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 7 July 2020, British citizens had visa-free or visa on arrival access to 185 countries and territories, ranking the British passport 7th in terms of travel freedom according to the Henley Passport Index. Additionally, the World Tourism Organisation also published a report on 15 January 2016 ranking the British passport 1st in the world in terms of travel freedom, with a mobility index of 160.
Visa requirements for other classes of British nationals such as British Nationals, British Overseas Citizens, British Overseas Territories Citizens, British Protected Persons or British Subjects are different.

History

Visa requirements for British citizens were lifted by some European nations following World War II. The first changes occurred in 1947 with visa restrictions for British citizens being 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 following year, the requirement to obtain a visa in advance of travel 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 and Turkey
Electronic visas for British citizens were introduced: India, Djibouti and Malawi.
Visas on arrival were discontinued for British citizens by Mali and Malawi .

2020 travel restrictions

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, several countries have imposed temporary travel restrictions on British citizens or persons arriving from the United Kingdom.

Visa requirements

This table documents the situation prior to Travel restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

British Crown Dependencies and Overseas Territories

Territories and disputed areas

Non-ordinary passports

Holders of various categories of official British passports have additional visa-free access to the following countries - China, Kuwait, Mongolia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. Holders of diplomatic or service passports of any country have visa-free access to Cape Verde, Ethiopia, Mali and Zimbabwe. Holders of British official and diplomatic passports require a visa for South Africa.

Travel impact of Brexit

Currently, when in a non-EU country where there is no British embassy, British citizens, like all other EU citizens, have the right to get consular protection from the embassy of any other EU country present in that country.
See also List of diplomatic missions of the United Kingdom.
On 23 June 2016, the British electorate voted 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 will cease to be EU citizens upon the UK's departure from the EU. British citizens will still have the right of freedom of movement until the UK formally leaves.
From January 2021, visa-exempt third country nationals who travel to the EU and EEA must apply and pay for travel authorisation through ETIAS. This system was decided on 12 September 2018 and contains no exception for British citizens.

Non-visa restrictions

Foreign travel statistics