How to travel 35 countries VISA-FREE with a UK visa [2020 edition]

Updated: April 6, 2020 233 Comments

One of the frequent questions I get is which countries can I visit with a UK visa. The short answer is the UK. The long answer is you can travel to 35 countries and territories VISA-FREE with UK visa.

I encourage you all to secure a US visa or at least a Canada visa first. Both these visas are long-term visas. These visas offer VISA-FREE travel to quite a few countries. But if you happened to have a UK visa or applying for one, then it is still better than not having any visas at all. There are about 35 countries and territories you can visit with a UK visa.

UK does not issue long-term visas like the US or Canada. UK tourist visas are mostly short-term (C-Type) visas valid for 6 months. They do issue long-term visas for 5/10 years but it would cost an arm and a leg.

The UK visa is not the most difficult to get, but it can be stressful due to its lengthy processing times and lack of customer service.

Which UK Visas are eligible?

Depending on the country, any of the below UK visas can be used.

UK Visitor Visa (Standard visitor and Short-term study)
UK Student Visa (Tier 4)
UK Work Visa (Tier 1, Tier 2 and Tier 5)
UK Transit Visa (DATV and Visitor in Transit)
UK Family Visa (Spouse)
UK Residence Permit (ILR and BRP)

Refer to each country below for permitted UK visa types. Some countries require the UK visa to be multiple-entry and have been used at least once to travel to the UK.

So, without further ado, let’s get started.

***

North America

Basílica de Nuestra Señora in Guanajuato, Mexico

01. Mexico

Eligible nationalties: All nationalities
Permitted visas: All used/unused multiple-entry UK visas
Permitted resident permits: All valid ILR and BRPs
Entry granted: 180 days
Entry rules:

UK visa or residence permit must be valid during the entire stay in Mexico
Passport must be valid during the entire stay in Mexico

Original Sources:

***

Central America

Church in the old town of Panama City, Panama

02. Panama

Eligible nationalities: All nationalities
Permitted visas: All valid used multiple-entry UK visas
Permitted residence permts: All valid ILR and BRPs
Entry granted: 90 days
Entry rules:

UK visa or residence permit must have been used at least once to enter the UK before
UK visa or residence permit must be valid for at least 6 months from the day of arrival
Passport must be valid for at least 3 months from the day of arrival
Must show proof of economic solvency for a minimum of $500 USD

Original sources:

***

Caribbean

Colorful streets of Havana, Cuba

03. Anguilla (British Territory)

Eligible nationalities: All nationalities
Permitted visas: All valid used/unused multiple-entry UK visas
Permitted residence permits: All valid ILR and BRPs
Entry granted: 90 days
Original sources:

—

04. Antigua and Barbuda

Eligible nationalities: All nationalities
Permitted visas: All valid used/unused multiple-entry UK visas
Permitted residence permits: A valid ILR
Entry granted: 30 days
Entry rules:

Visa is NOT EXEMPT, but are eligible to obtain Visa ON ARRIVAL (VOA)
VOA fee is $100 USD, valid for 30 days, single-entry only
UK Visa must be valid for at least 6 months from the day of arrival
Passport must be valid for at least 6 months from the day of arrival

Original sources:

—

05. Aruba

Eligible nationalities: Following nationalities only
Bolivia
China
Cuba
Dominican Republic
Haiti
India
Jamaica
Peru
Permitted visas: All valid used/unused multiple-entry UK visas
Permitted residence permits: All valid ILR and BRPs (applies to all nationalities)
Entry granted: 30 days
Original sources:

—

06. Bahamas

Eligible nationalities: Following nationalities only
India
Permitted visas: All valid used/unused multiple-entry UK visas
Permitted residence permits: A valid ILR (applies to all nationalities)
Entry granted: 30 days
Original sources:

Bahamas.com

—

07. Bermuda (British Territory)

Eligible nationalities: All nationalities
Permitted visas: All valid used/unused multiple-entry UK visas
Permitted residence permits: All valid ILR and BRPs
Entry granted: 30 days
Entry rules:

UK visa or residence permit must be valid for a minimum of 45 days beyond the date of departure from Bermuda

Original sources:

—

08. Bonaire (Dutch Territory)

Eligible nationalities: All nationalities
Permitted visas: All valid used/unused multiple-entry UK visas
Permitted residence permits: All valid ILR and BRPs
Entry granted: 90 days
Original sources:

—

09. British Virgin Islands (British Territory)

Eligible nationalities: All nationalities
Permitted visas: All valid used multiple-entry UK visas
Permitted residence permits: None
Entry granted: 180 days
Entry rules:

UK visa must have been used at least once to enter the UK before (OR)
UK visa must be valid for at least 6 months from the day of arrival

Original sources:

British Virgin Islands Tourism

—

10. Cayman Islands (British Territory)

Eligible nationalities: Following nationalities only
China
India
Jamaica
Permitted visas: All valid used/unused multiple-entry UK visas
Permitted residence permits: All valid ILR and BRPs
Entry granted: 180 days
Entry rules:

Must arrive in Cayman Islands directly from the UK. Arriving from a third country is not permitted.

Original sources:

Cayman Islands Immigration Department

—

11. Curaçao

Eligible nationalities: All nationalities
Permitted visas: All valid used/unused multiple-entry UK visas
Permitted residence permits: All valid ILR and BRPs
Entry granted: 30 days
Original sources:

—

12. Dominican Republic

Eligible nationalities: All nationalities
Permitted visas: All valid used/unused multiple-entry UK visas
Permitted residence permits: All valid ILR and BRPs
Entry granted: 30 days
Entry rules:

If arriving by land or sea, must purchase a Tourist Card on arrival for $10 USD. If arriving by air, the tourist card is included in the airfare.
Passport must be valid from at least 6 months from the day of arrival

Original sources:

—

13. Jamaica

Eligible nationalities: Following nationalities only
Albania
Belarus
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bulgaria
Croatia
Dominican Republic
Honduras
Kazakhstan
Macedonia
Moldova
Montenegro
Romania
Serbia
Permitted visas: All valid used/unused multiple-entry UK visas
Permitted residence permits: None
Entry granted: 30 days
Entry rules:

UK visa must be valid for at least 30 days from the day of arrival

Original sources:

Jamaica Immigration Department

—

14. Sint Maarten

Eligible nationalities: All nationalities
Permitted visas: None
Permitted residence permits: All valid ILR and BRPs
Entry granted: 30 days
Entry rules:

UK residence permit must be valid for at least 30 days from the day of arrival

Original sources:

Government of Sint Maarten

—

15. Turks and Caicos (British Territory)

Eligible nationalities: All nationalities
Permitted visas: All valid used/unused multiple-entry UK visas, except transit
Permitted residence permits: All valid ILR and BRPs
Entry granted: 90 days
Original sources:

***

South America

Machu Picchu in Peru

16. Peru

Eligible nationalities: Following nationalities only
China
India
Permitted visas: All valid used/unused multiple-entry UK visas
Permitted residence permits: A valid ILR
Entry granted: 180 days
Entry rules:

UK visa must be valid for at least 6 months from the day of arrival

Original sources:

***

Europe

Giant’s Causeway in Ireland

17. Albania

Eligible nationalities: All nationalities
Permitted visas: All valid used multiple-entry UK visas
Permitted residence permits: All valid ILR and BRPs
Entry granted: 90 days
Entry rules:

UK visa must have been used at least once to enter the UK

Original sources:

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Albania

—

18. Georgia

Eligible nationalities: All nationalities
Permitted visas: All valid used/unused multiple-entry UK visas
Permitted residence permits: All valid ILR and BRPs
Entry granted: 90 days
Entry rules:

UK visa must be valid on the day of arrival in Georgia
Total duration of consecutive stays must not exceed 90 days in any 180 day period

Original sources:

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia

—

19. Gibraltar (British Territory)

Eligible nationalities: All nationalities
Permitted visas: All valid used/unused multiple-entry UK visas
Permitted residence permits: All valid ILR and BRPs
Entry granted: 180 days
Entry rules:

UK visa must be issued for at least 6 months or more
UK residence permit must be issued for at least 12 months or more

Original sources:

—

20. Ireland

Eligible nationalities: Following nationalities only
Bahrain
Belarus
Bosnia and Herzegovina
China
India
Kazakhstan
Kuwait
Montenegro
Oman
Qatar
Russia
Saudi Arabia
Serbia
Thailand
Turkey
Ukraine
Uzbekistan
Permitted visas: A valid used multiple-entry UK short-stay standard visitor visa
Permitted residence permits: None
Entry granted: 90 days or until the exit date on your UK entry stamp, whichever is shorter
Entry rules:

Must enter the UK first before entering Ireland
Must enter and exit Ireland within the exit date on your UK entry stamp (this is different from the visa expiry date)
Can enter Ireland directly from the UK or elsewhere, but must enter Ireland within the exit date on the UK entry stamp

Original sources:

—

21. Montenegro

Eligible nationalities: All nationalities
Permitted visas: All valid used/unused multiple-entry UK visas
Permitted residence permits: All valid ILR and BRPs
Entry granted: 30 days
Entry rules:

UK visa must be valid for the intended period of the stay

Original sources:

—

22. North Macedonia

Eligible nationalities: All nationalities
Permitted visas: All valid used/unused multiple-entry UK visas
Permitted residence permits: None
Entry granted: 15 days
Entry rules:

UK visa must be valid for at least 5 days beyond the intended period of stay
Total duration of consecutive stays must not exceed 3 months in any 6 months period

Original sources:

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Macedonia

—

23. Romania

Eligible nationalities: All nationalities
Permitted visas: None
Permitted residence permits: All valid ILR and BRPs
Entry granted: 90 days
Entry rules:

UK residence permit should have been granted for 5 or more years
Total duration of consecutive stays must not exceed 90 days in any 180 day period

Original sources:

—

24. Serbia

Eligible nationalities: All nationalities
Permitted visas: All valid used/unused multiple-entry UK visas
Permitted residence permits: None
Entry granted: 90 days
Entry rules:

UK visa must be valid for the entire duration of the stay
Total duration of consecutive stays must not exceed 90 days in any 180 day period

Original sources:

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Serbia

—

25. Turkey

Eligible nationalities: Following nationalities only
Afghanistan
Angola
Bangladesh
Benin
Botswana
Burkina Faso
Burundi
Cameroon
Cape Verde
Central African Republic
Chad
Comoros
Cote d’Ivoire
Congo, Dem. Rep, of
Congo, Rep. of
Djibouti
Egypt
Equatorial Guinea
Eritrea
Ethiopia
Gabon
Gambia
Ghana
Guinea
Guinea-Bissau
India
Iraq
Kenya
Lesotho
Liberia
Libya
Madagascar
Malawi
Mali
Mauritania
Mozambique
Nepal
Niger
Nigeria
North Korea
Pakistan
Philippines
Rwanda
Sao Tome and Principe
Senegal
Sierra Leone
Somalia
Sri Lanka
Sudan
Swaziland
Tanzania
Togo
Uganda
Vietnam
Yemen
Zimbabwe
Permitted visas: All valid used/unused multiple-entry UK visas
Permitted residence permits: All valid ILR and BRPs
Entry granted: 30 days
Entry rules:

Visa is NOT EXEMPT, but are eligible to apply for eVisa online
eVisa fee is $43 USD, valid for 180 days, single-entry only

Original sources:

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkey

—

26. United Kingdom (Of course!)

Includes all parts of the United Kingdom: England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland
Includes British Crown Dependencies: Isle of Man and the Channel Islands (Bailiwick of Jersey and Bailiwick of Guernsey)

***

Middle East

The city skyline of Doha, Qatar

27. Oman

Eligible nationalities: Following nationalities only
Albania
Armenia
Azerbaijan
Belarus
Bhutan
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Costa Rica
Cuba
El Salvador
Guatemala
Honduras
India
Kazakhstan
Kyrgyzstan
Laos
Maldives
Mexico
Morocco
Nicaragua
Panama
Peru
Tajikistan
Turkmenistan
Uzbekistan
Vietnam
Permitted visas: All valid used/unused multiple-entry UK visas
Permitted residence permits: All valid ILR and BRPs
Entry granted: 30 days
Entry rules:

Visa in NOT EXEMPT, but are eligible to apply for eVisa online
eVisa fee is 50 OMR, valid for 1 year, multiple entry and must be used within 1 month of approval

Original sources:

Sultanate of Oman, Royal Oman Police

—

28. Qatar

Eligible nationalities: All nationalities
Permitted visas: All valid used/unused multiple-entry UK visas, except transit
Permitted residence permits: All valid ILR and BRPs
Entry granted: 30 days
Entry rules:

Visa is NOT EXEMPT, but are eligible to apply for eTA and then obtain Visa ON ARRIVAL at international airports in Qatar
eTA is free of charge, valid for 30 days, single-entry only
UK visa must be valid for at least 30 days from the day of arrival

Original sources:

—

29. Saudi Arabia

Eligible nationalities: All nationalities
Permitted visas: A valid used multiple-entry UK standard visitor visa
Permitted residence permits: None
Entry granted: 90 days
Entry rules:

Visa is NOT EXEMPT, but are eligible to obtain Visa ON ARRIVAL at all international airports in Saudi Arabia
VOA fee is 440 SAR (equivalent to $117 USD), valid for 1 year, multiple-entry
Must arrive by air on one of the official Saudi National airline – Saudia, Flynas, and Saudi Gulf
UK visa must have been used at least once to enter the UK

Original sources:

—

30. United Arab Emirates

Eligible nationalities: Following nationalities only
India
Permitted visas: None
Permitted residence permits: All valid ILR, BRP and spouse visas
Entry granted: 14 days
Entry rules:

Visa is NOT EXEMPT, but are eligible to obtain Visa ON ARRIVAL at UAE airports
VOA fee is 100 AED, valid for 14 days, single-entry only
UK residence permit must be valid for at least 6 months from the day of arrival
Passport must be valid for at least 6 months from the day of arrival

Original sources:

***

Asia

Carabao Island in the Philippines

31. Armenia

Eligible nationalities: Following nationalities only
India
Permitted visas: All valid used/unused multiple-entry UK visas
Permitted residence permits: All valid ILR and BRPs
Entry granted: 120 days
Entry rules:

Visa is NOT EXEMPT but are eligible to obtain Visa ON ARRIVAL
VOA fee is 15,000 AMD, valid for 120 days, single-entry only
Passport must to be valid during the entire stay in Armenia

Original sources:

—

32. Philippines

Eligible nationalities: Following nationalities only
India
Permitted visas: All valid used/unused multiple-entry UK visas
Permitted residence permits: All valid ILR and BRPs
Entry granted: 14 days
Entry rules:

UK visa must be valid for the entire duration of stay
Passport must be valid for at least 6 months beyond the date of departure

Original sources:

—

33. Singapore

Eligible nationalities: Following nationalities only
China
India
Permitted visas: All valid used/unused single/multiple-entry UK visas, except transit
Permitted residence permits: All valid ILR and BRPs
Entry granted: 96 hours (4 days)
Entry rules:

Must be traveling to or from the country of passport. Example: Must be traveling to a third country from India via Singapore or traveling to India from a third country via Singapore. An example itinerary would be India-Singapore-Bali or Bali-Singapore-India.
Both arriving and departing flights in Singapore must be on the same itinerary

Original sources:

—

34. South Korea

Eligible nationalities: All nationalities (except these 24 countries – Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Cameron, Cuba, Egypt, Gambia, Ghana, Iran, Iraq, Kosovo, Kyrgyzstan, Macedonia, Myanmar, Nepal, Nigeria, Pakistan, Palestine, Senegal, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Syria, Uzbekistan and Yemen)
Permitted visas: All valid used/unused single/multiple-entry UK visas, except transit
Permitted residence permits: All valid ILR and BRPs
Entry granted: 30 days
Entry rules:

Must be traveling to go to any of the 26 Schengen countries or Cyprus, Ireland, Romania or UK through South Korea (OR)
Must depart from any of the 26 Schengen countries or Cyprus, Ireland, Romania or UK to go to a third country through South Korea

Original sources:

—

35. Taiwan

Eligible nationalities: Following nationalities only
Cambodia
India
Indonesia
Laos
Myanmar
Vietnam
Permitted visas: All valid/expired used/unused single/multiple-entry UK visas, except transit visas
Permitted residence permits: All valid/expired ILR and BRPs
Entry granted: 14 days
Entry rules:

Visa is EXEMPT but must apply for ROC Travel Authorization Certificate online before arrival
ROC Travel Authorization Certificate is free of charge, valid for 90 days, multipe-entry
If using an EXPIRED UK visa or residence permit, the visa or residence permit must have expired in the last 10 years
Passport must be valid for at least 6 months from the day of arrival

Original sources:

Bureau of Consular Affairs, Republic of China (Taiwan)

***

Conclusion

So, there you have it! 35 countries and territories you can travel VISA-FREE with UK visa.

Do you know any other country (I haven’t listed here) that you can travel VISA-FREE with UK visa? Let me know in the comments below.

Plan Your Trip With Visa Traveler

I highly recommend using these websites to plan your trip. I use these websites myself to apply for my visas, book my flights and hotels and purchase my insurance.

01. Apply for your visa
You can get a verifiable flight itinerary for your visa application from DummyTicket. Flight itineraries from DummyTicket are valid for 2 weeks and works for all visa applications.

02. Book your fight
You can find the cheapest flight tickets using Skyscanner. Skyscanner includes all budget airlines and you are guaranteed to find the cheapest flight to your destination.

03. Book your hotel
You can book your hotel from Booking.com. Booking.com has pretty much every hotel, hostel and guesthouse from every destination.

04. Get your onward ticket
If traveling on one-way ticket, you can get your proof of onward flight from Expedia. Expedia offers free cancellation on tickets booked within 24 hours. Or use OnwardTicket to get a proof of onward ticket in just 2 minutes.

05. Purchase your insurance
You can purchase travel insurance for your trip from WorldNomads. With WorldNomads, you can purchase and extend your travel insurance from anywhere.

233 Comments

Abdullah says
June 2, 2020 at 9:42 pm
Hi, I am Yemeni National currently living in the UK on a BRP card which was issued to me on a spouse visa, me and my wife (UK citizen )planning to travel by car to France together.
Do I need to apply for a tourist visa if I am traveling with her, and what are the required documents?
Reply
- Thirumal says
  June 8, 2020 at 11:00 am
  Hi Abdullah! If you hold a UK BRP and will be traveling to France with your UK citizen wife, you do not need a Schengen visa. But keep in mind, you both have to travel together, your wife must carry her UK passport, you have to carry your UK BRP and evidence that you are her husband. For more information, go to SchengenVisaInfo.com and scroll down to “Does the spouse of British national with UK permanent residence need a Schengen visa?” section.
  Reply
Tariq Ahmed says
May 4, 2020 at 2:29 am
Hi, I have a Pakistani passport, currently living in the UK on a BRP card which was issued to me on a spouse visa, I just want to know that all the countries which you have mentioned here is still visa free to travel without taking confirmation from their consulates including Mexico.
Reply
- Thirumal says
  May 9, 2020 at 5:35 am
  Hi Tariq! I believe these countries are still visa-free as I have updated this article in April (last month) with the latest requirements. I don’t think anything would have changed in just one month. That being said, COVID-19 is affecting travel. Check if the flights have started running and these countries have started accepting tourists.
  Reply
Sourav Dutta says
February 24, 2020 at 4:41 pm
I am an India Passport holder having UK BRP, trier 2 ICT visa. My wife and daughter are having dependent visa with BRP. Without applying any visa, which all countries I can travel along with my Spouse and Daughter with UK BRP and Indian passport only?
Reply
- Thirumal says
  February 27, 2020 at 5:08 am
  Hi Sourav! You all can use your UK BRPs to travel to quite a few countries. I have researched and updated the article to indicate if BRPs and/or ILRs can be used for these countries. Go through the list of countries and look for “Permitted residence permits” to see if a BRP is accepted to enter.
  Reply
Mahmoud says
February 11, 2020 at 11:14 am
I have an Egyptian passport and a UK student visa. Can I visit turkey visa free?
Reply
- Thirumal says
  February 17, 2020 at 5:21 am
  Hi Mahmoud! It’s not visa-free, but with your Egyptian passport and UK student visa, you are eligible to apply Turkey eVisa. With your Turkey eVisa you can visit Turkey for up to 30 days.
  Reply
Warda fatima says
February 3, 2020 at 4:28 pm
Hi, I live in Dubai. I have a UK Visa. I will be traveling in March to visit my sister in the UK. We plan to travel to Paris and Switzerland. Do I need to apply for a Schengen visa from here? Do I have to provide travel tickets too with hotel bookings? As my plan is not yet final. Thank you.
Reply
- Thirumal says
  February 5, 2020 at 8:32 am
  Hi Warda fatima! You NEED a Schengen visa to travel to France and Switzerland. You cannot use your UK visa, you must hold a Schengen visa to travel to France/Switzerland.
  Yes, you must apply for your Schengen visa from Dubai. Yes, only a flight itinerary and refundable hotel bookings. You can use a visa ticket booking agency such as DummyTicket to get a flight itinerary and booking.com/Expedia for refundable hotel bookings.
  Reply
C. M. Antony says
January 31, 2020 at 7:49 pm
Hi, I am an Indian national holding Indian passport working in Qatar. I have applied for UK short visit visa from Qatar VSF and got it for 180 days multiple-entry. Please confirm whether I can visit Ireland from the UK within the visa period and back to Qatar from Dublin.
Reply
- Thirumal says
  February 2, 2020 at 7:33 am
  Hi Antony! Yes, you can visit Ireland with your India passport and existing UK visa. But keep in mind that you can only enter and stay in Ireland within the “leave to remain” period on your UK entry stamp (not your UK visa validity period). And yes, you can return to Qatar directly from Dublin.
  How long can you stay in Ireland? Explained below.
  Assume that you enter the UK on 01 March 2020. UK immigration officer at the airport grants you a 30-day entry (leave to remain period). That means you can stay in the UK until 30 March 2020. You stay in the UK for 10 days and you enter Ireland on 10 March 2020. You will be given a 20-day entry only in Ireland since only 20 days are remaining on “your leave to remain in the UK”. You have to leave Ireland on or before 30 March 2020.
  Reply
Nimi says
January 28, 2020 at 8:51 pm
Hello, I am an Indian, currently in the UK on tier 5 dependent visa. I have a BRP. Do I need a visa to attend an exam in Dublin? Thanks.
Reply
- Thirumal says
  February 2, 2020 at 8:46 am
  Hi Nimi! Yes, you REQUIRE a visa to sit in an exam in Dublin. You need an Irish Exam Visa for that.
  The Irish visa waiver program for Indians is only for those with a short-stay UK visa such as a Standard Visitor visa or a Short-term Study visa. A UK BRP cannot be used to enter Ireland.
  Reply
Khaldoon says
January 26, 2020 at 8:00 am
Hi, I am a student at a UK university, holding Jordanian passport, also I have BRP. Can I travel to the mentioned countries above with my family as my children don’t have BRP because they are less 18 (9,8,4)?
Reply
- Thirumal says
  February 27, 2020 at 7:08 am
  Hi Khaldoon! Your children must also have a BRP or UK visa. Everyone in the family has to have either a UK BRP or UK visa to enter these countries with their Jordanian passports.
  Reply
Hadi says
January 24, 2020 at 12:06 am
I’m having UK visit visa and I want to travel to Mexico. But I read in Mexico government website only UK permanent residence holders can enter visa-free. How can you say that UK visit visa holders can go there on a visit visa? I’m Pakistan national.
Reply
- Thirumal says
  January 25, 2020 at 9:31 am
  Hi Hadi! Mexico visa information is not consistent across all government websites. If you check on any Mexico consulate/embassy websites, you will see that UK visa holders can also enter Mexico visa-free. On top of that, many readers have reported that they have successfully used their UK visas to travel to Mexico.
  Reply
Abdullah says
January 17, 2020 at 2:53 am
Saudi Arabia started to allow the holders of UK Visa to get visa on arrival. Please check the following link for your reference: https://www.saudia.com/before-flying/travel-information/hajj-and-umrah/tourist-visa
I am a spouse of a UK citizen holding a UK residents visa. I’m planning to visit with my wife Croatia. Do I need a visa ? If yes may I know how and where to apply for it?
Reply
- Thirumal says
  January 17, 2020 at 5:06 am
  Hi Abdullah! Thanks for the information. I will update the article soon.
  Croatia does not honor UK visas, therefore you will have to apply for a Croatia visa. That being said, Schengen countries allow entry to spouses of UK citizens holding UK resident visas when traveling with their spouses. Croatia is not a Schengen country but honors Schengen visas. Therefore, they may allow entry to you without a visa if traveling with your spouse. So, check with the Croatian authorities first before applying for the visa.
  If you have to apply for a Croatian visa, you must first apply online and then present the printed application along with documents at your nearest Croatian embassy. More information at the Croatian Ministry of Foreign Affairs website.
  Reply
  - Abdullah says
    January 20, 2020 at 3:10 pm
    Thank you for your kind response. May I know if Romania allows entry to spouses of UK citizens holding UK resident visas when traveling with their spouses.
    Reply
    - Thirumal says
      January 21, 2020 at 9:39 am
      I don’t have confirmed information on that. Romania is in the process to join the Schengen agreement, so they might allow. Please check with the Romanian consulate for confirmation.
      Reply
    - Imdad says
      January 21, 2020 at 9:43 am
      Yes, you can go to Romania with spouse but not alone.
      Reply
- Mehmood says
  January 17, 2020 at 4:57 pm
  I am a Pakistani passport holder and I have US and UK visas. Can I travel to SAUDIA or can I get a visa on arrival? If anyone has confirmed information please let me know. Thanks.
  Reply
  - Thirumal says
    January 20, 2020 at 6:19 am
    Hi Mehmood! You can get Visa on Arrival at the international airports in KSA. I have spoken to authorities and they said the information is confirmed. The information was posted on the Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage website. Only Saudi national airlines (Saudia, Flynas, and Saudi Gulf) have been instructed to let travelers with US/UK/Schengen visas board their flights to KSA. Therefore, you must take one of the Saudi national airlines in order to get VOA.
    Reply
Adion says
January 16, 2020 at 6:21 am
Hello, can I go to Romania with my UK tourist visa? Or it only applies to people that have a permanent residence permit?
Reply
- Thirumal says
  January 17, 2020 at 5:40 am
  Hi Adion! No. You cannot enter Romania with your UK tourist visa. It applies to those with UK residence permits valid for 5 years or more.
  Reply
Preksha says
January 15, 2020 at 12:22 pm
Hi, I hold an Indian passport and UK short term study visa till 7th July 2020. Can I travel to Turkey with this visa?
Reply
- Thirumal says
  January 17, 2020 at 2:41 pm
  Hi Preksha! Yes, you can use your UK short-term study visa to apply for Turkey eVisa. Turkey eVisa is valid for 6 months, grants 30-day entry and costs $43.
  Reply
D says
January 7, 2020 at 4:17 pm
Hi there. I’ve used your guide and it’s been really helpful! So I thought I’d pay it forward by letting others know that you can also travel to Jordan with a UK visa valid for longer than 6 months. The information is available on the Jordanian embassy website.
Reply
- Thirumal says
  January 13, 2020 at 9:44 am
  Hi D! Thank you very much for the information. When I check the Jordan embassy website, it says that residence in the UK is required and tourist/visit visas are not allowed. Can you please send me the link?
  Reply
Saikou Bojang says
January 7, 2020 at 12:14 am
Hi, I’m having a UK visa of 6 months with multiple entry. My question is can I travel to Sweden with it?
Reply
- Thirumal says
  January 13, 2020 at 10:03 am
  Hi Saikou! No. You cannot enter Sweden with a UK visa. You require a Schengen visa for Sweden.
  Reply
Saikou Bojang says
January 7, 2020 at 12:08 am
Hi, I’m a Gambian with a UK six months visa with multiple entry. My question is, if I want to go back to UK for 3 months holidays do I need to apply for a visa or just need to buy a ticket?
Reply
- Thirumal says
  January 13, 2020 at 10:07 am
  Hi Saikou! If your UK visa is still valid, you can enter the UK again. You don’t need to apply for a new visa. But keep in mind that staying 3 months in the UK on a visit visa will get you into trouble while leaving the UK or re-entering.
  Reply
Kevin says
January 2, 2020 at 3:52 pm
Hi, I am a British citizen and planned to travel to Mexico in February with my family. I appreciate if you answer my following questions:
1. My wife has a spouse visa (BRP) which expires on 05/01/2021. Can she enter Mexico with her BRP?
2. My father and mother-in-law are Iranian and having a UK visit visa which will expire on 19/06/2020. Can they travel with us to Mexico?
Thanks for your time and effort in advance.
Reply
- Thirumal says
  January 4, 2020 at 8:28 am
  Hi Kevin!
  1. Yes. Your wife can enter Mexico with her valid BRP. She does not need a separate Mexico visa.
  2. Yes. Your father and mother-in-law can also enter Mexico with their valid UK visit visas. They also do not need separate Mexico visas.
  Reply
Sundram singh says
November 27, 2019 at 10:25 pm
Thanks Thirumal for replying. I have one more question. I would like to know for applying for a multi-entry tourist Schengen visa for 6 months, which European country shall I opt for the visa interview. Additionally, if I don’t have to book and show a travel ticket in advance then it would be great.
Reply
- Thirumal says
  November 30, 2019 at 5:10 am
  Hi Sundram! It depends on your itinerary. As per the Schengen rules, you must apply for your Schengen visa from the embassy of the country that you will enter first or stay the longest in your itinerary.
  Example 1: If you plan to travel to Spain (3 days), France (3 days) and the Netherlands (3 days), then you must apply for your visa at the Spain consulate as Spain will be your first country to enter on your itinerary.
  Example 2: If you plan to travel to Spain (3 days), France (5 days) and the Netherlands (3 days), then you must apply for your visa at the France consulate as you will be staying the longest in France during your travel.
  Schengen country consulates recommend NOT purchasing flight tickets before your visa is approved. So, you just have to show a flight itinerary for your visa. Once your visa is approved, you can purchase your flight tickets. To get a flight itinerary for your Schengen visa, refer to my article on travel itinerary for visa application.
  Reply
- C says
  January 5, 2020 at 11:00 am
  I’m a Nigerian, using a Nigerian passport. I have a UK 5yrs visa. Do I need a visa to visit Mexico and Romania?
  Reply
  - Thirumal says
    January 13, 2020 at 10:18 am
    Hi C! You can visit Mexico with your Nigerian passport and UK visa. But for Romania, you would require a UK residence permit. UK visa is not eligible.
    Reply
Sundram says
November 15, 2019 at 1:46 pm
I am Sundram (Indian passport holder), currently working in the UK (under tier-2 ICT visa). I have a BRP (residence permit) which is valid for 1 year. I would like to know, do I need a Schengen visa to travel to Europe. I am a little bit confused now since the immigration officer told me just keep Indian passport along with this BRP and then you free to travel anywhere in Europe.
Reply
- Thirumal says
  November 16, 2019 at 6:12 am
  Hi Sundram! UK BRP holders REQUIRE a Schengen visa to travel to any of the 26 Schengen countries. There are many non-Schengen countries within the European continent that you can visit using your UK BRP. A few examples are – Albania, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Georgia, etc. Please refer to the list of countries in this article for more information.
  Reply
nachikethas says
November 11, 2019 at 4:55 pm
Hi Thirumal! I appreciate your efforts. I have a couple of doubts though. I have a BRP card valid from 2 October 2019 till 7th April 2020 (just more than 6 months). Is this enough to go to Peru? I’m planning for the Christmas holidays. Or do I need 6 months of validity from the day I land in Peru? Also, the flights from the UK are going through Madrid. Since the carrier is the same do I need a transit Schengen visa to switch flights in Madrid?
Reply
- Thirumal says
  November 15, 2019 at 1:21 pm
  Hi Nachikethas! If you have a BRP with indefinite leave to remain (ILR), you can use it to enter Peru. But your BRP has an expiry and it will not be considered as “permanent residence”. You cannot use your BRP as a “visa” either since it’s not a visa “sticker” in your passport.
  If you have a UK visa sticker in your passport that would be valid for at least 6 months on the day you land in Peru, you can use it to enter Peru. Otherwise, unfortunately, you cannot.
  Reply
Mindy says
October 18, 2019 at 5:42 pm
Hi, Thank you so much for this. I am holding a Chinese passport and have UK student visa. Just wanna make sure I don’t need a visa to enter Moldova for multiple times. The link is unfortunately broken. Can you send it to me again! Many thanks!
Reply
- Thirumal says
  October 19, 2019 at 4:54 am
  Hi Mindy! Chinese passport holders with a valid visa from “any country in the EU” can enter Moldova. The UK is still part of the EU since the Brexit is not finalized yet.
  Sorry about the broken link. Here is the link to the requirements. Scroll all the way down. Expand the section that says “The list of countries whose nationals must be in possession of visas when traveling to the Republic of Moldova”. Look for “China” in the list and read additional information.
  Reply
Narjis says
September 18, 2019 at 5:41 pm
I’m Moroccan, I have a UK tourist visa of 2 years (but will expire on 10 March 2020). Which countries can I visit with that visa, please? Thank you!
Reply
- Thirumal says
  September 20, 2019 at 4:35 am
  Hi Narjis! You can travel to all the countries listed in this article that says “applies to all nationalities”. I will be updating the list soon, so you will have updated information for these countries.
  Reply
Jeanette says
August 21, 2019 at 8:48 am
I’m a Filipino and a UK residency permit holder. Can I travel to Prague without a Schengen visa? Thanks.
Reply
- Thirumal says
  August 25, 2019 at 9:50 am
  Hi Jeanette! You would need a Schengen visa to travel to the Czech Republic. The Czech Republic does not honor UK visas or residence permits.
  Reply
J says
August 20, 2019 at 1:40 pm
Hi Thirumal, I have two questions that I was hoping you could answer.
I am an Indian national living in Australia as a permanent resident. I may be moving to the UK soon to start a job there. Can I travel across Europe on a UK work visa or would I need to apply for a Schengen visa from the UK?
Secondly, I am expecting to become an Australian citizen in a few months’ time. If I’m living and working in the UK while this happens, can I continue to use my Indian passport with the UK visa? I understand that I’m expected to give up my Indian passport after acquiring foreign citizenship but wouldn’t I lose all the visas issued to me If I did that?
Cheers,
J
Reply
- Thirumal says
  August 25, 2019 at 4:33 am
  Hi J! No. A UK visa cannot be used to travel across the Schengen zone. But there are some countries in Europe that you can enter using your UK visa or residence permit. Please refer to my article on VISA-FREE travel with UK visa for the list of countries.
  You can keep using your India passport up to “3 months” from the date of acquiring your Australia citizenship. Using it beyond 3 months is an offense. Therefore, you will have 3 months to transfer over your UK work visa on to your Australia passport. I am not aware of the transfer procedure, so please contact UKVI.
  For other unexpired visas on your India passport, you must first check if you can enter those countries without a visa with your Australia passport. If you can, then you are fine. If you can’t, please contact the embassies of those countries for the procedure to transfer those visas on to your Australia passport.
  Also, you must surrender your India passport at the embassy of India in Australia within 3 years of acquiring your Australia citizenship. You will then be eligible to apply for OCI card which allows indefinite leave to remain in India.
  Reply
Rafael Pagaling says
August 15, 2019 at 9:22 am
I am a Filipino with UK visa. Can I use it to visit Spain?
Reply
- Thirumal says
  August 16, 2019 at 2:59 pm
  Hi Rafael! You cannot use your UK visa to enter Spain. Spain is in the Schengen zone and you would need a Schengen visa.
  Reply
Abdirizak says
August 9, 2019 at 8:49 pm
Hi Thirumal,
I have a 6 months visit visa to the UK. In your article, you mentioned that I can be eligible for a 30 days stay in Turkey. The question is, can I extend it to 60 or even 90?
Reply
- Thirumal says
  August 12, 2019 at 9:36 am
  Hi Abdirizak! Visa extension is not possible for eVisa. You can only stay for 30 days using an eVisa. If you stay longer than that on an eVisa, it can be considered as visa overstay. If you need to stay longer than 30 days in Turkey, you should apply for a pre-approved visa from the Turkish embassy or consulate.
  Reply
mandal says
August 6, 2019 at 12:30 pm
Hi dear, I want to travel to Europe. I have a 11-months multiple short term student visa of UK. Can I travel to Europe on the UK visa? I’m a Mongolian passport holder.
Reply
- Thirumal says
  August 7, 2019 at 1:15 pm
  Hi Mandal! If your UK visa is a C-Type short stay/study visa, then yes, you can travel to the countries listed within “Europe” section such as Albania, Georgia, etc. Please note that you cannot travel to any Schengen countries as those countries require a Schengen visa.
  Reply
MARY ANN SALAS says
August 6, 2019 at 9:43 am
Hi, could you please confirm if a Pakistani passport holder does not require Bahamas visa if he has a valid UK, US & Canada visa?
Reply
- Thirumal says
  August 6, 2019 at 1:42 pm
  Hi Mary! Unfortunately, Pakistan passport holders REQUIRE a visa for the Bahamas. Currently, the visa exemption with the US, UK or Canada visa is only for India passport holders.
  Reply
pappy says
July 31, 2019 at 2:57 pm
Hello Thirumal, well done with the good work you are doing here. I have two questions:
First question: I have a valid 2 years UK visa. Can I apply for a Cyprus Visa in London when I travel? I hold a Nigerian passport.
Second question: Can I stay in the UK for 6 months (the maximum time allowed) and travel out for a week and return again? Would I encounter problems coming back again?
Reply
- Thirumal says
  August 3, 2019 at 8:40 am
  Hi Pappy!
  1. I have never applied for a Cyprus visa, so I am not sure about the visa procedure. Please check with your nearest Cyprus embassy if you can apply for the visa while in the UK.
  2. If you have requested your UK visa for a 6-month stay, then yes. But if you have requested your UK visa for a 2-week stay and you end up staying for 6 months in the UK, then you will face issues. You may face issues while leaving the country, entering back into the UK and even when applying for any future UK visas.
  Reply
Daniel says
July 31, 2019 at 1:09 pm
Hello mate, thank you for helping everyone. I have a lot of questions there sorry haha.
I am Cameroonian and I have indefinite leave to remain UK permit.
1- You said below that I don’t need a visa for Gibraltar but I don’t know how it works. Do I go with the passport and the IRL card? Are they going to put a stamp in the passport? Are they going to ask for more information about my stay?
2- Do I need a visa for Belize?
3- Do I need a visa for Mexico?
4- Do I need a visa for Romania
5- If not, is it the same process in the airport as Gibraltar?
Thank you!
Reply
- Thirumal says
  August 1, 2019 at 12:08 pm
  Hi Daniel!
  1- You don’t need a visa for Gibraltar but you must meet the below requirement.
  “Persons who hold indefinite leave to remain in the UK and persons who hold UK certificates of entitlement to the right of abode and have not been absent from the UK for more than 2 years.”
  “Visa nationals who have a UK “certificate of entitlement to the right of abode” or “indefinite leave to remain in the UK”. The label must be in their current valid passport and not in an expired or cancelled passport;”
  2- Unfortunately, Belize stopped honoring UK Residence Permits. Therefore, you cannot use your ILR card to enter Belize. (I will update the article soon)
  3- Yes, you can use your ILR card to enter Mexico.
  4- Yes. But you must meet the below requirement.
  “The holders of permanent residence permits issued by the UK or Ireland (the validity of which is of 5 years or more). The right of stay on the territory of Romania shall not exceed the right of stay granted as per such residence permits.”
  5- Yes. It’s the same process. You just have to show your current passport and ILR card.
  Reply
  - Daniel says
    August 3, 2019 at 3:48 pm
    Thank you very much!
    Reply
Ruby says
July 22, 2019 at 11:18 am
Hi, I have an Indian passport, married to British citizen so hold a UK spouse visa. Can I go to Barbados for a holiday?
Thank you.
Reply
- Thirumal says
  July 23, 2019 at 3:24 am
  Hi Ruby! As far as my knowledge goes, India passport holders DO NOT REQUIRE a visa for Barbados. But there is conflicting information on the internet. I suggest contacting your nearest embassy or consulate of Barbados to confirm the requirements.
  Reply
  - Ruby says
    August 22, 2019 at 1:58 pm
    Thanks. I have been going around in circles!
    The embassy website says Indians do need a visa. I called them and they said that I do not need a visa. Wikipedia says I do not. I contacted the airlines and they say I do need a visa. This is crazy!
    Reply
    - Thirumal says
      August 26, 2019 at 5:01 am
      Though the airline said that you need a visa, I’m sure they will let you board the flight. At the time of check-in, the airline staff refers to TIMATIC database to verify the visa requirements. TIMATIC says that India passport holders DO NOT REQUIRE a visa. Therefore, you will be allowed to board your flight to Barbados. Here is the link to TIMATIC on United Airlines if you like to verify and carry a print with you.
      NOTE: TIMATIC is a paid service accessible only to airlines’ staff. Only a few airlines make it available to their passengers. One of them is United Airlines. It’s fine to take a print from United Airlines’ website even if your boarding airline is different.
      Reply
Keema says
July 19, 2019 at 2:09 pm
Hi, I just want to be clear. I am a Jamaican passport holder and my children have British passports. I have a UK limited leave to remain (biometric residence permit BPR) visa for 2.5 years which I renew every 2.5 years I am now on my third one as I am on a 10-year route to settlement as a parent and I am a UK resident. Can I use my BPR to travel to Turks and Caicos and the Cayman Island without the need to apply for a visa for those countries?
Reply
- Thirumal says
  July 22, 2019 at 10:55 am
  Hi Keema! Yes, you can use your UK BRP to travel to both Turks and Caicos and the Cayman Islands. For the Cayman Islands, you must fly directly from the UK to the Cayman Islands. Turks and Caicos don’t have such requirement, therefore you can fly into Turks and Caicos from anywhere.
  Reply
Andrew says
July 19, 2019 at 12:26 pm
Hello sir! I am a Filipino with a UK permanent residence card issued at march 2011 and will expire in march 2021. I plan to travel to Romania but their website says that the permit must be valid for 5 years. I am not sure whether they mean valid for the next five years or with a total validity of 5 years since issue. Is it still possible to travel with my residence permit? Thank you!
Reply
- Thirumal says
  July 22, 2019 at 10:48 am
  Hi Andrew! It is the total validity of your permit. Residence permits that are issued with a validity of 5 or more years are eligible. Therefore, you can use your UK residence permit to enter Romania.
  Reply
YOUSUF IQBAL says
July 16, 2019 at 1:50 pm
Hello Sir, I am traveling to the UK on visit visa type C. I intend to visit turkey for a week during my stay in the UK and want to return back to the UK before I go back to Pakistan. Is it possible on my visit visa?
Would greatly appreciate your reply. Thank you.
Reply
- Thirumal says
  July 19, 2019 at 10:57 am
  Hi Yousuf! Since you have a valid UK visa, you are eligible to apply for Turkey eVisa. If your Turkey eVisa is approved, then you can enter Turkey with the eVisa.
  Reply
  - YOUSUF IQBAL says
    July 19, 2019 at 11:09 am
    Thank you so much sir for your reply.
    Will I then be able to come back to the UK from Turkey if my visa is valid. I have multiple entry UK visa.
    Regards
    Reply
    - Thirumal says
      July 19, 2019 at 11:58 am
      Yes. You can enter the UK again with your visa since your visa is multiple-entry.
      Reply
swathi says
July 15, 2019 at 6:16 am
Hi Thirumal, can I know if a person holding an Indian passport? He is travelling from London to USA (ticket issued from India). Can we issue travel insurance from India? If not Why.
Kindly help with this information.
Reply
- Thirumal says
  July 16, 2019 at 1:05 am
  Hi Swathi! Yes, you can purchase travel insurance from India though you are traveling to the US from the UK.
  Reply
Jaime says
July 11, 2019 at 11:49 pm
I was recently refused a UK visa even though I had a 5 yrs US visa but never travelled with it. After the UK refusal, I got a 5 yr Canada visa too. I have since travelled to the US and Canada. What are my chances of getting the UK visa if I reapply?
Reply
- Thirumal says
  July 12, 2019 at 12:57 pm
  Hi Jaime! You have very good chances. But, your previous UK visa refusal could be a red flag. I suggest improving your travel history a bit more to compensate for that. Also, make sure you are “not making” any of the mistakes outlined in the article – UK visa refusal reasons.
  Reply
Abiola says
June 26, 2019 at 7:26 am
Good day sir! You are really doing a great job. Please am a Nigerian and want to travel to Dublin with my UK 6 month visa. What will I need? And what is B I V S?
Reply
- Thirumal says
  June 26, 2019 at 9:49 pm
  Hi Abiola! Nigeria passport holders REQUIRE a visa for Ireland. You CANNOT use their UK visa to travel to Ireland unless the UK visa has BIVS. If you have a UK visa with BIVS, then you can travel to Ireland.
  BIVS means, British Irish Visa Scheme. It’s a single visa for both UK and Ireland. You have to ask for BIVS at the time of applying for UK or Irish visa. Then you will be issued a visa with BIVS.
  Reply
Kiran says
June 23, 2019 at 5:21 am
Hi Thirumal,
Firstly thanks a very nice and informative article.
My parents have a 3-year Australian visitor/family visa, could they visit the UK on any visa exemption?
Really appreciate your response.
Regards,
Kiran
Reply
- Thirumal says
  June 23, 2019 at 6:39 pm
  Hi Kiran! Unfortunately, they would need a UK tourist visa to visit the UK. They cannot use their Australia visa.
  NOTE: There is a 24-hour entry provision for Australia visa holders but that is only when transiting through the UK while heading to Australia.
  Reply
April says
June 15, 2019 at 6:39 am
Hi there, I am from the Philippines holding a c-visit visa. Are all your list of countries above updated for the visa-free travel? I would like to visit Bosnia next week but I’m not sure whether I can go travel without having to apply for a separate visa. Many thanks!
Reply
- Thirumal says
  June 16, 2019 at 11:55 pm
  Hi April! I have updated this article in March but I haven’t found any changes since then. I suggest making a list of countries that you would be visiting in this trip and then using the links (official sources) I have provided to verify the requirements.
  Reply
Prathik says
June 14, 2019 at 10:04 am
Hi, I have an Indian passport and a UK Tier 4 student visa with a BRP valid till October 2020. I have a university trip to France for 2 weeks. Is my BRP sufficient or will I need to apply for a Schengen Visa?
Thank you.
Reply
- Thirumal says
  June 14, 2019 at 9:00 pm
  Hi Prathik! You need to apply for a Schengen visa. You cannot use your UK BRP to enter France (Schengen zone).
  Reply
King says
June 12, 2019 at 12:12 pm
Hi there. I have a Nigerian passport. Can I travel to the UK with a Canada visitor visa and or travel to Canada with a UK visitor visa.
Thanks for your time.
Reply
- Thirumal says
  June 12, 2019 at 4:44 pm
  Hi King! Unfortunately, no. You CANNOT travel to the UK with Canada visa or Canada with a UK visa. There is a 24-hour entry provision at London’s Heathrow airport. If you are traveling to Canada via London’s Heathrow airport, you can request for a 24-hour entry at the Heathrow airport.
  Reply
Piyu says
June 10, 2019 at 5:53 am
I want to travel to Ireland, Europe. Can I travel with a UK tourist visa to Ireland? And if yes, then there is one past rule that after or within 6 months you have to enter UK for at least once.
And a Schengen visa is required or not.
Reply
- Thirumal says
  June 10, 2019 at 10:10 pm
  Hi Piyu! You can travel to Ireland with a UK visa. But there are two types of UK visas and the rules are different.
  UK short stay visa: If you have this visa, you must first enter the UK. From there, you can enter Ireland by land or air. Your stay in Ireland must be within the “leave to enter” time specified in the UK entry stamp.
  UK short stay visa with BIVS: If you have this visa, you can enter Ireland any time. You don’t have to enter the UK at all.
  A Schengen visa cannot be used for Ireland as Ireland is not part of the Schengen zone. You would need an Irish tourist visa.
  Reply
Anandakumar says
June 1, 2019 at 7:27 pm
Dear Thirumal, Thanks for sharing this blog. It was really useful it worked well for me.
I travelled
– Serbia
– Bosnia
– Montenegro
– Albania
– Macedonia
– And Turkey (evisa)
With my UK multiple entry Visa
Thanks again!
Reply
- Thirumal says
  June 4, 2019 at 2:25 am
  Hi Ananda Kumar! That’s fantastic! I’m glad the article was useful in your travel through those countries. Thanks for sharing your experience!
  Reply
Mshoaib says
May 24, 2019 at 10:59 am
Dear, I have a UK visitor visa. After attending my business meeting, can I go around for the six months to allowed countries from the UK?
Another question is whether Malaysia is on the list? If not, what is the legal process to visit Malaysia after being entered to the UK in visit visa?
Reply
- Thirumal says
  May 27, 2019 at 11:41 pm
  Hi Mshoaib! Yes, you can travel to the countries listed in this article with your UK visa after your business meeting in the UK.
  You cannot use your UK visa to enter Malaysia. You would need a Malaysia visa. You can refer to my Malaysia visa guide for more details.
  Reply
Muhammad Zargham Haider says
May 22, 2019 at 9:36 am
Hi,
I am Zargham from Pakistan. I got a UK visit visa (6-Month). I want to visit Turkey on my way back from the UK to Pakistan. As per your suggestion, I will have to obtain E-Visa for Turkey or I can have a transit visa while traveling back through Turk Air.
Please also guide if I get Russian visit visa, are there other countries I can visit too?
Reply
- Thirumal says
  May 22, 2019 at 3:40 pm
  Hi Zargham! Yes, you can obtain eVisa for Turkey using your UK visa. I’m not aware of the transit visa facility by Turk Air. So, I cannot comment on that.
  Unfortunately, Russian visa does not give access to any other countries.
  Reply
Cruz says
May 20, 2019 at 6:07 pm
Hello, I have a UK six month visa and I am planning to travel to Dublin from London for 2 days. I am an Indian citizen but applied for the UK visitor visa from the UAE (I live in Dubai). Will I be able to travel to Dublin? visa type is UKVI05 multiple entries valid for 180 days, C visit.
Reply
- Thirumal says
  May 22, 2019 at 4:05 am
  Hi Cruz! Yes, you can enter Ireland from the UK using your UK short stay visa. No separate visa for Ireland is necessary. Make sure you follow the below two rules –
  – Must have entered the UK and went through the UK immigration before entering Ireland
  – Must enter Ireland within the exit date on your UK entry stamp (this is different than visa expiry date)
  Reply
Sameera Buddhika says
May 9, 2019 at 1:27 pm
Hi Mr. Thirumal
I have a previous UK student visa, and now it has expired. I am a Sri Lankan passport holder. So, is there any European countries that I can travel with that previous visa? Thank you in advance!
Reply
- Thirumal says
  May 10, 2019 at 10:09 pm
  Hi Sameera! Unfortunately, no. All countries in Europe require the UK visa to be valid.
  There are one or two countries in this list (non-European) that accept expired visas. One of them being Taiwan, but their visa exemption with a UK visa is not applicable to Sri Lankan passport holders.
  Reply
Dr Jayanti mehta says
May 8, 2019 at 10:41 am
Dear sir/Madam,
I have UK/USA & CANADA multiple tourist visas. How many countries I can travel visa-free? I have returned confirmed air tickets. Please guide me I want to travel in June/July & August 2019. Thanks.
Reply
- Thirumal says
  May 8, 2019 at 2:41 pm
  Hi Dr. Mehta! With your UK, US and Canada visas, you can travel up to 37 countries. I suggest referring to the below articles along with this article.
  – VISA-FREE countries for US visa
  – How to make your weak passport strong
  Reply
Sunny says
May 3, 2019 at 3:46 pm
Thanks bro! You are doing an amazing job. Today I got an email confirmation from Costa Rica embassy in London. I share with you. so it might help you to advise. Again thanks!
Email received on:- 03 May 2019
Dear Mr. Patel,
Holders of a UK residence permit can go without a consular visa, provided the residence card is valid for 6 months from the day of entry into Costa Rica, and could be allowed to stay up to 30 days.
You need to show a return ticket or ongoing travel, hotel reservation and proof of financial means (credit cards), if requested.
Thank you,
Jorge Aguilar
Minister Counsellor and Consul General
Embassy of Costa Rica
23 Woodstock Street, Mayfair
London W1C 2AS, United Kingdom
phone 020 7629 3111
Reply
- Thirumal says
  May 3, 2019 at 6:44 pm
  Hi Sunny! Thanks for the information and the email! Very useful! I will advise our readers/community accordingly. Thanks again!
  Reply
Sunny says
May 2, 2019 at 7:23 pm
But Brexit is not done yet the UK still part of the EU. I called Costa Rica embassy in London today. The lady was on phone, she said you are good to go with out visa but it’s so confusing man. Please find some information for me. Thanks!
Reply
- Thirumal says
  May 2, 2019 at 10:31 pm
  Hi Sunny! If it’s confusing for just one country, imagine how confusing it would be to update this entire article. Brexit, it’s delays and extensions are causing confusion to many countries and travelers. I’m waiting for official information from these countries whether they allow UK visa, but I guess they are waiting for the final word on Brexit as well.
  Anyways, you are told that you are good to use your UK visa. Enjoy your trip to Costa Rica!
  Reply
Sunny says
May 2, 2019 at 3:43 pm
Hello, I have UK student visa valid till October 2020. We planned to visit Costa Rica on 27 May. So with Indian passport can we travel without a visa?
Reply
- Thirumal says
  May 2, 2019 at 6:16 pm
  Hi Sunny! Unfortunately, NO. Costa Rica allowed residence permits from any country in the EU. But the UK ceased to be in the EU and therefore UK residence permits are not eligible for Costa Rica anymore.
  NOTE: I’m yet to update this article after Brexit. I’m making my best efforts to update it as soon as I can.
  Reply
Amir Iqbal says
May 2, 2019 at 10:54 am
Hello, I hold a Schengen student visa and a UK tourist visa on my Indian passport. I need to travel to Dubai, as per the blog’s info I do not need UAE visa. Do I need to undergo any other formalities before my travel? Thanks for answering.
Reply
- Thirumal says
  May 2, 2019 at 6:07 pm
  Hi Amir! YOU NEED A VISA for UAE. You cannot use your UK tourist visa. You would need a UK residence permit.
  Reply
Ish says
April 28, 2019 at 5:39 am
Hi, I am an Indian passport holder and wanted to check if I can go to Bermuda with a UK visitor visa (C category for 6 months) from India. Further, do I need to file for a Bermuda eVisa online also?
Reply
- Thirumal says
  April 29, 2019 at 8:37 pm
  Hi Ish! If you hold a “multiple-entry” UK visitor visa, you can enter Bermuda without needing a separate visa. Refer to the official information on Government of Bermuda website.
  Reply
Dr Purushottam Padala says
April 27, 2019 at 12:32 pm
Hi Thirumal. You are doing a great job helping out on this lovely blog.
I and all my family have a Permanent residence (PR) visa to the UK on my Indian passport. This visa was issued 12 yrs ago on my previous passport, which I always keep stapled to my new passport so that whenever I travel to the UK I do not have a problem.
Can I travel to the Schengen area on my UK PR without visa requirement especially so because it is on my old passport?
Although you have mentioned one can, there is information to the contrary on the web that you need a Schengen visa.
I also have a 10 yr B1/B2 to the US on my new passport, if it helps to visit Schengen without a visa.
Thanks in advance
Reply
- Thirumal says
  April 30, 2019 at 9:01 pm
  Hi Dr. Purushottam! Unfortunately, you CANNOT use your UK PR or US B1/B2 visa to enter any country in the Schengen zone. You would need a Schengen visa to travel to any Schengen country.
  Reply
ayo says
April 17, 2019 at 1:50 am
I am from Nigeria and I have a UK visitors visa. I’ve used it a lot and I’d like to know if I can go to Romania without having to apply for a Romanian visa for tourism.
Reply
- Thirumal says
  April 17, 2019 at 6:58 pm
  Hi Ayo! No, you CANNOT use your UK visitor visa to enter Romania. You would need a UK Residence Permit to enter Romania.
  Reply
Adil says
April 8, 2019 at 9:36 am
Hi Is this list valid for people holding a UK BRP (Bio metric residence permit) valid for 2 years. It’s normally issued if you are working in UK but not a permanent resident.
Reply
- Thirumal says
  April 8, 2019 at 11:33 pm
  Hi Adil! Yes, the list is applicable for UK BRP holders as well. First, go through the article and prepare a list of countries you want to visit. Then go through the official sources to make sure your BRP can be used. Visa requirements constantly change and it’s very difficult for me to keep the list up to date. You will have to do your due diligence as well before traveling to these countries.
  Reply
Ibrahim Taiwo says
April 8, 2019 at 3:05 am
Good day,
Please can i travel to any Schengen countries with my UK visit visa.
And which Schengen country is that.
Reply
- Thirumal says
  April 8, 2019 at 8:47 pm
  Hi Ibrahim! No, you CANNOT travel to Schengen countries with a UK visa. You would need a Schengen visa to enter any Schengen country.
  Reply
Ibrahim Taiwo says
April 7, 2019 at 6:25 pm
Good day sir!
Please, can I travel with the UK visit visa to all the countries mentioned? Please, I want to know the countries I can visit with UK VISIT VISA without a visa.
Reply
- Thirumal says
  April 7, 2019 at 11:45 pm
  Hi Ibrahim! Yes, you can visit all the countries in this article with your UK visit visa. There have been some changes since last month as the UK ceased to be part of the EU because of Brexit. I haven’t received updates from some countries and the updates are still pending. Therefore, make a list of countries that you like to travel with your UK visa and let me know. I can check and confirm that you can use your UK visa for those countries.
  Reply
Prasanth says
April 2, 2019 at 10:29 am
Thanks Thirumal for the quick response
Reply
Prasanth says
April 1, 2019 at 7:11 am
Hi
I am indian passport holder with a UK BRP card valid for another 2 years, from the above i see that i should apply for a evisa to the above countries you mentioned through their respective consulate websites if i need to travel.
Is there any country(Asian/European) for which i can travel without visa at all since i hold the residence to UK.
Thank you
Prasanth
Reply
- Thirumal says
  April 2, 2019 at 1:01 am
  Hi Prasanth! You are VISA EXEMPT (without visa) for the above countries if holding a UK visa, except Turkey (eVisa), Oman (eVisa), Qatar (eTA) and Taiwan (eTA).
  Reply
  - Atif says
    August 9, 2019 at 2:13 pm
    I have a UK 5 years visa. Can I go to Ireland alone?
    Reply
    - Thirumal says
      August 12, 2019 at 9:50 am
      Hi Atif! You cannot go to Ireland directly with your UK visa. You have to enter the UK first and then go to Ireland by land or air. Also, you must hold a passport listed under “14. Ireland”
      NOTE: If you have a UK visa with BIVS, then you can go to Ireland without going to the UK first. This applies to all nationalities.
      Reply
      - Atif says
        August 12, 2019 at 4:37 pm
        Dear, I have pre-settlement visa 5 years card. Where I can go on that without a visa? Thanks for your quick response.
      - Thirumal says
        August 14, 2019 at 7:43 am
        Hi Atif! I don’t know much about the pre-settlement visa. If it’s a “residence permit”, then you may be able to visit the countries listed out in “VISA-FREE travel with UK Permanent Residency”.
Inayat says
March 30, 2019 at 7:27 pm
Hi Thirumal,
I am travelling to Mexico and as I hold a Standard Visa of UK. I don’t need a separate Mexico visa. As the embassy site clarifies that I would not need one. Do you agree? Just want to have a double confirmation. I hold a Pakistani passport. Appreciate your help.
Reply
- Thirumal says
  March 30, 2019 at 9:38 pm
  Hi Inayat! Different Mexico consulate sites are saying differently on the UK visa. I have had many readers use their UK visas without any issues so far.
  Reply
MOHAMMED says
March 27, 2019 at 12:26 pm
You cannot go to Bosnia and Herzegovina with a UK VISA, you can visit Bosnia and Herzegovina only by schengen or USA visa or residence permit… Please try to be accurate next time and thanks for your effort…
Reply
- Thirumal says
  March 28, 2019 at 3:18 am
  Hi Mohammed! Thanks for the update! UK ceased to be a member of EU from this month due to Brexit. Therefore Bosnia and Herzegovina do not honor UK visas anymore. I will be updating the article this week and I’m waiting for official confirmations from some more countries.
  Regarding being accurate next time, first of all, it’s highly impossible to be up to date with 200+ countries’ visa requirements for 200+ nationalities. That is close to 40,000 individual visa requirements. I continuously check with authorities, but not all 200+ countries respond in a timely fashion. There may be inaccuracies due to such delays.
  Reply
Okin says
March 23, 2019 at 5:15 am
Hi, are you saying you dont need a visa to Qatar if you have UK visa? My husband and kids (Nigeria passport holders) had UK visa and they wanted to go to Qatar from London but the airline staff asked them to present their Qatar visa before they can be checked in.
Reply
- Thirumal says
  March 24, 2019 at 1:00 am
  Hi Okin! Even if you hold a UK visa, you would need to first apply for Qatar eTA. With an approved eTA, you can get Visa on Arrival (VOA) at the arriving airport in Qatar. If you do not hold an approved eTA from Qatar, the airline will not allow you to board the plane.
  If you read carefully, I have clearly mentioned that “Visa is NOT EXEMPT, but are eligible to apply for eTA and then avail Visa ON ARRIVAL at international airports in Qatar”
  Reply
Sonia says
March 18, 2019 at 11:14 pm
I am a Nigerian passport holder on a UK tier 4 student visa currently studying in the UK. My question is, can I apply for a US visa from the American embassy here in UK or as a UK visa holder will I be allowed to just travel to the US for a short visit without a valid US visa .
Reply
- Thirumal says
  March 19, 2019 at 5:58 am
  Hi Sonia! Yes, you can apply for a US visa from the UK. And no, you cannot use your UK visa to enter the US. You would need a US visa.
  Reply
Mitch says
March 14, 2019 at 4:49 am
Hi, what are the countries near to United Kingdom you can visit if you have a UK- visit visa from Dubai? Holding a Philippine passport.
Thanks
Reply
- Thirumal says
  March 15, 2019 at 8:39 pm
  Hi Mitch! You can visit Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Turkey and Qatar with Philippines passport and UK visa. These countries are all near to the UK and UAE.
  Reply
Arba says
March 13, 2019 at 9:00 am
Hi I am a Kosovo citizen I have 6 mounth Touristic Uk visa can I travel in country such as Bermuda, Turks and Caicos and Mexico?
Reply
- Thirumal says
  March 14, 2019 at 3:20 am
  Hi Arba! Yes, if you hold a Kosovo passport and valid UK visa, you can travel to Bermuda, Turks and Caicos and Mexico.
  Reply
Oyewale says
March 1, 2019 at 7:03 pm
I am a Nigerian currently in uk with a Nigeria passport can I apply for Ireland visa from England?
Reply
- Thirumal says
  March 1, 2019 at 9:22 pm
  Hi Oyewale! Yes, you can apply for Ireland visa from England.
  Reply
Biju says
March 1, 2019 at 12:30 am
Hi thirumal
Great article
Im British and my wife has Indian passport with dependent visa (brp)
She will be a permanent resident next year
Does she qualify for the visa free countries on her current visa?
Many thanks
Reply
- Thirumal says
  March 1, 2019 at 6:11 pm
  Hi Biju! Yes, your wife qualifies for VISA-FREE travel to all of the countries in the list, except Ireland. Ireland requires a UK short stay C-Type visa. But your wife can secure an Irish visa easily as there are special provisions for those with UK long stay visas.
  Reply
Lali says
February 24, 2019 at 10:01 pm
Hello Thirumal! I have a Thai passport and also UK tourist visa that is multiple entry and valid for 6 months. I am a US resident travelling from New York to England. My question is, can I visit Dublin after England? Or I can only visit north Ireland? Please help me. I am so confused now.
Reply
- Thirumal says
  February 25, 2019 at 2:52 am
  Hi Lali! With your Thai passport and UK visa, you can enter Dublin (Ireland). If you follow the below rules, you can enter Ireland using your UK visa.
  Rules
  – Your UK visa must be a UK short stay visa
  – When you enter the UK, you will be given an entry stamp in your passport. Check the “date of exit” on that stamp. You can only enter and remain in Ireland (including Dublin) within that “date of exit” given by the UK.
  – The entry in Ireland will be up to 90 days or until the “date of exit” on the UK entry stamp, whichever is shorter
  Note: “Northern Ireland” is part of the United Kingdom itself. Whereas, “Ireland” is a separate country and needs an Irish visa. But you can enter “Ireland” with your “UK” visa by following the above rules.
  Reply
Aiisha says
February 21, 2019 at 9:30 pm
Hello! I have a Gambia passport. I have a UK resident. Please, can you tell Switzerland or any country is visa-free? Thanks!
Reply
- Thirumal says
  February 22, 2019 at 6:10 pm
  Hi Aiisha! Unfortunately, you would need a “Schengen visa” for Switzerland.
  With your Gambia passport and UK residence permit, you can travel to all the countries listed out in this article that says “applies to all passport holders”.
  Reply
Ugo says
February 18, 2019 at 4:08 pm
Hi, I have a UK residents permit that allows me to live and work in the UK. So this means I can travel to Bermuda without applying for a Bermuda visa?
Reply
- Thirumal says
  February 18, 2019 at 5:53 pm
  Hi Ugo! Yes, you can travel to Bermuda using your UK residence permit. You do not need a separate visa for Bermuda.
  Reply
Pratibha Sharma says
February 12, 2019 at 1:57 pm
Hi, Could you provide official webpage link where it confirm that UK work permit holder do not need Costa Rica visa?
Reply
- Thirumal says
  February 13, 2019 at 7:04 pm
  Hi Pratibha! The three official links for Costa Rica in this article confirms that a “legal permanence” in any EU country (UK is part of EU until the end of March 2019). There are specific rules for work permits, so please read the fine print before planning your trip to Costa Rica.
  Here is the official information according to the Embassy of Costa Rica in Washington DC –
  “You have permanent residence (Greencard holder), a student visa (F1, J1), a work visa (H1B, G4, L1, EB-1, etc.) in the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, CANADA, and countries members of the EUROPEAN UNION (those residence cards issued in a language other than Spanish or English must be translated into Spanish.”
  Reply
Phuong says
February 12, 2019 at 10:56 am
Hello Thirumal
I am so happy to find this article of yours and to realize how many more countries I can visit with my UK tourist visa. As a Vietnamese I have to admit our passport is pretty much useless.
As much as I appreciate this blog post so much, do you mind if I translate to Vietnamese and share this article on my blog (crediting you and your blog)? I am sure this will be very helpful to others as well (although the 1st step – obtaining a UK tourist visa is very challenging haha).
Thank you again
Reply
- Thirumal says
  February 13, 2019 at 6:15 pm
  Hi Phuong! Thanks! I can understand. I actually spent over 6 months in Vietnam. I have several friends there and we had many conversations on this topic. Vietnam’s economy and tourism is growing. I hope the Vietnamese passport becomes stronger in the coming years.
  Yes, please go ahead. It would be great if my article helps fellow Vietnamese travelers.
  Reply
Manisha Arora says
February 8, 2019 at 4:40 pm
Hi Thirumal,
Thanks for all the information. Although I think I understand from your post but I still want to clarify.
I am on H1B US visa, do I need UK visitor visa to visit UK?
Thanks in advance
Manisha
Reply
- Thirumal says
  February 8, 2019 at 6:50 pm
  Hi Manisha! Yes, you would NEED a UK visitor visa to visit the UK. You CANNOT use your US H1B visa to enter the UK as a tourist.
  But, if you are traveling to the US and transiting through London’s Heathrow, you can request for a 24-hour entry at the Heathrow airport. Many of my readers were able to get the 24-hour entry without any issues. You can try this if you have a long layover in London.
  Reply
Carlo Paulo says
January 30, 2019 at 10:27 am
Hi Thirumal,
I recently have been approved of a UK visitor Visa, and i was planning on travelling the Balkans this June 2019 (Bosnia & Herzegovina, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia and Albania). All of the 4 countries except for Bosnia & Herzegovina had mentioned on their Ministry of foreign affairs website that “holders of a VALID UK Visa” can enter their country. BH mentioned “valid visa issued by the EU”, so i guessed that since Brexit is on end of MARCH 2019, i can no longer visit BH in June. am i correct on this one?
I am a PH passport holder and a resident in Qatar. i’m planning to travel during EID (June 5, and the cheapest flight (via Pegasus Airlines) on that day is to SARAJEVO, BH.
waiting for your response.
Reply
- Thirumal says
  January 30, 2019 at 5:14 pm
  Hi Carlo! I believe the countries that say “valid visa issued by any EU country” will soon update their terms to include “valid UK visa”. A UK visa is a strong visa and these countries would definitely honor UK visa. It’s just a matter of time. I’m actually waiting for the official statements from these countries so I can update this article.
  But in your case, I suggest contacting BH consulate and asking about the UK visa in June. They probably know the changes coming up in March 2019. If they aren’t sure, then getting a BH visa would be a smart move.
  Reply
Linh says
January 29, 2019 at 3:44 pm
Hi Thirumal, thank you for such useful information.
You mention permanent residency. I am studying in the UK, I have Biometric Resident Permit (BRP). Am I a UK resident? I am from Vietnam.
In particular, with my BRP (valid until end of March 2020), can I travel to Costa Rica and Romania (tourism purpose) without these countries’ visa?
Thank you.
Reply
- Thirumal says
  January 29, 2019 at 5:30 pm
  Hi Linh! If your BRP is a residence card (not a sticker in your passport), then yes, you can use it to enter Costa Rica. Your BRP must be valid for at least 6 months on the date of arrival in Costa Rica. I suggest traveling to Costa Rica before March 2019 as the UK ceases to be in EU. The Costa Rica visa exemption is currently only for EU permanent residents.
  For Romania, your BRP must have been issued for 5 or more years. I know it expires in 2020, but you didn’t mention when it was issued. Here is the official statement from the Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
  “The holders of permanent residence permits issued by the UK or Ireland (the validity of which is of 5 years or more).”
  Reply
AK says
January 21, 2019 at 10:20 am
Hi Thirumal!
Thanks for such a helpful post! Quick question: I have a valid 2 year multiple entry visa for the UK and according to many different sources (including yours), all I need is a tourist card to visit Cuba. However, after ringing up the Cuban consulate in London, they said that everyone needs a proper visa to visit Cuba even UK nationals. I am severely confused. If that were the case, surely it should have been updated on the internet? I hold a Pakistani passport.
Regards,
AK
Reply
- Thirumal says
  January 21, 2019 at 5:10 pm
  Hi AK! Quite a few readers of mine were able to travel to Cuba with a US/Canada/UK visas. They were India, Bangladesh and Philippines passport holders.
  There seems to be confusion around Tourist Card (also called Travel Card) and A1 visa. Both are being referred to as “visa” by consulates and travel agents.
  My source of information from Cuba so far has been the TIMATIC database. Since it’s a paid service and Airlines depend on this service for visa requirements, I would say, go with TIMATIC.
  Note: The UK soon ceases to be in the EU. You can still use your UK visa for some of these countries including Cuba till March 2019. I will update this article in March with the most up to date information.
  Reply
Nandakumar Balasubrayalu says
January 7, 2019 at 4:30 pm
Hello, my parents are visiting the UK and have visited the UK many times before. They have a Type C Visitors visa. Are they eligible to apply for Turkish Evisa when they are in the UK? At the time they will be holding an Indian passport with Type C visitors visa from the UK.
Reply
- Thirumal says
  January 7, 2019 at 9:10 pm
  Hi Nandakumar! Yes, your parents are eligible to apply for Turkish eVisa as they hold a valid UK short stay visa. They just have to make sure that their UK visas are still valid at the time of entering Turkey.
  Reply
Oluseyi says
January 4, 2019 at 10:03 am
Hi Thirumal you are going a very good job, i have valid UK 6months Visa and i’m planning to travel to Gibraltar January 20th do i still have to apply for Gibraltar visa? thanks you very much for your swift response
Reply
- Thirumal says
  January 4, 2019 at 4:02 pm
  Hi Oluseyi! You can use your UK visa to enter Gibraltar. You do not need a separate visa.
  Keep in mind that you have to fly directly into Gibraltar. If you plan to fly to Spain first and enter Gibraltar by road, you would also need a Schengen visa to enter Spain.
  Reply
  - Rizwan ullah says
    January 7, 2019 at 11:24 pm
    Hi, I m Rizwan from Pakistan having a C- visit visa on my passport, may I visit to Gibraltar as well without having schengen visa
    Reply
    - Thirumal says
      January 8, 2019 at 3:24 am
      Hi Rizwan! Yes, you can visit Gibraltar with your UK visa. You don’t need a Schengen visa if you fly into Gibraltar directly from the UK. But if you fly into Spain first and then enter Gibraltar by land, you would need a Schengen visa since you are entering Spain.
      Reply
Talaat says
December 27, 2018 at 2:17 pm
Hi Thiruma,
Thanks for this useful post, I hold a national permanent residency card in EU which has been issued in Hungary and I have a valid UK visa.
I am planning to travel with my wife who is an EU citizen to ( Dublin ) Ireland for a vacation.
Am I exempted from applying for a visa or do I still need to apply?
I hold Egypt passport, Thank you
Reply
- Thirumal says
  December 31, 2018 at 4:26 am
  Hi Talaat! Ireland offers visa waiver for certain passport holders with UK visas. Unfortunately, Egypt is not on that list. Also, Ireland is not part of the Schengen zone, so you can’t use your residency permit from Hungary. Therefore, you would need to apply for an Ireland tourist visa to enter Ireland.
  Reply
Asad Khan says
December 25, 2018 at 11:35 am
I had to apply for a South Korean tourist visa in Germany even though I still have a valid UK visa. However, proper listed documents were still checked required by the embassy. In any case, having a visa from OECD country eases the whole process for the South Korean Visa. I did not have to show any Income tax returns in Germany. On the other hand, it was a mandatory requirement from a native country Pakistan.
Reply
- Thirumal says
  December 25, 2018 at 6:58 pm
  Hi Asad! Thanks for the information! Yeah, unfortunately, you cannot use your UK visa to enter South Korea. There was a mention of 30 EU country visas on Hi Korea portal, but when I enquired with the consulates, they all said the visa waiver applied to only US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand visa holders.
  But, it is good to know that having a visa from an OECD country eases the visa process. Building travel history and getting visas from countries such as US, UK, Canada, etc definitely makes a “weak” passport stronger.
  Good luck and have a great time in South Korea!
  Reply
TARUN BANERJEE says
December 14, 2018 at 4:13 pm
Hi Thirumal … how are you ?
i have 2 question just couple of days back i have recieved my UK visa with BIVS endorsed on my passport … so the first question is can you please tell me if i travel to Ireland for 2-3 days from UK will they put a proper sticker visa or just stamp once i arrive dublin airport. Second question is some travel agents told me if i want to visit Romania as a tourist i must have US/UK/CANADA OR SCHENGEN visa valid in my passport is that true ?
Reply
- Thirumal says
  December 15, 2018 at 12:59 am
  Hi Tarun! I’m doing good. How are you? When you arrive in Dublin, you will receive an entry “stamp” in your passport. No visa sticker will be issued since you already have a UK visa with BIVS.
  To visit Romania, you would need either a multiple-entry Schengen visa or a UK permanent residence permit. Romania DOES NOT honor US or Canada visas.
  Reply
  - Oyewale says
    February 15, 2019 at 12:10 pm
    Good day you mean one can travel to Ireland if you a UK Visa with bivs endorsement,I am a Nigerian passport holder I have 10 years valid visa
    Reply
    - Thirumal says
      February 15, 2019 at 6:00 pm
      Hi Oyewale! Yes, if you have a Nigeria passport and a UK visa with BIVS endorsement, you can visit Ireland. Actually, you can go back and forth between the UK and Ireland as BIVS is considered a unified visa for both UK and Ireland.
      Reply
Ragu Prasad says
December 1, 2018 at 12:23 pm
Hi Thirumal, that’s an exhaustive list of useful information.
I would like to know whether i can visit US from UK if i am having all the below
1. Indian Passport
2. UK Work Permit VISA
3. US Business VISA
Thanks
Reply
- Thirumal says
  December 1, 2018 at 5:52 pm
  Hi Ragu! Yes, you can visit US from the UK since you already have a US visa. You can travel to the US from anywhere in the world (including the UK). It doesn’t have to be from your home country.
  Reply
  - Ragu Prasad says
    December 3, 2018 at 4:55 am
    Thanks for the clarification Thirumal!
    Reply
Ashwin says
November 27, 2018 at 5:25 pm
Hi Thirumal,
I am travelling to Mexico and as I hold a Standard Visa of UK. I don’t need a separate Mexico visa. As the embassy site clarifies that I would not need one. Do you agree? Just want to have a double confirmation. I hold a Indian passport. Appreciate your help.
Reply
- Thirumal says
  November 28, 2018 at 2:49 am
  Hi Ashwin! Agree. You DO NOT need a separate Mexico visa since you already hold a valid UK visa. You can enter Mexico with your UK visa.
  Reply
  - Ashwin says
    November 28, 2018 at 9:55 am
    In addition, Can you guide me on cost effective route to Mexico from India using the UK visa? I looked at few routes and a found a route from Canada, so for that I will require a transit visa. Can I use the UK visa to apply for Canada transit visa. Mexico as the destination country?
    Reply
    - Thirumal says
      November 29, 2018 at 6:37 pm
      Hi Ashwin! I suggest you look for flights that transit via France or England.
      – India passport holders do not need a transit visa to transit through France.
      – You already have a UK visa, so transiting or changing airports in the UK is not a problem for you.
      – Search from all big cities in India (New Delhi, Mumbai, etc) to both Mexico City and Cancun. Flights to Cancun are sometimes cheaper from Europe. Here is an example, one way flight from Mumbai to Cancun via the UK for $700 USD (https://goo.gl/flights/okRLk).
      Reply
      - randy j says
        December 2, 2018 at 5:20 am
        Hi Thirumal! Glad you are helping everyone. Can you help me with this? I have a valid UK visa. I am going to Mexico and the layover is in Canada. I intentionally want to go this route. I am applying for a Canada transit visa, but they are asking for a valid visa for the final destination (Mexico). What do I provide them? I am confused since Mexico visa is not required for UK visa holders.
      - Thirumal says
        December 2, 2018 at 6:06 pm
        Hi Randy! I suggest providing a copy of your UK visa along with a print of visa requirements from the Mexico consulate page. Make sure to highlight the text in the requirements that says that you can use your UK visa to enter Mexico. This makes it easy for visa officers to understand the Mexico visa requirements easily.
        Also, make sure to mention that you will be using your UK visa to enter Mexico in your cover letter.
      - Ashwin says
        December 2, 2018 at 7:44 am
        Such a great help and information you have passed on Thanks alot Thirumal.
        Regards,
        Ashwin
Nanda says
November 23, 2018 at 4:48 am
I am travelling to London in December, and plan to visit Ireland (Dublin) thereafter.
As per what I checked on the web, I don’t need separate Ireland visa. I have a multiple-entry visitor visa (C) to Uk.
But your site says we need BIVS stamp – I don’t have that,
Reply
- Thirumal says
  November 25, 2018 at 1:08 am
  Hi Nanda! As far as my knowledge goes, you would need BIVS endorsed on your UK visa in order to travel to Ireland. When you say that you checked on the web, what websites are you referring to?
  Reply
  - nanda says
    November 29, 2018 at 5:58 am
    https://www.dfa.ie/media/dfa/alldfawebsitemedia/travel/Information-Note—Visa-Waiver-Programme-October-2016.pdf
    This is the Visa Waiver Programme, as distinct from the BIVS
    Reply
    - Thirumal says
      November 29, 2018 at 5:07 pm
      I apologize! You are correct, Nanda. You can travel to Ireland from the UK using the Visa Waiver Programme.
      Thanks for pointing it out! I see the distinction between VWP and BIVS clearly now. I will update the article accordingly. Please let me know how it goes in December. So, I can help others better. Thanks again!
      Reply
Olufemi Akinyemi says
November 20, 2018 at 8:49 am
I think someone can travel to Israel with UK valid Visa
Reply
- Thirumal says
  November 25, 2018 at 1:01 am
  Hi Olufemi! I’m not aware of any such visa exemption with UK visa for Israel. Where did you get this information from? Do you have a link to the official information?
  Reply
Olufemi Akinyemu says
November 19, 2018 at 7:17 pm
I have 2years UK C class valid visa, planning to visit Gibraltar by next 12days. I booked my hotel at Tarifa, 10 miles away from Gibraltar. Can my UK visa allow me to stay in Tarifa hotel? I later noticed that Tarifa is in Spain
Reply
- Thirumal says
  November 24, 2018 at 11:28 pm
  Hi Olufemi! If your hotel is in Spain, then it’s in the Schengen zone. Therefore, you would need a Schengen visa to enter Spain and stay in that hotel.
  If you are flying into Gibralter using your UK visa and then taking a taxi to your hotel in Spain, then you will be entering the Schengen Zone en route your hotel.
  I suggest you call the hotel and check with them to be clear.
  Reply
Sarah says
November 15, 2018 at 12:26 pm
Can a philippino passport holder with a 3 year work visa in uk with nhs visit ireland without a visa?
Reply
- Thirumal says
  November 28, 2018 at 2:57 am
  Hi Sarah! The UK visa must be a short stay (C-type) visa with BIVS endorsed on it. Also, Philippines passport holders are not eligible for the BIVS scheme.
  Reply
Lewis Ose says
November 12, 2018 at 10:20 pm
Hello, can one travel to Scotland with a UK C-visit visa….I am from Nigeria
Reply
- Thirumal says
  November 13, 2018 at 11:17 pm
  Yes, Scotland is part of the United Kingdom. Your UK C-type visa entitles travel to the entire United Kindom i.e. England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
  Reply
Taiwo says
November 11, 2018 at 3:37 pm
Wow, amazing been searching for a comprehensive list for a long time. Many Thanks
Reply
- Thirumal says
  November 11, 2018 at 10:04 pm
  Hi Taiwo! You’re welcome! I’m very glad you found my list. Take care and enjoy your travels!
  Reply
Priya says
November 8, 2018 at 2:31 pm
Good list!
However, Gibraltar in Spain which is British overseas territory is missing in this list.
Beautiful place and the airport is one of its kind in the world with runway running from middle of a road and with rock of Gibraltar featured in James bond movie, beautiful weather..
I am Indian passport holder with UK work visa. Visa free entry in this part of Spain 🙂
Reply
- Thirumal says
  November 8, 2018 at 5:36 pm
  Hi Priya! That’s fantastic! Thank you very much for the info. I will add it to the list. I do want to check out Gibralter at some point. By the way, do you remember the number of days of entry given at the immigration?
  Reply
Ogie says
November 6, 2018 at 4:33 am
Thank you very much for this info..
Reply
- Thirumal says
  November 6, 2018 at 4:44 pm
  You’re welcome, Ogie!
  Reply
Fa says
November 6, 2018 at 2:20 am
Great article. Very helpful. Thank you.
Reply
- Thirumal says
  November 6, 2018 at 3:17 am
  You’re welcome!
  Reply
Asad Khan says
November 3, 2018 at 10:09 am
Hey, yesterday I got a UK visitor visa for attending a conference. What if Due to my university commitments in Germany as a student I can not attend a conference which is going to be held on November 26 but can I visit the UK during my semester break in February 2019? What I understand is that Standard Visitor Visa has replaced visas like tourism, business, family visit and merge them into one category. However, on my visa application, my purpose of travel was to attend a conference/attend lectures, not as tourism. Would I be facing any issues at the UK airport later on If I travel because Immigration officers have the final authority to allow you in or not, having a visa itself is not a final guarantee of things. So I am kind of confused right now?
As a side question, Did you travel to Panama and Dominican Republic on the UK visitor visa?
Reply
- Thirumal says
  November 5, 2018 at 4:02 pm
  Hey Asad! It is absolutely fine to change/tweak your plans after you receive your visa. There is a reason why the UK grants visa valid for 6 months. Even if you were asked why you haven’t attended the conference, you can always tell the reason why couldn’t. Not attending the conference will not prevent or impact your entry in Feb 2019.
  Reply
  - preet says
    July 5, 2019 at 1:26 pm
    Hello sir. I have Greece one year national visa. Can I go to the UK?
    Reply
    - Thirumal says
      July 5, 2019 at 7:57 pm
      Hi Preet! Unfortunately, no. You would REQUIRE a UK visitor visa.
      Reply
shyam says
October 27, 2018 at 5:46 pm
Thank you for such a prompt enlightening!!
Reply
Shyam Goenka says
October 27, 2018 at 4:19 pm
Hi Sir. Is Romania exempt for 30 days o a 2 year UK Visa? Also, is there an exemption for South Korea as well. Despite South Korea not being on your list, I asked this because Australian Visa allows a transit thru South Korea.
Thanks
Shyam
Reply
- Thirumal says
  October 27, 2018 at 5:42 pm
  Hi Shyam! What you have is still a visa. You would need a UK residence permit (something like permanent residence) to get a visa exemption for Romania.
  No, South Korea doesn’t offer visa exemption with UK visa. South Korea exempts visa for those with a visa from Australia, Canada, New Zealand or the US. You must be in transit to reach the country of visa as your destination.
  Reply
  - Dave Nguyen says
    November 24, 2018 at 12:07 am
    I think you’re wrong. Here is the official website for immigration information of South Korea, it clearly stated that the 4 countries: USA, Australia, Canada and New Zealand visa holders as well as visa holders from other 30 countries of Europe can I live to maximum 30days then depart to their home countries.
    Reply
  - Dave says
    November 24, 2018 at 12:08 am
    I forgot to attach the link. Here is the official link: https://www.hikorea.go.kr/pt/InfoDetailR_en.pt?categoryId=2&parentId=385&catSeq=401&showMenuId=375
    Reply
    - Thirumal says
      December 17, 2018 at 11:08 pm
      Hi Dave! Thanks for pointing it out! I also apologize for the delay in responding to your comment. I was waiting to confirm the information with the consulates.
      I contacted a few consulates and I heard back from the South Korean consulates in India and Malaysia. They both said that visa exemption does not apply to UK or any EU country visa holders. The consulate officials said that the visa exemption applies to only those with visas from the US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.
      That being said, if you have used your UK visa to enter South Korea, please let me know. If there are more cases like yours, I can consider adding it to this list/article.
      PERSONAL EXPERIENCE: I myself entered South Korea in September using my US visa. At the time of immigration in the airport, I asked the immigration officer on the visas I can use. She said that the visa exemption applies to visas from only the US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. I was not given a chance to ask further questions. So, I couldn’t ask anything on the 30 EU country visas.
      Reply
      - Dave says
        February 12, 2019 at 11:08 am
        My sister recently just entered South Korea in January without any visa, she’s holding a UK spouse visa and traveling with her husband. Upon landing, she was given 30 days single entry visa.
      - Thirumal says
        February 13, 2019 at 6:39 pm
        Hi Dave! Thanks for the information! I’ve contacted several Korean authorities, but none of them confirmed if the visa exemption applies to the visa holders from “30 EU Countries (including the UK)”. “HiKorea” says that “30 EU Countries” are eligible but all the other authorities I’ve contacted denied it. I couldn’t find an easy way to contact HiKorea directly.
        So, I’m still looking for an official source and confirmation in order to add South Korea to this list. If you know the official source, please let me know.
  - Dipti says
    August 20, 2019 at 9:16 pm
    Hi Thirumal, unfortunately, the website of Romania visa does not say that an Indian passport holder with UK permanent residency does not require a visa for Romania. Can you please share the link?
    Reply
    - Thirumal says
      August 25, 2019 at 9:12 am
      Hi Dipti! I apologize. The links are broken. Below is the information from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs website.
      “The holders of permanent residence permits issued by the UK or Ireland (the validity of which is of 5 years or more). The right of stay on the territory of Romania shall not exceed the right of stay granted as per such residence permits.”
      Link: Ministry of Foreign Affairs Romania
      Reply
  - Hassan says
    October 18, 2019 at 8:38 pm
    Hi dear, I have got UK Visa for 5 years. Can I travel to Saudi Arabia? If I got a problem at the airport am I allowed to contact the UK embassy Thanks.
    Reply
    - Thirumal says
      October 19, 2019 at 4:20 am
      Hi Hassan! Saudi Arabia just opened it’s eVisa/VOA to visa holders of US, UK and Schengen. Their e-Visa system is not updated yet, so your only option is to get Visa on Arrival. If you have any issues at the port of entry in Saudi Arabia, you are allowed to contact your passport country’s embassy but not UK since you are not a UK national.
      Reply
  - Asad Iqbal says
    November 19, 2019 at 5:51 am
    Hi sir, how are you? I have six months multiple entry visa UK. My question is can I travel to Mexico without a visa? I am now in UK London.
    Reply
    - Thirumal says
      November 21, 2019 at 3:30 pm
      Hi Asad! Yes, you can travel to Mexico using your valid UK visa. You do not need a separate Mexico visa.
      Reply
- Irfan says
  June 20, 2019 at 11:08 am
  Hi dear, I want to travel to Panama. I have a 5-year multiple tourist visa of UK C category. Can I travel to Panama on Uk visa? I’m a Pakistani passport holder.
  Reply
  - Thirumal says
    June 23, 2019 at 8:46 pm
    Hi Irfan! Yes, you can use your UK visa to enter Panama.
    Reply
  - Rabia says
    February 7, 2020 at 6:37 pm
    Hi. I have a UK residence card which is valid for 5 years. Can I travel to France with this card?
    Reply
    - Thirumal says
      February 8, 2020 at 4:26 am
      Hi Rabia! No. You CANNOT travel to France with your UK BRP/ILR. You would REQUIRE a Schengen visa to enter France.
      Reply

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