UK passport holders are amongst the most privileged citizens of the world when it comes to traveling. Currently ranked in the sixth position alongside Norway and the United States in the list of the world’s most powerful passports, UK citizens can, for now, travel to 183 countries, whether visa-free or wish an e-visa or a visa-on-arrival.

Moreover, most of the rest of the world’s countries for which a traditional sticker visa is needed for Britons to travel there, have created facilities due to reciprocal agreement between the UK and those particular countries.

Yet, there are a few world countries that have stricter entry criteria for foreigners, including Britons. Those wishing to travel to any of these countries will need to carefully check the entry requirements and meet them all, before taking a trip there.

Due to Brexit, probably a no-deal one, some of the travel criteria for Britons traveling abroad are soon about to change, in particular to the member countries of the European Union. Following in this article, you may find several lists of the countries that UK citizens need and do not visas for tourism, business and other similar non-employment activities.

Where Can Britons Travel Without a Visa?

British citizens holding a valid passport issued by the UK Home Office can travel to the following world countries without the need of getting any kind of visa or authorization, and remain for the specified period:

• Albania – 90 days
• Andorra
• Anguilla – 90 days
• Antigua and Barbuda – 180 days
• Argentina – 90 days
• Armenia – 180 days
• Aruba – 30 days, extendable up to 180 days
• Austria
• Bahamas – 21 days, extendable up to 8 months
• Barbados – 180 days
• Belarus – 30 days
• Belgium
• Belize – 30 days
• Bermuda – 180 days
• Bolivia – 90 days
• Bonaire; St. Eustatius and Saba
• Bosnia and Herzegovina – 90 days
• Botswana – 90 days
• Brazil – 90 days, can be extended for another 90 days
• British Virgin Islands
• Brunei – 90 days
• Bulgaria
• Cape Verde Islands
• Cayman Islands – 180 days
• Chile – 90 days, extendable
• Colombia – 90 days, can be extended for a total of 180-days in a calendar year
• Cook Islands – 31 days
• Costa Rica – 90 days
• Croatia
• Curacao – 90 days
• Cyprus
• Czech Republic
• Denmark
• Dominica – 180 days
• Dominican Republic – 90 days
• Ecuador – 90 days, extendable
• El Salvador – 90 days
• Estonia
• Eswatini (Swaziland) – 30 days
• Falkland Islands
• Faroe Islands
• Fiji – 120 days
• Finland
• France
• French Guiana
• French Polynesia
• French West Indies
• Gambia – 90 days
• Georgia – 365 days a year
• Germany
• Gibraltar – British citizens have right of abode in Gibraltar.
• Greece
• Greenland – 90 days within a 180 days period
• Grenada – 180 days
• Guam – 90 days
• Guatemala – 90 days
• Guyana – 90 days
• Haiti – 90 days
• Honduras – 90 days
• Hong Kong (SAR China) – 180 days
• Hungary
• Iceland
• Indonesia – 30 days
• Ireland
• Israel – 90 days
• Italy
• Jamaica – 180 days
• Japan – 90 days, can be extended once
• Kazakhstan – 30 days
• Kiribati – 30 days

• Kosovo – 90 days
• Kyrgyzstan – 60 days
• Latvia
• Lesotho – 14 days
• Liechtenstein
• Lithuania
• Luxembourg
• Macao (SAR China) – 180 days
• Malaysia – 90 days
• Malta
• Marshall Islands – 90 days
• Mauritius – 90 days
• Mayotte – freedom of movement, must hold a valid ID or Passport
• Mexico – 180 days
• Micronesia – 30 days
• Moldova – 90 days in 180-day period
• Monaco
• Montenegro – 90 days
• Montserrat
• Morocco – 90 days
• Namibia – 90 days in a calendar year
• Netherlands
• New Caledonia
• New Zealand – 180 days
• Nicaragua – 90 days
• Niue
• North Macedonia – 90 days
• Northern Mariana Islands
• Norway
• Palestinian Territory
• Panama – 180 days
• Paraguay – 90 days
• Peru – 90 to 183 days
• Philippines – 30 days
• Poland
• Portugal
• Qatar – 30 days
• Reunion – freedom of movement, must hold a valid ID or Passport
• Romania
• San Marino
• Sao Tome and Principe – 15 days
• Senegal – 90 days
• Serbia – 90 days
• Singapore – 90 days
• Slovakia
• Slovenia
• South Africa – 90 days
• South Korea – 90 days
• Spain
• Kitts and Nevis – 90 days
• Lucia – 6 weeks
• Maarten – 90 days
• Vincent and the Grenadines – 30 days
• Sweden
• Switzerland
• Taiwan – 90 days
• Thailand – 30 days, if arriving by land
• Trinidad and Tobago
• Tunisia – 90 days
• Turkey – 90 days
• Turks and Caicos Islands – 90 days
• Ukraine – 90 days in 180-day period
• Uruguay – 90 days
• Uzbekistan – 30 days
• Vanuatu – 30 days
• Vatican City
• Venezuela – 90 days
• Vietnam – 15 days
• Zambia – 90 days

Documents Britons Need to Present at Port of Entry to Enter Visa-Free

Despite the visa-free policy that all these countries apply to citizens of the United Kingdom, travelers from the UK still need to carry at least some sort of identification document for entry.

Aside from the EU countries, who only ask for an ID in order to permit Britons to enter their territory, the rest of the countries listed above also ask for a valid passport. In addition, a few of them also want Britons at their port of entry to present:

• Evidence they have traveler’s health insurance.
• Proof of sufficient financial means to support their stay in that particular country.
• Proof of accommodation.

In addition, a few of these countries may require from Britons proof of vaccination for illnesses and diseases that are common in that country. When traveling alone with a child, notarized authorization from the other parent is compulsory.

Note that every country has its specific entry requirements. Thus, Britons traveling to any of these countries should contact the relevant authorities of that country in Britain for further information in this regard.

UK Citizens Travelling to EU Member States After Brexit

In a post-Brexit European Union, the UK travelers will no longer be privileged as they currently are as EU citizens. They will need to join the lines of third-country nationals at airports, and present the following documents:

• Valid passport. The passport must not be older than 10 years, and it must have at least 3 months of validity left on the day the traveler plans to leave the EU.
• Health Insurance. Valid in the whole territory of the Schengen Area, with a coverage worth minimum €30,000 for health related incidents.
• Proof of accommodation and financial means may also be required in several Schengen countries.

As of November 2023, UK nationals traveling to the EU will also need an ETIAS, which is an online authorization to enter the Schengen Area.

7 Countries UK Citizens Can Visit with Travel Authorization

When traveling to any of the following countries, UK passport holders will need to previously get a travel authorization online.

1. American Samoa – Entry Permit Waiver Program
2. Australia – Electronic Travel Authority (ETA)
3. Canada – Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA)
4. Puerto Rico – Electronic System for Travel Authorization
5. Sri Lanka – Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA)
6. United States – Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA)
7. US Virgin Islands – Electronic System for Travel Authorization

Once the ETIAS comes into force, the EU member states will join this list increasing the number from seven to at least 34.

Britons traveling any of these countries will need to apply for the applicable travel authorization, for which they need to apply online while usually having the following documents:

• Passport.
• Confirmed roundtrip ticket.
• Credit/Debit card to pay the travel authorization fee, when required.

38 Countries UK Citizens Can Visit with a Visa-on-Arrival

British citizens have the privilege of traveling to 38 world countries and receiving a visa upon arrival the point of entry. These countries, and the period they permit Britons to remain with only a visa-on-arrival are as follows:

1. Bahrain – up to 3 months
2. Bangladesh – 30 days
3. Burkina Faso – 30 days
4. Cambodia – 30 days
5. Comoros Islands
6. Egypt – 30 days
7. Ethiopia – up to 90 days
8. Gabon – 90 days
9. Guinea-Bissau – 90 days
10. Jordan
11. Kenya – 90 days
12. Kuwait – 90 days
13. Laos – 30 days
14. Lebanon – 30 days
15. Madagascar – 90 days
16. Malawi
17. Maldives – 30 days
18. Mauritania
19. Mozambique – 30 days
20. Nepal – 90 days
21. Palau Islands – 30 days
22. Papua New Guinea – 60 days
23. Rwanda – 30 days
24. Samoa
25. Seychelles – 90 days
26. Solomon Islands – 90 days
27. Somalia
28. Helena
29. Suriname – 90 days
30. Tajikistan – 45 days
31. Tanzania – 90 days
32. Timor-Leste – 30 days
33. Togo – 7 days
34. Tonga – 31 days
35. Tuvalu – 30 days
36. Uganda
37. United Arab Emirates – 30 days
38. Zimbabwe – 90 days

8 Countries UK Citizens Can Visit with E-Visa

In addition, UK citizens traveling to any of the following countries will need to apply for an e-visa first:

1. Angola
2. Azerbaijan
3. Benin
4. Djibouti
5. India
6. Myanmar
7. Oman
8. Pakistan

The application procedures for an e-visa are way easier than for a regular sticker visa as no interview is required from the applicant, and it often costs way less. The applicant needs to complete an online form and upload a few documents as required. At the end a fee must be paid.

Once the application is processed, the applicant receives an answer in their email. If positive, the visa confirmation must be printed and carried while traveling to the destination country.

34 Countries With Visa Regimes Towards UK Citizens

There are still 34 world countries that apply a stricter visa regime towards the UK citizens. To travel there, British passport holders will need to meet several requirements and criteria. These countries are:

1. Afghanistan
2. Algeria
3. Bhutan
4. Burundi
5. Cameroon
6. Central African Republic
7. Chad
8. China
9. Congo (Dem. Rep.)
10. Congo (Rep.)
11. Cote d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast)
12. Cuba
13. Equatorial Guinea
14. Eritrea
15. Ghana
16. Guinea
17. Iran
18. Iraq
19. Liberia
20. Libya
21. Mali
22. Mongolia
23. Nauru
24. Niger
25. Nigeria
26. North Korea
27. Russian Federation
28. Saudi Arabia
29. Sierra Leone
30. South Sudan
31. Sudan
32. Syria
33. Turkmenistan
34. Yemen

The application procedures differ from one country to the other. However, most of them consist of the following procedures:

1. Completing the application form for the visa.
2. Collecting the required documents.
3. Paying the visa fee.
4. Attending a visa interview and submitting the required documents.

British travelers need to check the visa procedures with the responsible mission of the country they wish to visit prior to their trip, as the procedures are specific and continuously subject to change.