇳ChinaVisa required
- 🇰🇲ComorosVisa required
- 🇨🇬CongoVisa required
- 🇨🇰Cook IslandsVisa required
- 🇨🇺CubaVisa required
- 🇩🇯DjiboutiVisa required
- 🇩🇲DominicaVisa required
- 🇨🇩DR CongoVisa required
- 🇪🇬EgyptVisa required
- 🇬🇶Equatorial GuineaVisa required
- 🇪🇷EritreaVisa required
- 🇸🇿EswatiniVisa required
- 🇪🇹EthiopiaVisa required
- 🇫🇰Falkland IslandsVisa required
- 🇫🇴Faroe IslandsVisa required
- 🇫🇯FijiVisa required
- 🇵🇫French PolynesiaVisa required
- 🇬🇦GabonVisa required
- 🇬🇲GambiaVisa required
- 🇬🇭GhanaVisa required
- 🇬🇮GibraltarVisa required
- 🇬🇳GuineaVisa required
- 🇬🇼Guinea-BissauVisa required
- 🇭🇹HaitiVisa required
- 🇮🇳IndiaVisa required
- 🇮🇩IndonesiaVisa required
- 🇮🇷IranVisa required
- 🇮🇶IraqVisa required
- 🇨🇮Ivory CoastVisa required
- 🇯🇲JamaicaVisa required
- 🇰🇿KazakhstanVisa required
- 🇰🇪KenyaVisa required
- 🇰🇬KyrgyzstanVisa required
- 🇱🇦LaosVisa required
- 🇱🇧LebanonVisa required
- 🇱🇸LesothoVisa required
- 🇱🇷LiberiaVisa required
- 🇱🇾LibyaVisa required
- 🇲🇬MadagascarVisa required
- 🇲🇼MalawiVisa required
- 🇲🇻MaldivesVisa required
- 🇲🇱MaliVisa required
- 🇲🇷MauritaniaVisa required
- 🇲🇳MongoliaVisa required
- 🇲🇸MontserratVisa required
- 🇲🇦MoroccoVisa required
- 🇲🇿MozambiqueVisa required
- 🇲🇲MyanmarVisa required
- 🇳🇦NamibiaVisa required
- 🇳🇷NauruVisa required
- 🇳🇵NepalVisa required
- 🇳🇨New CaledoniaVisa required
- 🇳🇪NigerVisa required
- 🇳🇬NigeriaVisa required
- 🇳🇺NiueVisa required
- 🇰🇵North KoreaVisa required
- 🇵🇰PakistanVisa required
- 🇵🇸PalestineVisa required
- 🇵🇭PhilippinesVisa required
- 🇷🇪RéunionVisa required
- 🇷🇺RussiaVisa required
- 🇷🇼RwandaVisa required
- 🇸🇭Saint HelenaVisa required
- 🇸🇹Sao Tome and PrincipeVisa required
- 🇸🇳SenegalVisa required
- 🇸🇱Sierra LeoneVisa required
- 🇸🇴SomaliaVisa required
- 🇿🇦South AfricaVisa required
- 🇸🇸South SudanVisa required
- 🇱🇰Sri LankaVisa required
- 🇸🇩SudanVisa required
- 🇸🇷SurinameVisa required
- 🇸🇾SyriaVisa required
- 🇹🇯TajikistanVisa required
- 🇹🇿TanzaniaVisa required
- 🇹🇭ThailandVisa required
- 🇹🇬TogoVisa required
- 🇹🇳TunisiaVisa required
- 🇹🇷TürkiyeVisa required
- 🇹🇲TurkmenistanVisa required
- 🇹🇨Turks and Caicos IslandsVisa required
- 🇺🇬UgandaVisa required
- 🇺🇿UzbekistanVisa required
- 🇻🇺VanuatuVisa required
- 🇻🇳VietnamVisa required
- 🇪🇭Western SaharaVisa required
- 🇾🇪YemenVisa required
- 🇿🇲ZambiaVisa required
- 🇿🇼ZimbabweVisa required
- 🇬🇧United KingdomHome country
Visa category guide
Visa-free entry
Visa free · Suited to short tourism, family visits, transit and informal business meetings — paid work is not allowed.
Electronic travel authorisation (eTA / ESTA)
eTA · Mandatory for visa-exempt travellers heading to countries that pre-screen arrivals electronically — without it you will be denied boarding.
Visa on arrival
Visa on arrival · A fallback for late bookings — expect queues at peak times.