Visa requirements for British citizens


Visa requirements for British citizens are administrative entry restrictions by the authorities of other states placed on citizens of the United Kingdom.
As of 2026, British citizens have visa-free or visa on arrival access to 182 countries and territories, ranking the British passport 7th in the world according to the Henley Passport Index.
The United Kingdom left the European Union on 31 January 2020, and British citizens consequently lost their freedom of movement to EU countries; however, under the Common Travel Area, British citizens continue to have freedom of movement to Ireland.
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.

History

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.
This was then quickly followed by Belgium on 15 February 1947, Luxembourg 15 February 1947, Norway on 1 March 1947, Denmark on 22 March 1947, Sweden on 1 April 1947, Netherlands on 15 April 1947, Switzerland on 24 June 1947 Liechtenstein on 24 June 1947 and Iceland on 1 July 1947.
The requirement was lifted by Italy on 1 January 1948, Monaco, Austria, Paraguay, United States, Poland, Bulgaria, Romania, Serbia and Montenegro, Ukraine, Georgia, Moldova, Kyrgyzstan, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Indonesia, Vietnam Belarus, Cape Verde, Uzbekistan, Turkey and Oman.
Electronic visas for British citizens were introduced: India, Djibouti, Malawi and Mongolia. 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.
Honduras cancelled a visa-free regime for British citizens as a reciprocal measure in August 2024. Similarly, Namibia will introduce visas for British citizens for reciprocity reasons, starting April 2025.

Visa requirements map

Visa requirements

The tables below document the visa requirements for UK citizens:
Country / RegionVisa requirementAllowed stayNotes
Afghanistanno|Visa required

Common Travel Area

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:
  • No ID is required for travel by land for British or Irish citizens
  • Only photographic ID is required for travel by air or sea for British or Irish citizens
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. 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.
People who are dual British and other citizens will need a UK passport to enter the UK, even if they reside permanently in the other country of citizenship. If they have children who are also British citizens those will also need a UK passport if they shall join the parents on a trip to the United Kingdom.

British Crown Dependencies and Overseas Territories

Visitor toVisa requirementAllowed stayNotes
Akrotiri and Dhekeliayes|Visa not required

Non-ordinary passports

Holders of exclusive categories of British passports have this visa-free access, to: China, Kuwait, Mongolia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.
Holders of diplomatic or service passports of any country have visa-free access to Ethiopia, and Zimbabwe. Holders of British official and diplomatic passports require a visa for South Africa.

Travel consequences of Brexit

On 23 June 2016, a majority of the British electorate who voted, did so to leave the European Union in a nationwide referendum.
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.
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. British citizens also enjoy visa-free entry to Bulgaria and Romania.
From sometime in 2026, most visa-exempt travellers seeking entry to the EU and EEA must apply and pay for travel authorisation through ETIAS. This was confirmed on 12 September 2018 and has no exception, yet agreed, for British citizens. This does not affect British-Irish travel which is governed by laws that pre-date the European Community.
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.

Consular protection of British citizens abroad

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.
See also List of diplomatic missions of the United Kingdom.