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

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.

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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:
• Secretary of Foreign Relations, Mexico
• Consulate of Mexico in Washington DC, USA
• Consulate of Mexico in Toronto, Canada
• Consulate of Mexico in India

RELATED: UK Visa Guide – visa requirements, application procedure, documentation, fee and airport entry/exit rules.

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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:
• Embassy of Panama in the USA
• Consulate of Panama in Toronto, Canada

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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:
• The Government of Anguilla
• Anguilla Tourist Board

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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:
• Department of Immigration, Antigua and Barbuda
• Consulate General of Antigua and Barbuda in NYC

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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:
• Visit Aruba
• Aruba.com

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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

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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:
• Bermuda Attractions
• Government of Bermuda

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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:
• The Netherlands and You
• Bonaire Travel Guide

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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

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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

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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:
• Curaçao Tourism
• Netherlands and You

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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:
• Government of the Dominican Republic
• Embassy of Dominican Republic in the UK
• Embassy of Dominican Republic in the US

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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

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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

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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:
• Ministry of Border Control of Turks and Caicos
• Visit Turks and Caicos Islands

RELATED: 11 Reasons for UK visa refusal (and how to overcome them)

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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:
• Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Peru
• Embassy of India in Lima, Peru

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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

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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

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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:
• Government of Gibraltar
• Gibraltar Borders & Coastguards Agency

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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:
• Irish Naturalization and Immigration Service
• Department of Justice and Equality of Ireland

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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:
• Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Montenegro
• Consulate of Montenegro in India

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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

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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:
• Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Romania
• Tourism of Romania

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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

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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

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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)

RELATED: 15 ways to get a travel itinerary for visa application

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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

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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:
• Qatar Tourist Authority
• Ministry of Foreign Interior, Qatar

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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:
• Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage
• Saudi Gazette
• Saudi Press Agency
• Saudia

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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:
• UAE Government Portal
• Embassy of UAE in Washington DC, US
• Embassy of UAE in London, UK

RELATED: 11 mistakes that can get your visa denied (and how to avoid them)

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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:
• Embassy of Armenia in India
• Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Armenia

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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:
• Embassy of Philippines in India
• Embassy of Philippines in Singapore

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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:
• Singapore Immigration & Checkpoints Authority
• Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Singapore

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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:
• Republic of Korea Visa Portal
• Hi Korea (e-Government for Foreigners)
• Embassy of South Korea in Malaysia
• Embassy of South Korea in Philippines

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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)

RELATED: What to pack for international travel

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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.