UK visa: do you need a visa to travel to the UK?

Whether you need a visa for the United Kingdom mainly depends on your nationality, the purpose of your trip and the length of your stay. Many travellers can make a short visit without a visa, while others must obtain a Standard Visitor visa before travelling.

Citizens of the European Union, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein can generally travel to the United Kingdom for a holiday or short visit without applying for a visa. However, except for Irish citizens and people covered by certain exemptions, they must obtain a UK ETA before travelling.

Do you need a visa to travel to the UK?

There is no single answer that applies to every traveller. Depending on your nationality and circumstances, you may:

• need to apply for a visa before travelling;
• be able to travel without a visa but need an ETA;
• in certain circumstances, be able to travel without either a visa or an ETA.

Even when you do not need a visa, you must meet the conditions that apply to visitors. UK border officials may, for example, ask about the purpose and circumstances of your stay.

Do European citizens need a visa for the UK?

Citizens of the European Union, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein can generally travel to the United Kingdom without a visa for a holiday or short visit.

In most cases, they can stay for up to 6 months as visitors, provided they comply with the permitted activities. Travellers who are subject to the ETA requirement must nevertheless obtain an ETA before travelling unless an exemption applies.

This includes travellers from countries such as France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Belgium, the Netherlands, Poland and Portugal.

A trip to work, move to the United Kingdom, undertake certain types of study or for another purpose that does not fall within the visitor rules may require a specific visa.

Who needs to apply for a Standard Visitor visa?

The Standard Visitor visa is intended for travellers who need a visa to visit the United Kingdom and whose stay falls within the activities permitted under the visitor rules.

Whether you need a visa depends in particular on the nationality shown on your passport. It is therefore better to check your individual circumstances rather than rely on a general list of countries, which may change.

Even if your nationality normally allows you to visit without a visa, the UK government indicates that applying for a Standard Visitor visa may be appropriate in certain circumstances, including if you have previously been refused entry to the United Kingdom or have a criminal record.

What is a Standard Visitor visa?

The Standard Visitor visa is the main visa used for temporary visits to the United Kingdom when a visa is required.

Subject to the relevant conditions, it can be used to travel to the United Kingdom for purposes including:

• tourism;
• visiting family or friends;
• certain permitted business activities;
• certain short courses of study;
• certain academic or professional activities permitted under the visitor rules.

For a standard visit, the permitted stay can generally be up to 6 months.

How much does a UK tourist visa cost?

A Standard Visitor visa for a visit of up to 6 months currently costs £135.

Each person who needs a visa must make their own application and pay the relevant fee, including when travelling as a family.

When should you apply for a UK visa?

If you need a Standard Visitor visa, you must apply before travelling to the United Kingdom.

You can currently apply at the earliest 3 months before your trip. The process starts online and also includes the steps required to prove your identity and provide the necessary documents.

It is therefore best not to wait until the last few days before departure to begin the application process.

How do you apply for a UK visa?

An application for a Standard Visitor visa must be made online. You will also need to attend an appointment at a visa application centre when required as part of the process.

You must have the travel document required for your stay. The rules on its validity and the circumstances in which a national identity card can still be used are explained in our article about passport requirements for travelling to the United Kingdom.

If several members of the same family need a visa, each person must have their own application, pay the relevant fee and complete the required steps for their application. An application can, however, be completed on behalf of a partner or child who cannot complete it themselves.

Which documents do you need for a UK visa application?

The documents and information required depend on your circumstances and the purpose of your stay. When applying for a Standard Visitor visa, you must provide the information requested about your trip and be able to show that you meet the conditions that apply to visitors.

The application process may include information about:

• your passport or travel document;
• the planned dates of your stay;
• where you will be staying;
• the estimated cost of your trip;
• your personal, professional or financial circumstances;
• the purpose of your visit and the activities you plan to undertake in the United Kingdom.

Additional supporting documents may be required depending on your circumstances. It is therefore better to follow the requirements for your particular application rather than prepare your documents using a generic checklist found online.

Can you stay in the UK for 6 months without a visa?

Yes, for certain nationalities. A visa-exempt traveller can generally visit the United Kingdom for up to 6 months without applying for a Standard Visitor visa, provided they comply with the visitor rules.

Many of these travellers must nevertheless have an ETA before travelling. Not needing a visa therefore does not necessarily mean that no prior travel authorisation is required.

A 6-month visit also does not allow you to move to the United Kingdom or live there through frequent or successive visits.

Can you work in the UK on a tourist visa?

Visitor status does not allow you to travel to the United Kingdom simply to take up employment in the UK.

Certain business activities are nevertheless permitted during a visit, including certain meetings, conferences, negotiations and other activities expressly allowed under the UK visitor rules. European citizens making a short business trip may also undertake these activities when they meet the relevant conditions.

However, a visitor generally cannot carry out paid or unpaid work for a UK company or work as a self-employed person in the United Kingdom, except for activities expressly permitted under the applicable rules.

If your main purpose is to work in the United Kingdom, you should check which visa category applies to your job and circumstances before travelling.

Do you need a visa to study in the UK?

Certain types of short-term study can be undertaken under the visitor rules, generally for a stay of up to 6 months.

For longer studies or a course that does not fall within the activities permitted for visitors, another type of visa may be required.

You should therefore not determine whether you need a visa based only on the length of your stay: the type of study and the conditions of the course also matter.

Do you need a visa to get married in the UK?

Different rules apply when a traveller comes to the United Kingdom to get married, enter into a civil partnership or give official notice of a marriage or civil partnership.

A person who wants to come to the United Kingdom to get married or enter into a civil partnership without settling in the UK afterwards may need to apply for a Marriage Visitor visa. This visa allows a stay of up to 6 months.

An ETA alone does not allow you to come to the United Kingdom to get married, register a civil partnership or give official notice of a marriage or civil partnership.

Do you need a visa to transit through the UK?

Whether you need a transit visa depends in particular on your nationality and whether or not you pass through UK border control.

There are two main situations:

• Direct Airside Transit visa: this may be required for certain nationalities when changing flights in the United Kingdom without passing through border control;
• Visitor in Transit visa: this may be required when you pass through border control but leave the United Kingdom within 48 hours.

If you need to stay for more than 48 hours and require a visa, a Standard Visitor visa may be needed instead.

Several exemptions apply. For example, a person with a valid ETA, Standard Visitor visa or certain other documents does not need to apply separately for a transit visa in the circumstances covered by the UK rules.

Is there a long-term visa for frequent visits to the UK?

Yes. Travellers who regularly visit the United Kingdom can apply for a long-term Standard Visitor visa, provided they meet the relevant requirements.

Visas are currently available with validity periods of:

• 2 years: £506;
• 5 years: £903;
• 10 years: £1,128.

These periods refer to the validity of the visa, not the length of time you can remain continuously in the United Kingdom. Each visit is normally limited to a maximum of 6 months.

Does a child need a visa for the UK?

Whether a child needs a visa also depends on the child's nationality and circumstances. A child who is a national of a country whose citizens require a visa must normally have the appropriate permission for their trip.

When several members of a family apply for a Standard Visitor visa, each person must have their own application and pay the relevant fee.

Travel documents and specific rules affecting minors are explained in our article about travelling to the United Kingdom with children.

Do you need a visa for London, England, Scotland or Wales?

Visa rules do not change depending on which part of the United Kingdom you visit. The same rules therefore apply to a stay in:

• London or elsewhere in England;
• Edinburgh, Glasgow or elsewhere in Scotland;
• Cardiff or elsewhere in Wales;
• Belfast or elsewhere in Northern Ireland.

Northern Ireland is part of the United Kingdom. Specific rules may nevertheless apply to journeys from Ireland under the Common Travel Area.

Do you need a visa to travel by Eurostar, plane or ferry?

Whether you need a visa depends on your nationality and circumstances, not on how you travel.

If you need to obtain a visa before travelling to the United Kingdom, the requirement applies whether you arrive:

• by Eurostar;
• by plane;
• by ferry;
• by car or coach through the Channel Tunnel.

Travelling by Eurostar instead of flying therefore does not change the UK entry requirements that apply to you.

What is the difference between a passport, ETA and visa?

A passport, ETA and visa are three different things. Depending on your circumstances, you may need more than one of them for the same trip.

A visa-exempt traveller may therefore need a passport and an ETA, while a traveller who requires a visa must have the visa appropriate for their stay as well as the required travel document.

FAQ about UK visas

Do you need a visa to travel to London?

It depends on your nationality and the purpose of your trip. Many travellers can visit London without a visa for up to 6 months but must obtain an ETA before travelling. Other nationalities need to apply for a visa.

Does an EU citizen need a visa for the UK?

Generally not for a short visit. Citizens of the European Union, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein can normally travel for a holiday or short visit without a visa, but an ETA is generally required unless an exemption applies.

Can you stay in the UK for 6 months without a visa?

Yes, for certain nationalities. Visa-exempt travellers can generally make a visit of up to 6 months if they comply with the visitor rules. An ETA may nevertheless be required.

What is the difference between an ETA and a visa?

An ETA is an electronic travel authorisation used by many travellers who do not need a visa. A visa must be obtained by travellers whose nationality or purpose of stay requires one. An ETA therefore does not replace a visa when a visa is required.

Do you need a visa to travel to Scotland?

The same rules apply in Scotland as in the rest of the United Kingdom. Whether you need a visa depends on your nationality and the purpose of your stay, not on which part of the UK you visit.

Does a child need a visa?

Whether a child needs a visa depends on their nationality and circumstances. When a child needs a Standard Visitor visa, they must have their own application.

Can you work in the UK with a Standard Visitor visa?

A visitor generally cannot come to the United Kingdom to take up employment. Certain specifically permitted business activities can nevertheless be carried out during a visit.

Do you need a visa to take the Eurostar to London?

If your nationality or circumstances require a visa to enter the United Kingdom, you also need one when travelling by Eurostar. UK entry requirements do not depend on your means of transport.

Does a visa guarantee entry to the UK?

Having the required document or permission does not remove the need to pass through border controls. Travellers must still meet the entry requirements and the conditions applying to the purpose of their stay.

Summary

Whether you need a visa for the United Kingdom mainly depends on your nationality, the purpose of your trip and the length of your stay. Citizens of the European Union, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein can generally make a short visit without a visa but normally need an ETA unless an exemption applies.

Travellers who need a visa for a visit will generally have to apply for a Standard Visitor visa before travelling. It currently costs £135 for a visit of up to 6 months and can be applied for at the earliest 3 months before the trip.

A stay for work, certain types of study, marriage or moving to the United Kingdom may require another visa category. Always check both the requirements linked to your nationality and those applying to the actual purpose of your stay.