United Kingdom ETA

The Electronic Visa Waiver (EVW) was previously used to allow certain visa-exempt nationalities to enter the United Kingdom without a visa.

The EVW system has now been replaced by the UK Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA). Travelers no longer need an EVW, as it is no longer active.

Visa-exempt visitors should check the UK visa policy to determine whether they now need to register for a UK ETA before traveling.

Travelers who are not eligible for the UK ETA and cannot enter visa-free must apply for a British visa before traveling.

The UK Standard Visitor visa allows foreign nationals to visit the United Kingdom for up to 6 months for purposes such as:

• Tourism and leisure

• Visiting family or friends

• Volunteering for a registered charity (up to 30 days)

• Business activities, including meetings or interviews

• School exchange programs

• “Permitted paid engagements,” such as lectures or performances

• Short-term study or examinations

• Short-term work placements

• Medical treatment

Foreign nationals who plan to live or work in the UK must obtain the relevant residence or work visa. There are separate visas for marriage, long-term study, or joining family members already residing in the UK. Each visa type has its own eligibility requirements.

UK Visa Application Process

UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI), part of the Home Office, manages visa applications. Applicants usually need to attend a UK Visa Application Centre in their country to submit their application and provide biometric information (fingerprints, digital photo, etc.).

Travelers staying in the UK for 6 months or longer from certain countries may also need to undergo tuberculosis (TB) testing.

Nationalities That Require a UK Visa

The following countries and territories must obtain a visa to enter the United Kingdom and Crown Dependencies:

• Afghanistan

• Aland Islands

• Albania

• Algeria

• American Samoa

• Angola

• Anguilla

• Antarctica

• Armenia

• Aruba

• Azerbaijan

• Bahrain

• Bangladesh

• Belarus

• Benin

• Bermuda

• Bhutan

• Bolivia

• Bonaire

• Bosnia and Herzegovina

• British Indian Ocean Territory

• Burkina Faso

• Burundi

• Cambodia

• Cameroon

• Cape Verde

• Cayman Islands

• Central African Republic

• Chad

• China

• Christmas Island

• Cocos Islands

• Colombia

• Comoros

• Congo

• Cook Islands

• Cuba

• Curacao

• Democratic Republic of the Congo

• Djibouti

• Dominican Republic

• Ecuador

• Egypt

• Equatorial Guinea

• Eritrea

• Ethiopia

• Falkland Islands

• Faroe Islands

• Fiji

• French Guiana

• French Polynesia

• Gabon

• Gambia

• Georgia

• Ghana

• Gibraltar

• Greenland

• Guadeloupe

• Guam

• Guernsey

• Guinea

• Guinea-Bissau

• Guyana

• Haiti

• India

• Indonesia

• Iran

• Iraq

• Isle of Man

• Ivory Coast

• Jamaica

• Jersey

• Jordan

• Kazakhstan

• Kenya

• Kuwait

• Kyrgyzstan

• Laos

• Lebanon

• Lesotho

• Liberia

• Libya

• North Macedonia

• Madagascar

• Malawi

• Mali

• Martinique

• Mauritania

• Mayotte

• Moldova

• Mongolia

• Montenegro

• Montserrat

• Morocco

• Mozambique

• Myanmar

• Nepal

• New Caledonia

• Niger

• Nigeria

• Niue

• Norfolk Island

• North Korea

• Northern Mariana Islands

• Oman

• Pakistan

• Palestinian Territory

• Peru

• Philippines

• Pitcairn Islands

• Puerto Rico

• Qatar

• Reunion

• Russia

• Rwanda

• Saint Barthelemy

• Saint Helena

• Saint Martin

• Saint Pierre and Miquelon

• Sao Tome and Principe

• Saudi Arabia

• Senegal

• Serbia

• Sierra Leone

• Sint Maarten

• Somalia

• South Africa

• South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands

• South Sudan

• Sri Lanka

• Sudan

• Suriname

• Svalbard and Jan Mayen

• Swaziland

• Syria

• Tajikistan

• Tanzania

• Thailand

• Togo

• Tokelau

• Tunisia

• Turkey

• Turkmenistan

• Turks and Caicos Islands

• Uganda

• Ukraine

• United Arab Emirates

• United States Virgin Islands

• Uzbekistan

• Venezuela

• Vietnam

• Wallis and Futuna

• Yemen

• Zambia

• Zimbabwe

Travelers from certain countries may need a UK transit visa if they plan to change flights in the country.

There are two types of UK transit visa:

• Visitor in Transit Visa – Allows you to pass through border control and leave the airport for up to 48 hours between flights.

• Direct Airside Transit Visa (DATV) – Required for many nationalities to transit through a UK airport without passing through border control. This applies at airports such as London Heathrow, London Gatwick, and Manchester.

Requirements for a UK Transit Visa

To apply, you must provide:

• Proof of onward travel from the UK

• Proof of permission to enter your next destination (e.g., a visa for that country, if required)

The transit visa ensures that travelers can legally pass through the UK while connecting to another international destination.

Citizens of more than 80 countries and territories can enter the United Kingdom and its Crown dependencies without a visa for short stays.

The visa-free stay is generally up to 6 months. Travelers planning to stay longer will need to apply for the appropriate UK visa.

Eligible travelers include:

• Citizens of the European Union (EU)

• Citizens of European Free Trade Association (EFTA) countries

• British Overseas Territories citizens (without full British citizenship)

• United States citizens

• Canadian citizens

• Australian citizens

• New Zealand citizens

Special Rules for Travelers from Ireland

Visitors entering the UK from the Republic of Ireland may only stay up to 3 months.

Indefinite Visa-Free Stay

Thanks to the Common Travel Area arrangement, Irish nationals can travel to the UK and remain indefinitely.
Citizens of Commonwealth countries with the right of abode in the UK under the Immigration Act 1971, as well as citizens of Gibraltar, also enjoy the right to live in the UK without a visa.