Visa requirements for British Nationals (Overseas)
Visa requirements for British Nationals (Overseas) are administrative entry restrictions by the authorities of other states and territories placed on British National (Overseas) passport holders. Several million people, the vast majority with a Hong Kong connection, hold this passport.
Holders of British National (Overseas) status[1] are British nationals and Commonwealth citizens, but not British citizens. This nationality, by itself, does not grant the right of abode anywhere in the world, including the United Kingdom or Hong Kong,[2] but all BN(O)s possess either right of abode or right to land in Hong Kong due to holding right of abode before 1997. BN(O)s are subject to British immigration controls and do not have the automatic right to live or work in the United Kingdom.[3] From January 2021, they are eligible to apply for limited leave to remain to work or study in the UK with a path to citizenship, as a consequence of the Chinese national security law imposed on Hong Kong, which the UK considers a violation of the Sino-British Joint Declaration signed in 1984.
The British National (Overseas) status was created in 1985 in anticipation of the transfer of sovereignty over Hong Kong on 1 July 1997.[1] This nationality was "tailor-made" for British Hong Kong residents with British Dependent Territories Citizen (BDTC) status by virtue of their connection with Hong Kong; it allowed the people of British Hong Kong to retain a relationship with the United Kingdom after the transfer of sovereignty over Hong Kong to China. BN(O)s enjoy consular protection as British nationals would when travelling outside Hong Kong. Since most BN(O)s also hold Chinese nationality, they do not enjoy consular protection in China, Hong Kong and Macau.[4] From 1 July 1987 to 30 June 1997, nearly 3.4 million of British Dependent Territories Citizens in Hong Kong successfully registered as a British National (Overseas).[5] All BDTCs relate only to Hong Kong lost their BDTC status on 1 July 1997, and any BDTC who did not register as a BN(O) and without other nationality automatically acquired British Overseas Citizenship.
Visa requirements for other classes of British nationals such as British citizens, British Overseas Citizens, British Overseas Territories Citizens, British Protected Persons or British Subjects are different.
Starting from 31 January 2021, China no longer recognizes British National (Overseas) passports as valid travel documents. BN(O) passport holders need to use other identity documents such as their Hong Kong identity card in conjunction with their BN(O) for immigration clearance.[6]
Visa requirements map
[edit]Visa requirements
[edit]Country | Visa requirement | Allowed stay | Notes (excluding departure fees) | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Afghanistan | Visa required[7] | |||
Albania | Visa not required[8] | 90 days | ||
Algeria | Visa required[9] | |||
Andorra | Visa not required[10] | |||
Angola | Visa not required[11] | 30 days | ||
Antigua and Barbuda | Visa not required[12] | 6 months | ||
Argentina | Visa not required[13] | 30 days[14] | ||
Armenia | Visa not required[15] | 180 days[16] | ||
Australia | Electronic Travel Authority[17] | 90 days |
| |
Austria | Visa not required[18] | 90 days |
| |
Azerbaijan | eVisa[19] | 30 days[20] | ||
Bahamas | Visa not required[21] | 21 days | ||
Bahrain | eVisa / Visa on arrival[24] | 3 months | ||
Bangladesh | Visa on arrival[27] | 30 days |
| |
Barbados | Visa not required[31] | 6 months[32][33] | ||
Belarus | Visa not required[34][35] | 30 days |
| |
Belgium | Visa not required[37] | 90 days |
| |
Belize | Visa not required[38] | |||
Benin | eVisa[39][40] | 30 days |
| |
Bhutan | eVisa[41][42][43] | |||
Bolivia | Visa not required[46] | 90 days |
| |
Bosnia and Herzegovina | Visa not required[48] | 90 days |
| |
Botswana | Visa not required[49] | 90 days | ||
Brazil | Visa not required[50] | 90 days |
| |
Brunei | Visa required[52] |
| ||
Bulgaria | Visa not required[53] | 90 days |
| |
Burkina Faso | eVisa / Visa on arrival[54][55] | 1 month | ||
Burundi | Visa on arrival[56] | 1 month |
| |
Cambodia | eVisa / Visa on arrival[58] | 30 days | ||
Cameroon | eVisa[61][62] |
| ||
Canada | Visa not required[63] | 6 months |
| |
Cape Verde | Visa not required[66] | 30 days |
| |
Central African Republic | Visa required[68][69] | Due to security concerns, Government of UK advises its citizens to avoid travelling to Central African Republic.[70] | ||
Chad | Visa required[71] | |||
Chile | Visa not required[72] | 90 days |
| |
China | Admission refused[73] |
| ||
Colombia | Visa not required[75] | 90 days | ||
Comoros | Visa on arrival[78] | |||
Republic of the Congo | Visa required[79] | |||
Democratic Republic of the Congo | eVisa[80][81][82] | 7 days | ||
Costa Rica | Visa not required[83] | 30 days | ||
Côte d'Ivoire | eVisa[84] | 3 months |
| |
Croatia | Visa not required[85] | 90 days |
| |
Cuba | Tourist card required[86] | 90 days |
| |
Cyprus | Visa not required[87] | 90 days |
| |
Czech Republic | Visa not required[88] | 90 days |
| |
Denmark | Visa not required[89] | 90 days |
| |
Djibouti | eVisa[90] | 31 days | ||
Dominica | Visa not required[91] | 6 months | ||
Dominican Republic | Visa required[92][93] |
| ||
Ecuador | Visa not required[94] | 90 days |
| |
Egypt | eVisa / Visa on arrival[95][96] | 30 days | ||
El Salvador | Visa required[97][98] | |||
Equatorial Guinea | eVisa[99][100] | |||
Eritrea | Visa required[101] |
| ||
Estonia | Visa not required[102] | 90 days |
| |
Eswatini | Visa not required[103] | 30 days | ||
Ethiopia | eVisa[104] | up to 90 days |
| |
Fiji | Visa not required[106] | 4 months | ||
Finland | Visa not required[107] | 90 days |
| |
France | Visa not required[108] | 90 days |
| |
Gabon | eVisa[109] |
| ||
Gambia | Visa not required[110] | 90 days | ||
Georgia | Visa required[111] | |||
Germany | Visa not required[112] | 90 days |
| |
Ghana | Visa required[113] |
| ||
Greece | Visa not required[114] | 90 days |
| |
Grenada | Visa not required[115] | 6 months |
| |
Guatemala | Visa not required[117] | 90 days | ||
Guinea | eVisa[118][119] | 90 days | ||
Guinea-Bissau | Visa on arrival[120] | 90 days | ||
Guyana | Visa required[121] |
| ||
Haiti | Visa not required[122] | 90 days | ||
Honduras | Visa required[123] | |||
Hungary | Visa not required[124] | 90 days |
| |
Iceland | Visa not required[125] | 90 days |
| |
India | Visa required[126] |
| ||
Indonesia | Visa required[127] |
| ||
Iran | Visa required[128] | Due to security concerns, Government of UK advises its citizens to avoid travelling to Iran.[129] | ||
Iraq | Visa on arrival[130][131] | 60 days |
| |
Ireland | Visa not required[133] | 90 days | ||
Israel | Visa not required[134] | 3 months | ||
Italy | Visa not required[135] | 90 days |
| |
Jamaica | Visa not required[136] | 180 days | ||
Japan | Visa not required | 90 days | ||
Jordan | Free visa on arrival[137][138] |
| ||
Kazakhstan | Visa not required[139] | 30 days | ||
Kenya | Electronic Travel Authorisation[140][141] | 90 days |
| |
Kiribati | Visa not required[143] | 30 days | ||
North Korea | Visa required[144] | |||
South Korea | Electronic Travel Authorization[145] | 30 days |
| |
Kuwait | eVisa / Visa on arrival[147] | 3 months[148] | ||
Kyrgyzstan | Visa not required[149][150] | 60 days | ||
Laos | eVisa / Visa on arrival[151] | 30 days [152] | ||
Latvia | Visa not required[153] | 90 days |
| |
Lebanon | Visa required[154] |
| ||
Lesotho | Visa not required[155] | 14 days | ||
Liberia | Visa required[156][157] |
| ||
Libya | eVisa[158][159] | Due to security concerns, Government of UK advises its citizens to avoid travelling to Libya.[160] | ||
Liechtenstein | Visa not required[161] | 90 days |
| |
Lithuania | Visa not required[162] | 90 days |
| |
Luxembourg | Visa not required[163] | 90 days |
| |
Madagascar | Visa on arrival[164] | 60 days | ||
Malawi | Visa not required[165] | 30 days | ||
Malaysia | Visa not required[166] | 1 month | ||
Maldives | Free visa on arrival[167] | 30 days | ||
Mali | Visa required[168] | |||
Malta | Visa not required[169] | 90 days |
| |
Marshall Islands | Visa not required[170] | 90 days |
| |
Mauritania | Visa on arrival[171] |
| ||
Mauritius | Visa not required[172] | 90 days | ||
Mexico | Visa not required[173] | 180 days[174] | ||
Federated States of Micronesia | Visa not required[175] | 30 days | ||
Moldova | Visa not required[176] | 90 days |
| |
Monaco | Visa not required[177] | 30 days | ||
Mongolia | Visa not required[178] | 30 days[179][180] | ||
Montenegro | Visa not required[181] | 90 days |
| |
Morocco | Visa not required[183] | 90 days | ||
Mozambique | Visa not required[186][187] | 30 days | ||
Myanmar | eVisa[188] | 28 days |
| |
Namibia | Visa not required[189] | 3 months | ||
Nauru | Visa required[192] |
| ||
Nepal | Online Visa / Visa on arrival[193] | 90 days[194] |
| |
Netherlands | Visa not required[196] | 90 days |
| |
New Zealand | Electronic Travel Authority[197] | 3 months |
| |
Nicaragua | Visa not required[201] | 90 days | ||
Niger | Visa required[202] | |||
Nigeria | eVisa[203][204] | 90 days |
| |
North Macedonia | Visa not required[205] | 90 days | ||
Norway | Visa not required[206] | 90 days |
| |
Oman | Visa not required / eVisa[207] | 14 days / 30 days | ||
Pakistan | Online Visa / ETA[208] | 30 days | ||
Palau | Free visa on arrival[212] | 30 days | ||
Panama | Visa not required[213] | 90 days |
| |
Papua New Guinea | eVisa[218] | 60 days |
| |
Paraguay | Visa not required[219] | 90 days | ||
Peru | Visa not required[220] | 183 days |
| |
Philippines | Visa not required[221] | 7 days | ||
Poland | Visa not required[225] | 90 days |
| |
Portugal | Visa not required[226] | 90 days |
| |
Qatar | Visa required[227] | |||
Romania | Visa not required[228] | 90 days |
| |
Russia | Visa required[230] | Due to security concerns, Government of UK advises its citizens to avoid travelling to Russia.[231] | ||
Rwanda | Visa not required[232] | 30 days |
| |
Saint Kitts and Nevis | Visa not required[233] | 3 months | ||
Saint Lucia | Visa not required[234] | 6 weeks | ||
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | Visa not required[235] | 6 months | ||
Samoa | Free Entry Permit on arrival[236] | 60 days | ||
San Marino | Visa not required[237] | |||
São Tomé and Príncipe | Visa not required[238] | 15 days | ||
Saudi Arabia | eVisa / Visa on arrival[239][240][241] | 90 days | ||
Senegal | Visa not required[242] | 90 days | ||
Serbia | Visa not required[243] | 90 days | ||
Seychelles | Free Visitor's Permit on arrival[244] | 3 months | ||
Sierra Leone | eVisa / Visa on arrival[245][246][247] | 30 days | ||
Singapore | Visa not required[248] | 30 days |
| |
Slovakia | Visa not required[249] | 90 days |
| |
Slovenia | Visa not required[250] | 90 days |
| |
Solomon Islands | Free Visitor's permit on arrival[251] | 3 months |
| |
Somalia | Visa on arrival[252] |
| ||
South Africa | Visa not required[253] | 30 days[254] | ||
South Sudan | eVisa[255][256][257] | |||
Spain | Visa not required[259] | 90 days |
| |
Sri Lanka | eVisa / Visa on arrival[260] | 4 months |
| |
Sudan | Visa required[262][263] | |||
Suriname | Visa not required[264] | 90 days | ||
Sweden | Visa not required[267] | 90 days |
| |
Switzerland | Visa not required[268] | 90 days |
| |
Syria | Visa required[269][270] | Due to security concerns, Government of UK advises its citizens to avoid travelling to Syria.[271] | ||
Tajikistan | eVisa[272] | 45 days | ||
Tanzania | eVisa / Visa on arrival[273][274] | 3 months | ||
Thailand | Visa not required[275] | 30 days (as of April 1, 2023) |
| |
Timor-Leste | Visa on arrival[277] | 30 days |
| |
Togo | eVisa[278][279] | 15 days | ||
Tonga | Free visa on arrival[280] | 31 days | ||
Trinidad and Tobago | Visa not required[281] | |||
Tunisia | Visa not required[282] | 3 months | ||
Turkey | eVisa[283] | 3 months | ||
Turkmenistan | Visa required[284] |
| ||
Tuvalu | Free visa on arrival[285] | 1 month | ||
Uganda | eVisa[286] | 3 months |
| |
Ukraine | Visa not required | 90 days | Due to ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine, Government of UK advises its citizens to avoid travelling to Ukraine.[288] | |
United Arab Emirates | eVisa[289][290] |
| ||
United Kingdom | Bespoke UK Immigration Status[300] | 6 Months (Visitors, extendable by converting into a BN(O) visa from inside the UK); Unlimited (With a valid BN(O) visa) |
| |
United States | Visa required[301] |
| ||
Uruguay | Visa not required[302] | 90 days | ||
Uzbekistan | Visa not required[303] | 30 days | ||
Vanuatu | Visa not required[304] | 30 days | ||
Vatican City | Visa not required[305] | |||
Venezuela | Visa not required[306] | 90 days[307] | ||
Vietnam | Visa on arrival[309] |
| ||
Yemen | Visa required[311][312] |
| ||
Zambia | Visa not required[313] | 90 days |
| |
Zimbabwe | eVisa / Visa on arrival[315] | 3 months |
|
British Crown Dependencies and Overseas Territories
[edit]British Crown Dependencies and Overseas Territories | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Visitor to | Visa requirement | Allowed stay | Notes | |
Akrotiri and Dhekelia | Visa not required | |||
Anguilla | Visa not required | 3 months[316][317] |
| |
Bermuda | Visa not required | 6 months[318][319] |
| |
British Antarctic Territory | Special permit required[320][321] | |||
British Indian Ocean Territory | Special permit required[322][323] | |||
British Virgin Islands | Visa not required | 1 month[324][325] |
| |
Cayman Islands | Visa not required | 30 Days[326][327] |
| |
Falkland Islands | Visitor's permit on arrival | 4 weeks[328][329] |
| |
Guernsey | Leave to Enter/Remain to Settlement |
| ||
Isle of Man | Leave to Enter/Remain to Settlement |
| ||
Jersey | Leave to Enter/Remain to Settlement |
| ||
Gibraltar | Visa not required[330] | |||
Montserrat | Visa not required | 6 months[331] |
| |
Pitcairn Islands | Visa not required | 14 days[331] | ||
Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha | ||||
Ascension Island | eVisa[336][337] | 3 months |
| |
Saint Helena | Entry permit on arrival | 183 days[338] |
| |
Tristan da Cunha | Permission required |
| ||
South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands | Permit required |
| ||
Turks and Caicos Islands | Visa not required | 90 days[343][344] |
|
Territories and disputed areas
[edit]Europe | ||
---|---|---|
Visitor to | Visa requirement | Notes (excluding departure fees) |
Abkhazia | Visa required[345] | |
Mount Athos | Special permit required | Special permit required (4 days: 25 euro for Orthodox visitors, 35 euro for non-Orthodox visitors, 18 euro for students). There is a visitors' quota: maximum 100 Orthodox and 10 non-Orthodox per day and women are not allowed.[346][347] |
Belovezhskaya Pushcha National Park | Visa not required | 3 days;[348] must first obtain an electronic pass[349] |
Crimea | Visa required | Visa policy of Russia applies de facto.[350] |
Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus | Visa not required | 3 months[351] |
UN Buffer Zone in Cyprus | Access Permit required[352] | Access Permit is required for travelling inside the zone, except Civil Use Areas. |
Faroe Islands | Visa not required[353] | |
Jan Mayen | Permit required[354] | Permit issued by the local police required for staying for less than 24 hours[355] and permit issued by the Norwegian police for staying for more than 24 hours.[356] |
Kosovo | Visa not required[357] | 90 days |
Novorossiya | Restricted area | Crossing from Ukraine requires visit purpose to be explained to Ukrainian passport control on exit and those who entered from Russia are not allowed to proceed further into Ukraine.[358] |
Russia | Special authorization required | Several closed cities and regions in Russia require special authorization.[359] |
South Ossetia | Visa not required | Multiple entry visa to Russia and three-day prior notification are required to enter South Ossetia.[360][361] |
Transnistria | Visa not required | Registration required after 24h.[362][363] |
Africa | ||
Visitor to | Visa requirement | Notes (excluding departure fees) |
Eritrea outside Asmara | Travel permit required | To travel in the rest of the country, a Travel Permit for Foreigners is required (20 Eritrean nakfa).[364] |
Mayotte | Visa not required[365] | 90 days |
Réunion | Visa not required[365] | 90 days |
Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic | Visa not required | Visa not required up to 3 months.[366] |
Somaliland | Visa on arrival | 30 days for 30 US dollars, payable on arrival.[367][368] |
Sudan | Travel permit required | All foreigners traveling more than 25 kilometers outside of Khartoum must obtain a travel permit. |
Darfur | Travel permit required | Separate travel permit is required.[369] |
Asia | ||
Visitor to | Visa requirement | Notes (excluding departure fees) |
Hong Kong | Right of Abode or Right to Land Status Holder. Must use other identity documents in conjunction with the BN(O) passport for Hong Kong immigration clearance.[370] | The Hong Kong SAR government does not recognise BN(O) passports as valid documents for immigration clearance and identification purposes. BN(O) citizens are instead entitled to a Hong Kong identity card which attests the passport holder the Right of Abode or Right to Land status in Hong Kong, implying BN(O) citizens the right to live, work or study in Hong Kong without any immigration controls.[371] |
India PAP/RAP | PAP/RAP required | Protected Area Permit (PAP) required for whole states of Nagaland and Sikkim and parts of states Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh, Uttaranchal, Jammu and Kashmir, Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh. Restricted Area Permit (RAP) required for all of Andaman and Nicobar Islands and parts of Sikkim. Some of these requirements are occasionally lifted for a year.[372][373][374][375][376] |
Iraqi Kurdistan | Visa on arrival | 15 days[377] |
Kazakhstan | Special permission required | Special permission required for the town of Baikonur and surrounding areas in Kyzylorda Oblast, and the town of Gvardeyskiy near Almaty.[378] |
Kish Island | Visa not required | Visitors to Kish Island do not require a visa.[379] |
Macao | Visa not required | The Macau SAR government has no official announcement regarding the admissibility/ inadmissibility of BN(O) passport holders. BN(O) citizens are able to visit Macau with their Hong Kong Identity Card for up to 1 year.[380] |
Sabah and Sarawak | Visa not required[166] | 1 month. These two Malaysian states have their own immigration authorities and a valid passport is required to travel between them, however the same Malaysian visa applies. Length of stay will not be extended for travel between Peninsular Malaysia and East Malaysia.[381] |
Maldives | Permission required | With the exception of the capital Malé, tourists are generally prohibited from visiting non-resort islands without the express permission of the Government of Maldives.[382] |
North Korea outside Pyongyang | Special permit required | People are not allowed to leave the capital city, tourists can only leave the capital with a governmental tourist guide (no independent moving) |
Palestine | Visa not required[383] | Arrival by sea to Gaza Strip not allowed.[384] |
Taiwan | Exit & Entry Permit required[385] | BN(O) citizens who meet certain eligible can apply online (Fee waiver) or on arrival (Fee : NT 300). This Permit for up to 30 days [1] |
Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Province | OIVR permit required | OIVR permit required (15+5 Tajikistani Somoni) and another special permit (free of charge) is required for Lake Sarez.[386][387][388] |
Turkmenistan | Special permit required | A special permit, issued prior to arrival by Ministry of Foreign Affairs, is required if visiting the following places: Atamurat, Cheleken, Dashoguz, Serakhs and Serhetabat.[389] |
Korean Demilitarized Zone | Restricted zone | |
UNDOF Zone and Ghajar | Restricted zone | |
Phú Quốc | Visa not required | Can visit without a visa for up to 30 days.[390] |
Yemen | Special permission required | Special permission needed for travel outside Sana’a or Aden.[391] |
Caribbean and North Atlantic | ||
Visitor to | Visa requirement | Notes (excluding departure fees) |
Aruba | Visa not required[392] | 30 days, extendable to 180 days[393] |
Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba | Visa not required[394] | 90 days |
San Andrés and Leticia | Tourist Card on arrival | Visitors arriving at Gustavo Rojas Pinilla International Airport and Alfredo Vásquez Cobo International Airport must buy tourist cards on arrival.[395] |
Curacao | Visa not required[396] | 3 months |
French Guiana | Visa not required[397] | 90 days |
French West Indies | Visa not required | 90 days. French West Indies refers to Martinique, Guadeloupe, Saint Martin and Saint Barthélemy.[398] |
Greenland | Visa not required[353] | |
Margarita Island | Visa not required | All visitors are fingerprinted.[399] |
Puerto Rico | Visa required[400] | US visa required |
Saint Pierre and Miquelon | Visa not required[365] | |
Sint Maarten | Visa not required[401] | 3 months[402] |
U.S. Virgin Islands | Visa required[403] | US visa required |
Oceania | ||
Visitor to | Visa requirement | Notes (excluding departure fees) |
American Samoa | Visa required[404][405] | US visa required |
Ashmore and Cartier Islands | Special authorisation required | Special authorisation required.[406] |
Clipperton Island | Special permit required | Special permit required.[407] |
Cook Islands | Visa not required[408] | 31 days |
Lau Province | Special permission required | Special permission required.[409] |
French Polynesia | Visa not required[410] | 90 days |
Guam | Visa not required[411] | 45 days |
New Caledonia | Visa not required[365] | 90 days |
Niue | Free Visa on arrival[412] | Visa on arrival valid for 30 days is issued free of charge.[413] |
Northern Mariana Islands | Visa not required[414] | Visa not required under the Guam - CNMI Visa Waiver Program, for 45 days. Must also present a Hong Kong identity card. |
United States Minor Outlying Islands | Special permit required | Special permits required for Baker Island, Howland Island, Jarvis Island, Johnston Atoll, Kingman Reef, Midway Atoll, Palmyra Atoll and Wake Island.[415][416][417][418][419][420][421] |
Wallis and Futuna | Visa not required[365] | 90 days |
South America | ||
Visitor to | Visa requirement | Notes (excluding departure fees) |
Galápagos | Pre-registration required | Online pre-registration is required. Transit Control Card must also be obtained at the airport prior to departure.[422] |
South Atlantic and Antarctica | ||
Visitor to | Visa requirement | Notes (excluding departure fees) |
Antarctica | Special permits required for French Southern and Antarctic Lands, Argentine Antarctica, Australian Antarctic Territory, Bouvet Island, Chilean Antarctic Territory, Heard Island and McDonald Islands, Peter I Island, Queen Maud Land, Ross Dependency.[423][424][425][426][427][428][429][430][431][432][433][434] |
Non-visa restrictions
[edit]
Many countries have entry restrictions on foreigners that go beyond the common requirement of having either a valid visa or a visa exemption. Such restrictions may be health related or impose additional documentation requirements on certain classes of people for diplomatic or political purposes.
Blank passport pages
[edit]Many countries require a minimum number of blank pages to be available in the passport being presented, typically one or two pages.[435] Endorsement pages, which often appear after the visa pages, are not counted as being valid or available.
Vaccination
[edit]Many African countries, including Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Côte d'Ivoire, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone and Togo, South Sudan, Uganda, and Zambia, require all incoming passengers older than nine months to one year[436] to have a current International Certificate of Vaccination or Prophylaxis, as does the South American territory of French Guiana.[437]
Some other countries require vaccination only if the passenger is coming from an infected area or has visited one recently or has transited for 12 hours in those countries: Algeria, Botswana, Cabo Verde, Chad, Djibouti, Egypt, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Lesotho, Libya, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Papua New Guinea, Seychelles, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Tunisia, Uganda, United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe.[438][439]
Passport validity length
[edit]Very few countries, such as Paraguay, just require a valid passport on arrival.
However many countries and groupings now require only an identity card – especially from their neighbours. Other countries may have special bilateral arrangements that depart from the generality of their passport validity length policies to shorten the period of passport validity required for each other's citizens[440][441] or even accept passports that have already expired (but not been cancelled).[442]
Some countries, such as Japan,[443] Ireland and the United Kingdom,[444] require a passport valid throughout the period of the intended stay.
In the absence of specific bilateral agreements, countries requiring passports to be valid for at least 6 more months on arrival include Afghanistan, Algeria, Anguilla, Bahrain,[445] Bhutan, Botswana, British Virgin Islands, Brunei, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Cayman Islands, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Costa Rica, Côte d'Ivoire, Curaçao, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Fiji, Gabon, Guinea Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Israel,[446] Jordan, Kenya, Kiribati, Kuwait, Laos, Madagascar, Malaysia, Marshall Islands, Mongolia, Myanmar, Namibia, Nepal, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Oman, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Peru,[447] Philippines,[448] Qatar, Rwanda, Samoa, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Tanzania, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Tokelau, Tonga, Turkey, Tuvalu, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, Vanuatu, Venezuela, and Vietnam.[449]
Countries requiring passports valid for at least 4 months on arrival include Micronesia and Zambia.
Countries requiring passports with a validity of at least 3 months beyond the date of intended departure include Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Honduras, Montenegro, Nauru, Moldova and New Zealand. Similarly, the EEA countries of Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, all European Union countries (except Ireland) together with Switzerland also require 3 months validity beyond the date of the bearer's intended departure unless the bearer is an EEA or Swiss national.
Countries requiring passports valid for at least 3 months on arrival include Albania, North Macedonia, Panama, and Senegal.
Bermuda requires passports to be valid for at least 45 days upon entry.
Countries that require a passport validity of at least one month beyond the date of intended departure include Eritrea, Hong Kong, Lebanon, Macau, the Maldives[450] and South Africa.
Criminal record
[edit]Some countries, including Australia, Canada, Fiji, New Zealand and the United States,[451] routinely deny entry to non-citizens who have a criminal record, while others impose restrictions depending on the type of conviction and the length of the sentence.
Persona non grata
[edit]The government of a country can declare a diplomat persona non grata, banning them from entering the country or expelling them if they have already entered. In non-diplomatic use, the authorities of a country may also declare a foreigner persona non grata permanently or temporarily, usually because of unlawful activity.[452]
Israeli stamps
[edit]Kuwait,[453] Lebanon,[454] Libya,[455] Syria,[456] and Yemen[457] do not allow entry to people with passport stamps from Israel or whose passports have either a used or an unused Israeli visa, or where there is evidence of previous travel to Israel such as entry or exit stamps from neighbouring border posts in transit countries such as Jordan and Egypt.
To circumvent this Arab League boycott of Israel, the Israeli immigration services have now mostly ceased to stamp foreign nationals' passports on either entry to or exit from Israel (unless the entry is for some work-related purposes). Since 15 January 2013, Israel no longer stamps foreign passports at Ben Gurion Airport. Passports are still (as of 22 June 2017[update]) stamped at Erez when passing into and out of Gaza.[citation needed]
Iran refuses admission to holders of passports containing an Israeli visa or stamp that is less than 12 months old.
Biometrics
[edit]Several countries mandate that all travellers, or all foreign travellers, be fingerprinted on arrival and will refuse admission to or even arrest travellers who refuse to comply. In some countries, such as the United States, this may apply even to transit passengers who merely wish to change planes rather than go landside.[458]
Fingerprinting countries/regions include Afghanistan,[459][460] Argentina,[461] Brunei, Cambodia,[462] China,[463] Ethiopia,[464] Ghana, Guinea,[465] India, Japan,[466][467] Kenya (both fingerprints and a photo are taken),[468] Malaysia upon entry and departure,[469] Mongolia, Saudi Arabia,[470] Singapore, South Korea,[471] Taiwan, Thailand,[472] Uganda,[473] the United Arab Emirates and the United States.
Many countries also require a photo be taken of people entering the country. The United States, which does not fully implement exit control formalities at its land frontiers (although long mandated by its own legislation),[474][475][476] intends to implement facial recognition for passengers departing from international airports to identify people who overstay their visa.[477]
Together with fingerprint and face recognition, iris scanning is one of three biometric identification technologies internationally standardised since 2006 by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) for use in e-passports[478] and the United Arab Emirates conducts iris scanning on visitors who need to apply for a visa.[479][480]
Right to consular protection
[edit]British Nationals (Overseas) have the right to consular protection from British diplomatic missions[481] except in China, Hong Kong, and Macau.
When in a country where there is no British embassy, British Nationals (Overseas) 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.[482]
Foreign travel statistics
[edit]According to the Foreign travel advice provided by the British Government (unless otherwise noted) these are the numbers of British visitors to various countries per annum in 2015 (unless otherwise noted):[483]
Foreign travel statistics
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r Data for 2014
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an ao ap aq ar as at au av aw ax ay az ba bb bc bd be bf bg bh bi bj bk bl Data for 2017
- ^ a b c Data for 2015
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag Data for 2016
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p Counting only guests in tourist accommodation establishments.
- ^ Data for 2011
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Data for 2018
- ^ a b c d e Data for arrivals by air only.
- ^ a b Data for 2012
- ^ a b c Data for 2013
- ^ a b Data for 2009
- ^ Data for 2010
- ^ Data for 2019
- ^ Data for 2005
- ^ Total number includes tourists, business travelers, students, exchange visitors, temporary workers and families, diplomats and other representatives and all other classes of nonimmigrant admissions (I-94).
See also
[edit]- British passport
- British National (Overseas)
- British National (Overseas) passport
- British nationality law
- Visa requirements for British Citizens
- Visa requirements for British Overseas Citizens
- Visa requirements for British Overseas Territories Citizens
- Visa requirements for Chinese citizens of Hong Kong
- Visa policy of the United Kingdom
References and notes
[edit]- References
- ^ a b "Hong Kong British National (Overseas) visa". House of Commons Library. Retrieved 12 February 2024.
The British National (Overseas) status (hereafter, 'BN(O)') was created as part of the arrangements for the handover of sovereignty of Hong Kong on 1 July 1997.
- ^ Writt