UK Passport Visa Free Countries

Travelling with a UK passport offers numerous opportunities to venture into various global destinations, each having its own visa rules. Of the 195 countries worldwide, there are multiple UK passport visa free countries. For the rest of the countries not falling under this category, however, UK passport holders are required to complete a visa application process.

This article provides a comprehensive list of countries that allow visa-free travel or with e-visa, those where visas can be obtained upon arrival, and where an Electronic Travel Authorisation (eTA) is applicable.

With this write-up, UK passport holders can equip themselves with the necessary knowledge to navigate and explore the foreign nations they can travel to without worrying about visa documentation.

So if you are wondering which countries are visa free for UK citizens, keep on reading!

Types of Visas for United Kingdom Passport Holders

Depending on the destination, individuals holding a United Kingdom passport may enjoy visa-free access, visa-on-arrival arrangements, or an eTA entry option.

Before moving onto UK passport visa free countries, let's explore the details of these different entry options.

Type of Visa	Meaning
Visa-free	Visa-free­ travel allows passport holders from certain countries to enter another country without a visa or prior authorisation. UK passport holders benefit from visa-free access to more than 140 countries.
Visa on arrival	As the name suggests, a visa on arrival grants travellers permission to enter a country directly at the airport or border entry point. This privilege extends to around 36 countries for United Kingdom citizens.  In most cases, travellers can apply for and receive their visa upon arrival at the airport or border crossing. It's important to remember that the associated fees, visa duration, and allowed length of stay may vary as per the specific regulations of each country.
E-visa	An electronic visa is a digital visa that can be quickly obtained through online applications. Currently, 16 countries require UK nationals to obtain an electronic visa before travelling.
Electronic Travel Authorisation	An eTA is a digital travel document that travellers must secure before their scheduled flight to select countries. UK passport holders are eligible to acquire an eTA when planning trips to 10 specific countries.

List of UK Passport Visa Free Countries

Before covering UK visa holder visa free countries, it is important to understand that visa policies may differ for each country, including variations in permitted stay duration and the purposes of travel allowed for citizens.

With that clear, let’s look at the table below for a list of the UK permanent resident visa free countries -

Country Name	Maximum Time Duration
Albania	90 days
American Samoa	60 days
Andorra	NA
Anguilla	90 days
Antigua and Barbuda	6 months
Argentina	90 days
Armenia	180 days
Aruba	90 days
Australia	90 days
Austria	Unrestricted travel access
Bahamas	21 days
Barbados	6 months
Belarus	30 days
Belgium	Unrestricted travel access
Belize	NA
Bermuda	NA
Bolivia	90 days
Bosnia and Herzegovina	90 days
Botswana	90 days
Brazil	90 days
British Virgin Islands	Visa-free stay
Brunei	90 days
Bulgaria	Unrestricted travel access
Canada	6 months
Cape Verde	30 days
Cayman Islands	Visa-free stay
Chile	90 days
Colombia	90 days
Cook Islands	31 days
Costa Rica	3 months
Croatia	Unrestricted travel access
Curacao	90 days
Cyprus	Unrestricted travel access
Czech Republic	Unrestricted travel access
Denmark	Unrestricted travel access
Dominica	6 months
Dominican Republic	90 days
Ecuador	90 days
El Salvador	3 months
Estonia	Unrestricted travel access
Falkland Islands	30 days
Fiji	4 months
Finland	Unrestricted travel access
France	Unrestricted travel access
French Guiana	Indefinite duration
French Polynesia	Indefinite duration
Gambia	90 days
Georgia	1 year
Germany	Unrestricted travel access
Gibraltar	Unrestricted travel access
Greece	Unrestricted travel access
Grenada	6 months
Guam	45 days
Guatemala	90 days
Guyana	3 months
Haiti	90 days
Honduras	3 months
Hungary	Unrestricted travel access
Iceland	Unrestricted travel access
Indonesia	30 days
Ireland	Unrestricted travel access
Israel	3 months
Italy	Unrestricted travel access
Jamaica	6 months
Japan	90 days
Kazakhstan	30 days
Kosovo	90 days
Kiribati	120 days
Kyrgyzstan	60 days
Latvia	Unrestricted travel access
Lesotho	14 days
Liechtenstein	6
Lithuania	Unrestricted travel access
Luxembourg	Unrestricted travel access
North Macedonia	90 days
Malaysia	3 months
Malta	Unrestricted travel access
Marshall Islands	90 days
Martinique	Indefinite duration
Mauritius	90 days
Mayotte	Indefinite duration
Mexico	180 days
Micronesia	30 days
Moldova	90 days
Monaco	NA
Montenegro	90 days
Montserrat	6 months
Morocco	90 days
Namibia	3 months
Netherlands	Unrestricted travel access
New Caledonia	Indefinite duration
New Zealand	6 months
Nicaragua	90 days
Northern Mariana Islands	45 days
Norway	Unrestricted travel access
Oman	10 days
Panama	180 days
Paraguay	90 days
Peru	183 days
Philippines	30 days
Poland	Unrestricted travel access
Portugal	Unrestricted travel access
Puerto Rico	90 days
Qatar	30 days
Reunion	Indefinite duration
Romania	Unrestricted travel access
Saint Kitts and Nevis	3 months
Saint Helena	183 days
Saint Lucia	6 weeks
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines	1 month
Samoa	60 days
San Marino	NA
Sao Tome and Principe	15 days
Scotland	NA
Senegal	90 days
Serbia	90 days
Singapore	90 days
Sint Maarten	90 days
Slovakia	Unrestricted travel access
Slovenia	Unrestricted travel access
South Africa	90 days
South Korea	90 days
Spain	Unrestricted travel access
Eswatini	30 days
Sweden	Unrestricted travel access
Switzerland	Unrestricted travel access
Thailand	30 days
Trinidad and Tobago	NA
Tunisia	3 months
Turkey	3 months
Turks and Caicos	90 days
Ukraine	90 days
United States	90 days
Uruguay	90 days
Uzbekistan	30 days
Vanuatu	30 days
Venezuela	90 days
Vietnam	15 days
U.S. Virgin Islands	90 days
Wallis and Futuna	Indefinite duration

Features of UK Passport Visa Free Countries

UK passport holders can enjoy several benefits on their visit to visa-free countries - 

• Wide international access: The British passport is well known for its extensive global reach, allowing holders to travel to around 190 countries and territories without requiring a visa or easily obtaining one upon arrival.
• Simplified travel process: Holding a UK passport enables travellers to smoothly navigate international borders, encountering minimal bureaucratic obstacles and often benefiting from shorter immigration lines.
• Flexible itinerary: Travellers have the freedom to adjust their itineraries effortlessly, modifying plans or prolonging their stays in visa-free countries without the limitations imposed by visa validity.
• Enjoy shorter airport wait times: Visa-free access allows for shorter queues and faster processing at immigration checkpoints, relieving the visa holder from travel-related stress.
• Save money: If you travel frequently, visa fees and processing costs can quickly add up. With a UK passport, however, you can avoid these expenses and save money while visiting any of the UK visa holder visa free countries.

Visa Options for UK Citizens: eVisas, Visa-on-Arrival, and eTAs

In the section above, we answered the query of which countries are visa free for UK citizens. However, it’s worth remembering that several nations have specific entry requirements for UK nationals, which can include eVisas, visa-on-arrival, and eTAs.

As a UK citizen, you must first confirm if a visa is required for extended stays or for purposes not covered under the Visa Waiver Policy of the destination country. The fees, validity, and duration of stay allowed may vary depending on the country.

Countries Requiring eVisa for UK Citizens

Around 31 countries require UK citizens to apply for eVisa for entry -

Country Name	Time Duration of Up to
Angola	NA
Australia	90 days
Azerbaijan	30 days
Bahrain	30 days
Benin	NA
Cambodia	30 days
Christmas Island	NA
Djibouti	NA
Egypt	30 days
Ethiopia	90 days
Gabon	30 days
Guinea	90 days
Guinea-Bissau	90 days
India	30 days
Kenya	90 days
Kuwait	90 days
Laos	30 days
Madagascar	90 days
Malawi	30 days
Myanmar	NA
Pakistan	30 days
Papua New Guinea	60 days
Rwanda	30 days
Saudi Arabia	90 days
Sri Lanka	30 days
Suriname	90 days
Tajikistan	45 days
Tanzania	NA
Uganda	NA
Zambia	90 days
Zimbabwe	90 days

Countries Needing Visa on Arrival for United Kingdom Citizens

Having covered the UK passport visa free countries as well as those requiring eVisas, let’s go through the list of nearly 37 countries that offer visa-on-arrival for UK citizens -

Country Name	Time Duration of Up to
Bahrain	30 days
Bangladesh	30 days
Burkina Faso	90 days
Cambodia	30 days
Comoros	45 days
Egypt	30 days
Gabon	30 days
Guinea-Bissau	90 days
Jordan	NA
Kenya	90 days
Kuwait	90 days
Laos	30 days
Lebanon	30 days
Madagascar	90 days
Malawi	30 days
Maldives	30 days
Mauritania	NA
Mozambique	30 days
Nepal	150 days
Palau	30 days
Papua New Guinea	60 days
Rwanda	30 days
Saudi Arabia	30 days
Seychelles	90 days
Sierra Leone	30 days
Solomon Islands	90 days
Somalia	30 days
Sri Lanka	30 days
Tanzania	NA
Timor-Leste	30 days
Togo	15 days
Tonga	31 days
Tuvalu	30 days
Uganda	NA
United Arab Emirates	30 days
Zambia	90 days
Zimbabwe	90 days

Electronic Travel Authorisation (eTA) for UK Citizens

United Kingdom passport holders have the option to obtain an eTA before visiting around 10 specific countries. The process of getting an eTA is usually swifter and more straightforward than the traditional visa application process.

Country	Time Duration
American Samoa	NA
Australia	Up to 90 days
Canada	Up to 180 days
New Zealand	Up to 180 days
Norfolk Island	NA
Pakistan	Up to 30 days
Puerto Rico	NA
Sri Lanka	Up to 30 days
United States of America	Up to 90 days
US Virgin Islands	NA

Wrapping Up

The above guide provided a comprehensive list of UK passport visa free countries as well as those requiring eVisa, visa on arrival, or eTA.

Whether travelling for business or leisure, the UK passport opens doors to numerous exciting destinations worldwide and offers opportunities for enriching travel experiences.

Before embarking on a journey, however, it is essential for travellers to verify the current visa requirements and regulations of their intended destination to ensure a smooth and hassle-free travel experience.

Having resolved our main query of which countries are visa free for UK citizens, let’s take a look at some frequently asked questions related to UK visa holder visa free countries -

Frequently Asked Questions