The United Kingdom has reaffirmed that citizens of more than 100 countries and territories must obtain a visa before travelling for visits or stays of up to six months.
The requirement is contained in the updated Immigration Rules Appendix Visitor, which states that affected travellers must secure entry clearance before departure unless they qualify for an exemption under the immigration rules.
The updated guidance also says stateless persons and individuals travelling with documents other than a national passport or, where permitted, a national identity card, must obtain entry clearance before travelling, unless the document was issued by the UK.
According to the Home Office, limited exemptions apply to certain travellers from the People’s Republic of China and Taiwan, with details outlined elsewhere in the immigration rules.
Among the countries whose nationals require visas are Nigeria, Ghana, South Africa, Kenya, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, China, Russia, Egypt, Morocco, Algeria, Ethiopia, Uganda, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Turkey, Ukraine, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam, alongside dozens of other countries and territories listed in the updated rules.
The guidance is part of the UK’s visitor immigration framework and clarifies the categories of travellers who must obtain visas before entering the country for short-term stays.
