# Visa requirements for British Overseas citizens

British Overseas citizenship is a form of British nationality under the British Nationality Act 1983. BOCs are British nationals but do not have the right of abode in the United Kingdom. This citizenship is normally for certain people who retained British nationality after independence (e.g. Kenya), but do not have enough ties with the United Kingdom to be British Citizens.
Visa requirements for other classes of British nationals such as British citizens, British Nationals (Overseas), British Overseas Territories Citizens, British Protected Persons or British Subjects are different.

## Visa requirements

| Country | Visa requirement | Allowed stay | Notes (excluding departure fees) |
| Afghanistan | Visa required | | |
| Albania | Visa not required | 90 days | |
| Algeria | Visa required | | |
| Andorra | Visa not required | | |
| Angola | Visa required | | |
| Antigua and Barbuda | Visa not required | 6 months | |
| Argentina | Visa not required | 30 days | |
| Armenia | Visa required | | |
| Australia | Visa required | | |
| Austria | Visa not required | 90 days | 90 days within any 180 day period in the Schengen Area |
| Azerbaijan | Visa required | | |
| Bahamas | Visa not required | 3 months | |
| Bahrain | Visa on arrival | 3 months | |
| Bangladesh | Visa on arrival | 30 days | |
| Barbados | Visa not required | 6 months | |
| Belarus | Visa required | | Visas are issued on arrival at the Minsk International Airport if the support documents were submitted not later than 3 business days before expected date of arrival. |
| Belgium | Visa not required | 90 days | 90 days within any 180 day period in the Schengen Area |
| Belize | Visa not required | 1 month | |
| Benin | eVisa | 30 days | |
| Bhutan | Visa required | | Pre-approved visa can be picked up on arrival. |
| Bolivia | Visa not required | 90 days | |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | Visa not required | 90 days | |
| Botswana | Visa not required | 90 days | |
| Brazil | Visa not required | 90 days | |
| Brunei | Visa required | | |
| Bulgaria | Visa not required | 90 days | 90 days within any 180 day period |
| Burkina Faso | Visa on arrival | 1 month | |
| Myanmar | eVisa | 28 days | eVisa holders must arrive via Yangon International Airport. Also visa on arrival for 28 days, if arriving from Siem Reap, Guangzhou or Phnom Penh on MAI. |
| Burundi | Visa required | | |
| Cambodia | Visa on arrival | 30 days | Visa is also obtainable online. |
| Cameroon | Visa required | | Pre-approved visa can be picked up on arrival. |
| Canada | Visa not required | 6 months | Visa Free Access only to BOCs with right of abode in the UK. ETA required if arriving by air. Not applicable to BOCs with indefinite leave to remain in the UK. |
| Cape Verde | Visa on arrival | | |
| Central African Republic | Visa required | | |
| Chad | Visa required | | |
| Chile | Visa not required | 90 days | Extension of stay possible for additional 90 days. |
| People's Republic of China | Visa required | | |
| Republic of China | Visa required | | |
| Colombia | Visa not required | 180 days | |
| Comoros | Visa on arrival | | |
| Republic of the Congo | Visa required | | |
| Democratic Republic of the Congo | Visa required | | |
| Costa Rica | Visa required | | |
| Croatia | Visa not required | 90 days | 90 days within any 180 day period |
| Cuba | Tourist Card required | | |
| Cyprus | Visa not required | 90 days | 90 days within any 180 day period |
| Czech Republic | Visa not required | 90 days | 90 days within any 180 day period in the Schengen Area |
| Denmark | Visa not required | 90 days | 90 days within any 180 day period in the Schengen Area (DK) |
| Djibouti | Visa on arrival | | |
| Dominica | Visa not required | 6 months | |
| Dominican Republic | Visa required | | |
| Ecuador | Visa not required | 90 days | |
| Egypt | Visa on arrival | 30 days | |
| El Salvador | Visa required | | |
| Equatorial Guinea | Visa required | | |
| Eritrea | Visa required | | Pre-approved visa can be picked up on arrival. |
| Estonia | Visa not required | 90 days | 90 days within any 180 day period in the Schengen Area |
| Eswatini | Visa not required | 30 days | |
| Ethiopia | eVisa / Visa on arrival | | |
| Fiji | Visa not required | 4 months | |
| Finland | Visa not required | 90 days | 90 days within any 180 day period in the Schengen Area |
| France | Visa not required | 90 days | 90 days within any 180 day period in the Schengen Area (in Regions of France) |
| Gabon | Visa required | | Pre-approved visa can be picked up on arrival. |
| Gambia | Visa not required | 90 days | |
| Georgia | eVisa | | |
| Germany | Visa not required | 90 days | 90 days within any 180 day period in the Schengen Area |
| Ghana | Visa required | | Pre-approved visa can be picked up on arrival. |
| Greece | Visa not required | 90 days | 90 days within any 180 day period in the Schengen Area |
| Grenada | Visa not required | 6 months | Beginning on 1 December 2020, all travellers to Grenada will be required to complete an online application in order to receive a Pure Safe Travel Authorization Certificate to enter Grenada. |
| Guatemala | Visa required | | |
| Guinea | Visa required | | |
| Guinea-Bissau | Visa on arrival | 90 days | |
| Guyana | Visa required | | |
| Haiti | Visa not required | 90 days | |
| Honduras | Visa required | | |
| Hungary | Visa not required | 90 days | 90 days within any 180 day period in the Schengen Area |
| Iceland | Visa not required | 90 days | 90 days within any 180 day period in the Schengen Area |
| India | Visa required | | |
| Indonesia | Visa required | | |
| Iran | Visa required | | |
| Iraq | Visa required | | Visa on arrival for 15 days at Erbil and Sulaymaniyah airports. |
| Ireland | Visa not required | | |
| Israel | Visa not required | 3 months | |
| Italy | Visa not required | 90 days | 90 days within any 180 day period in the Schengen Area |
| Côte d'Ivoire | eVisa | 3 months | eVisa holders must arrive via Port Bouet Airport. |
| Jamaica | Visa not required | 30 days | |
| Japan | Visa required | | |
| Jordan | Visa on arrival | | Conditions apply |
| Kazakhstan | Visa not required | | |
| Kenya | Visa on arrival | 3 months | |
| Kiribati | Visa required | | |
| North Korea | Visa required | | |
| South Korea | K-ETA required | 30 days | British Overseas citizens can enter South Korea as a short term visit (e.g., tours, visiting relatives or friends, attending simple meetings) up to 90 days without a visa, though you should remain aware of the quarantine requirements. You must also have an onward or return ticket. It is illegal to work on a tourist visa, whether as a teacher or in any other capacity. You must be in possession of a Korea Electronic Travel Authorization (K-ETA) to enter Korea visa-free. You can complete your K-ETA application up to 24 hours before boarding your flight and it will be valid for two years from the date of approval. There is a small, non-refundable charge. |
| Kuwait | Visa on arrival | 3 months | |
| Kyrgyzstan | eVisa | | |
| Laos | Visa on arrival | 30 days | |
| Latvia | Visa not required | 90 days | 90 days within any 180 day period in the Schengen Area |
| Lebanon | Visa required | | |
| Lesotho | Visa not required | 14 days | |
| Liberia | Visa required | | Pre-approved visa can be picked up on arrival. |
| Libya | Visa required | | Pre-approved visa can be picked up on arrival. |
| Liechtenstein | Visa not required | 90 days | 90 days within any 180 day period in the Schengen Area |
| Lithuania | Visa not required | 90 days | 90 days within any 180 day period in the Schengen Area |
| Luxembourg | Visa not required | 90 days | 90 days within any 180 day period in the Schengen Area |
| Madagascar | Visa on arrival | 90 days | |
| Malawi | Visa required | | |
| Malaysia | Visa not required | 3 months | |
| Maldives | Visa on arrival | 30 days | |
| Mali | Visa required | | |
| Malta | Visa not required | 90 days | 90 days within any 180 day period in the Schengen Area |
| Marshall Islands | Visa required | | |
| Mauritania | Visa on arrival | | Available at Nouakchott–Oumtounsy International Airport. |
| Mauritius | Visa not required | 90 days | |
| Mexico | Visa required | | |
| Micronesia | Visa not required | 30 days | |
| Moldova | Visa not required | 90 days | 90 days within any 180 day period |
| Monaco | Visa not required | | |
| Mongolia | Visa required | | |
| Montenegro | Visa required | | |
| Morocco | Visa required | | |
| Mozambique | Visa on arrival | | |
| Namibia | Visa not required | 3 months | |
| Nauru | Visa required | | |
| Nepal | Visa on arrival | 90 days | |
| Netherlands | Visa not required | 90 days | 90 days within any 180 day period in the Schengen Area (European Netherlands) |
| New Zealand | Visa required | | May enter using eGate. Holders of a British non-citizen passport who can provide evidence of the right to reside permanently in the United Kingdom may be granted a Visitor Visa current for six months on arrival, subject to meeting character requirements and providing that the purposes of the visit do not include medical consultation or treatment. Electronic Travel Authority must be obtained prior to departure. Holders of an Australian Permanent Resident Visa or Resident Return Visa may be granted a New Zealand Resident Visa on arrival permitting indefinite stay (pursuant to the Trans-Tasman Travel Arrangement), subject to meeting character requirements and obtaining an Electronic Travel Authority prior to departure. |
| Nicaragua | Visa not required | 90 days | |
| Niger | Visa required | | |
| Nigeria | Visa required | | Pre-approved visa can be picked up on arrival. |
| North Macedonia | Visa required | 90 days | |
| Norway | Visa not required | 90 days | 90 days within any 180 day period in the Schengen Area |
| Oman | Visa on arrival | 3 months | |
| Pakistan | Visa required | | |
| Palau | Visa on arrival | 30 days | |
| Panama | Visa not required | 180 days | |
| Papua New Guinea | Visa required | | |
| Paraguay | Visa not required | 90 days | |
| Peru | Visa not required | 183 days | |
| Philippines | Visa not required | 7 days | |
| Poland | Visa not required | 90 days | 90 days within any 180 day period in the Schengen Area |
| Portugal | Visa not required | 90 days | 90 days within any 180 day period in the Schengen Area |
| Qatar | Free visa on arrival | 30 days | Available at Hamad International Airport. eVisa is also available. |
| Romania | Visa not required | 90 days | 90 days within any 180 day period |
| Russia | Visa required | | 72-hour Visa on arrival in Kaliningrad if traveling as part of a tour group organized by an authorized travel agent. |
| Rwanda | Visa not required | 90 days | |
| Saint Kitts and Nevis | Visa not required | 3 months | |
| Saint Lucia | Visa not required | 6 weeks | |
| Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | Visa not required | 1 month | |
| Samoa | Free Entry Permit on arrival | 60 days | Free of charge. |
| San Marino | Visa not required | | |
| São Tomé and Príncipe | eVisa | | |
| Saudi Arabia | Visa required | | |
| Senegal | eVisa | 3 months | |
| Serbia | Visa not required | 90 days | |
| Seychelles | Free Visitor's Permit on arrival | 3 months | Free of charge. |
| Sierra Leone | Visa required | | Pre-approved visa can be picked up on arrival. |
| Singapore | Visa not required | 30 days | |
| Slovakia | Visa not required | 90 days | 90 days within any 180 day period in the Schengen Area |
| Slovenia | Visa not required | 90 days | 90 days within any 180 day period in the Schengen Area |
| Solomon Islands | Free Visitor's permit on arrival | 3 months | Free of charge. |
| Somalia | Visa on arrival | | Available at Berbera, Borama, Burao, Erigavo and Hargeisa airports. 30 days, available at Bosaso Airport, Galcaio Airport and Mogadishu Airport. |
| South Africa | Visa required | | |
| South Sudan | Visa required | | |
| Spain | Visa not required | 90 days | 90 days within any 180 day period in the Schengen Area |
| Sri Lanka | Electronic Travel Authorization | 30 days | |
| Sudan | Visa required | | |
| Suriname | Visa not required | 90 days | An entrance fee of 25 USD or 25 Euros must be paid online prior to arrival. Multiple entry eVisa is also available. |
| Sweden | Visa not required | 90 days | 90 days within any 180 day period in the Schengen Area |
| Switzerland | Visa not required | 90 days | 90 days within any 180 day period in the Schengen Area |
| Syria | Visa required | | |
| Tajikistan | Visa required | | |
| Tanzania | Visa on arrival | | |
| Thailand | Visa required | | |
| Timor-Leste | Visa on arrival | 30 days | Not available at all entry points. |
| Togo | Visa on arrival | 7 days | |
| Tonga | Free visa on arrival | 31 days | Free of charge. |
| Trinidad and Tobago | Visa not required | 30 days | |
| Tunisia | Visa not required | 3 months | |
| Turkey | Visa required | | |
| Turkmenistan | Visa required | | Pre-approved visa can be picked up on arrival. |
| Tuvalu | Free visa on arrival | 1 month | Free of charge. |
| Uganda | Visa on arrival | | May apply online. |
| Ukraine | Visa required | | |
| United Arab Emirates | Visa required | | |
| United Kingdom | Visa not required | 6 months | |
| United States | Visa required | | |
| Uruguay | Visa not required | 90 days | |
| Uzbekistan | eVisa | 30 days | Pre-approved visa can be picked up on arrival. |
| Vanuatu | Visa not required | 30 days | |
| Vatican City | Visa not required | | |
| Venezuela | Visa not required | 90 days | |
| Vietnam | eVisa | | A single entry eVisa valid for 30 days is available. |
| Yemen | Visa required | | |
| Zambia | Visa on arrival | 90 days | |
| Zimbabwe | Visa on arrival | 3 months | |

## British Crown Dependencies and Overseas Territories

British Crown Dependencies and Overseas Territories :
| Visitor to | Visa requirement | Allowed stay | Notes |
| Ascension Island | eVisa | 3 months | 3 months within any year period |
| Anguilla | Visa not required | 3 months | British Overseas citizens with a connection to the territory have right of abode. |
| Bermuda | Visa not required | 6 months | British Overseas citizens with a connection to the territory have right of abode. |
| British Antarctic Territory | Special permit required | | |
| British Indian Ocean Territory | Special permit required | | |
| British Virgin Islands | Visa not required | 1 month | Extension of stay possible. British Overseas citizens with a connection to the territory have right of abode. |
| Cayman Islands | Visa not required | 30 Days | The passenger must arrive directly from the United Kingdom. British Overseas citizens with a connection to the territory have right of abode. |
| Falkland Islands | Visitor's permit on arrival | 4 weeks | The initial visitor's permit is valid for 4 weeks. Visitors who have a connection with the Falkland Islands have right of abode. |
| Guernsey | Visa not required | | |
| Isle of Man | Visa not required | | Work or employment permit is required for persons without "Isle of Man worker" status. |
| Jersey | Visa not required | | Work or employment permit is required. |
| Gibraltar | Visa not required | | |
| Montserrat | Visa not required | 6 months | British Overseas citizens with a connection to the territory have right of abode. |
| Pitcairn Islands | Visa not required | 14 days | Landing fee applies. |
| Saint Helena | Entry permit on arrival | 183 days | The entry permit costs £25 and is issued on arrival. |
| South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands | Permit required | | Pre-arrival permit from the Commissioner required (72 hours/1 month for 110/160 pounds sterling). |
| Turks and Caicos Islands | Visa not required | 90 days | British Overseas citizens with a connection to the territory have right of abode. |
| Tristan da Cunha | Permission required | | Permission to land required for 15/30 pounds sterling (yacht/ship passenger) for Tristan da Cunha Island or 20 pounds sterling for Gough Island, Inaccessible Island or Nightingale Islands, unless connection with Tristan da Cunha, in which case right of abode. |

## Territories

Europe :
| Visitor to | Visa requirement | Notes (excluding departure fees) |
| Abkhazia | Visa required | |
| Mount Athos | Special permit required | Special permit required (4 days: 25 euro for Orthodox visitors, 35 euro for non-Orthodox visitors, 18 euro for students). There is a visitors' quota: maximum 100 Orthodox and 10 non-Orthodox per day and women are not allowed. |
| Belovezhskaya Pushcha National Park | Visa not required | 3 days; must first obtain an electronic pass |
| Crimea | Visa required | Visa policy of Russia applies de facto. |
| Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus | Visa not required | 3 months |
| UN Buffer Zone in Cyprus | Access Permit required | Access Permit is required for travelling inside the zone, except Civil Use Areas. |
| Faroe Islands | Visa not required | |
| Jan Mayen | Permit required | Permit issued by the local police required for staying for less than 24 hours and permit issued by the Norwegian police for staying for more than 24 hours. |
| Jersey | Visa not required | |
| Kosovo | Visa not required | 90 days |
| Novorossiya | Restricted area | Crossing from Ukraine requires visit purpose to be explained to Ukrainian passport control on exit and those who entered from Russia are not allowed to proceed further into Ukraine. |
| Russia | Special authorization required | Several closed cities and regions in Russia require special authorization. |
| South Ossetia | Visa not required | Multiple entry visa to Russia and three-day prior notification are required to enter South Ossetia. |
| Transnistria | Visa not required | Registration required after 24h. |
| Africa |||
| Visitor to | Visa requirement | Notes (excluding departure fees) |
| Eritrea outside Asmara | Travel permit required | To travel in the rest of the country, a Travel Permit for Foreigners is required (20 Eritrean nakfa). |
| Mayotte | Visa not required | 90 days |
| Réunion | Visa not required | 90 days |
| Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic | | Visa not required up to 3 months. |
| Somaliland | Visa on arrival | 30 days for 30 US dollars, payable on arrival. |
| Sudan | Travel permit required | All foreigners traveling more than 25 kilometers outside of Khartoum must obtain a travel permit. |
| Darfur | Travel permit required | Separate travel permit is required. |
| Asia |||
| Visitor to | Visa requirement | Notes (excluding departure fees) |
| Hong Kong | Visa not required | 3 months Prior to April 1997, British Overseas citizens were allowed to land and remain in Hong Kong for 12 months without being subject to any other condition of stay. |
| India PAP/RAP | PAP/RAP required | Protected Area Permit (PAP) required for whole states of Nagaland and Sikkim and parts of states Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh, Uttaranchal, Jammu and Kashmir, Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh. Restricted Area Permit (RAP) required for all of Andaman and Nicobar Islands and parts of Sikkim. Some of these requirements are occasionally lifted for a year. |
| Iraqi Kurdistan | Visa on arrival | 15 days |
| Kazakhstan | Special permission required | Special permission required for the town of Baikonur and surrounding areas in Kyzylorda Oblast, and the town of Gvardeyskiy near Almaty. |
| Kish Island | Visa not required | Visitors to Kish Island do not require a visa. |
| Macao | Visa not required | 6 months |
| Sabah and Sarawak | Visa not required | These states have their own immigration authorities and passport is required to travel to them, however the same visa applies. |
| Maldives | Permission required | With the exception of the capital Malé, tourists are generally prohibited from visiting non-resort islands without the express permission of the Government of Maldives. |
| North Korea outside Pyongyang | Special permit required | People are not allowed to leave the capital city, tourists can only leave the capital with a governmental tourist guide (no independent moving) |
| Palestine | Visa not required | Arrival by sea to Gaza Strip not allowed. |
| Taiwan | Visa required | |
| Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Province | OIVR permit required | OIVR permit required (15+5 Tajikistani Somoni) and another special permit (free of charge) is required for Lake Sarez. |
| Turkmenistan | Special permit required | A special permit, issued prior to arrival by Ministry of Foreign Affairs, is required if visiting the following places: Atamurat, Cheleken, Dashoguz, Serakhs and Serhetabat. |
| Korean Demilitarized Zone | Restricted zone | |
| UNDOF Zone and Ghajar | Restricted zone | |
| Phú Quốc | Visa not required | Can visit without a visa for up to 30 days. |
| Yemen | Special permission required | Special permission needed for travel outside Sana’a or Aden. |
| Caribbean and North Atlantic |||
| Visitor to | Visa requirement | Notes (excluding departure fees)f |
| Aruba | Visa not required | 30 days, extendable to 180 days |
| Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba | Visa not required | 90 days |
| San Andrés and Leticia | Tourist Card on arrival | Visitors arriving at Gustavo Rojas Pinilla International Airport and Alfredo Vásquez Cobo International Airport must buy tourist cards on arrival. |
| Curacao | Visa not required | 3 months |
| French Guiana | Visa not required | 90 days |
| French West Indies | Visa not required | 90 days. French West Indies refers to Martinique, Guadeloupe, Saint Martin and Saint Barthélemy. |
| Greenland | Visa not required | |
| Margarita Island | Visa not required | All visitors are fingerprinted. |
| Puerto Rico | Visa required | |
| Saint Pierre and Miquelon | Visa not required | |
| Sint Maarten | Visa not required | 3 months |
| U.S. Virgin Islands | Visa required | |
| Oceania |||
| Visitor to | Visa requirement | Notes (excluding departure fees) |
| American Samoa | Visa required | |
| Ashmore and Cartier Islands | Special authorisation required | Special authorisation required. |
| Clipperton Island | Special permit required | Special permit required. |
| Cook Islands | Visa not required | 31 days |
| Lau Province | Special permission required | Special permission required. |
| French Polynesia | Visa not required | 90 days |
| Guam | Visa not required | Visa not required under the Guam - CNMI Visa Waiver Program, for 45 days. Must also present a Hong Kong identity card. |
| New Caledonia | Visa not required | 90 days |
| Niue | Visa on arrival | 30 days |
| Northern Mariana Islands | Visa not required | Visa not required under the Guam - CNMI Visa Waiver Program, for 45 days. Must also present a Hong Kong identity card. |
| United States Minor Outlying Islands | Special permit required | Special permits required for Baker Island, Howland Island, Jarvis Island, Johnston Atoll, Kingman Reef, Midway Atoll, Palmyra Atoll and Wake Island. |
| Wallis and Futuna | Visa not required | 90 days |
| South America |||
| Visitor to | Visa requirement | Notes (excluding departure fees) |
| Galápagos | Pre-registration required | Online pre-registration is required. Transit Control Card must also be obtained at the airport prior to departure. |
| South Atlantic and Antarctica |||
| Visitor to | Visa requirement | Notes (excluding departure fees) |
| Antarctica | | Special permits required for French Southern and Antarctic Lands, Argentine Antarctica, Australian Antarctic Territory, Bouvet Island, Chilean Antarctic Territory, Heard Island and McDonald Islands, Peter I Island, Queen Maud Land, Ross Dependency. |

## Right to consular protection

When in a country where there is no British embassy, British Overseas citizens have the right to get consular protection from the embassy of any other commonwealth country present in that country.
See also List of diplomatic missions of the United Kingdom.

## Non-visa restrictions

Many countries have entry restrictions on foreigners that go beyond the common requirement of having either a valid visa or a visa exemption. Such restrictions may be health related or impose additional documentation requirements on certain classes of people for diplomatic or political purposes.

### Blank passport pages

Many countries require a minimum number of blank pages to be available in the passport being presented, typically one or two pages. Endorsement pages, which often appear after the visa pages, are not counted as being valid or available.

### Vaccination

Many African countries, including Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Côte d'Ivoire, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone and Togo, South Sudan, Uganda, and Zambia, require all incoming passengers older than nine months to one year to have a current International Certificate of Vaccination or Prophylaxis, as does the South American territory of French Guiana.
Some other countries require vaccination only if the passenger is coming from an infected area or has visited one recently or has transited for 12 hours in those countries: Algeria, Botswana, Cabo Verde, Chad, Djibouti, Egypt, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Lesotho, Libya, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Papua New Guinea, Seychelles, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Tunisia, Uganda, United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

### Passport validity length

Very few countries, such as Paraguay, just require a valid passport on arrival.
However many countries and groupings now require only an identity card – especially from their neighbours. Other countries may have special bilateral arrangements that depart from the generality of their passport validity length policies to shorten the period of passport validity required for each other's citizens or even accept passports that have already expired (but not been cancelled).
Some countries, such as Japan, Ireland and the United Kingdom, require a passport valid throughout the period of the intended stay.
In the absence of specific bilateral agreements, countries requiring passports to be valid for at least 6 more months on arrival include Afghanistan, Algeria, Anguilla, Bahrain, Bhutan, Botswana, British Virgin Islands, Brunei, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Cayman Islands, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Costa Rica, Côte d'Ivoire, Curaçao, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Fiji, Gabon, Guinea Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kenya, Kiribati, Kuwait, Laos, Madagascar, Malaysia, Marshall Islands, Mongolia, Myanmar, Namibia, Nepal, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Oman, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Qatar, Rwanda, Samoa, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Tanzania, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Tokelau, Tonga, Turkey, Tuvalu, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, Vanuatu, Venezuela, and Vietnam.
Countries requiring passports valid for at least 4 months on arrival include Micronesia and Zambia.
Countries requiring passports with a validity of at least 3 months beyond the date of intended departure include Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Honduras, Montenegro, Nauru, Moldova and New Zealand. Similarly, the EEA countries of Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, all European Union countries (except Ireland) together with Switzerland also require 3 months validity beyond the date of the bearer's intended departure unless the bearer is an EEA or Swiss national.
Countries requiring passports valid for at least 3 months on arrival include Albania, North Macedonia, Panama, and Senegal.
Bermuda requires passports to be valid for at least 45 days upon entry.
Countries that require a passport validity of at least one month beyond the date of intended departure include Eritrea, Hong Kong, Lebanon, Macau, the Maldives and South Africa.

#### Maximum passport age

Countries of the Schengen area require non-EU passports to be less than 10 years old upon entry. A number of holders of British passports, which until September 2018 could be issued with a validity period of up to 10 years and nine months if the previous passport was not expired, were unable to travel to the EU subsequent to Brexit due to this restriction.

### Criminal record

Some countries, including Australia, Canada, Fiji, New Zealand and the United States, routinely deny entry to non-citizens who have a criminal record, while others impose restrictions depending on the type of conviction and the length of the sentence.

### Persona non grata

The government of a country can declare a diplomat persona non grata, banning them from entering the country or expelling them if they have already entered. In non-diplomatic use, the authorities of a country may also declare a foreigner persona non grata permanently or temporarily, usually because of unlawful activity.

### Israeli stamps

Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, and Yemen do not allow entry to people with passport stamps from Israel or whose passports have either a used or an unused Israeli visa, or where there is evidence of previous travel to Israel such as entry or exit stamps from neighbouring border posts in transit countries such as Jordan and Egypt.
To circumvent this Arab League boycott of Israel, the Israeli immigration services have now mostly ceased to stamp foreign nationals' passports on either entry to or exit from Israel (unless the entry is for some work-related purposes). Since 15 January 2013, Israel no longer stamps foreign passports at Ben Gurion Airport. Passports are still (as of 22 June 2017) stamped at Erez when passing into and out of Gaza.
Iran refuses admission to holders of passports containing an Israeli visa or stamp that is less than 12 months old.

### Biometrics

Several countries mandate that all travellers, or all foreign travellers, be fingerprinted on arrival and will refuse admission to or even arrest travellers who refuse to comply. In some countries, such as the United States, this may apply even to transit passengers who merely wish to change planes rather than go landside.
Fingerprinting countries/regions include Afghanistan, Argentina, Brunei, Cambodia, China, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guinea, India, Japan, Kenya (both fingerprints and a photo are taken), Malaysia upon entry and departure, Mongolia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Uganda, the United Arab Emirates and the United States.
Many countries also require a photo be taken of people entering the country. The United States, which does not fully implement exit control formalities at its land frontiers (although long mandated by its own legislation), intends to implement facial recognition for passengers departing from international airports to identify people who overstay their visa.
Together with fingerprint and face recognition, iris scanning is one of three biometric identification technologies internationally standardised since 2006 by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) for use in e-passports and the United Arab Emirates conducts iris scanning on visitors who need to apply for a visa.

## Foreign travel statistics

According to the Foreign travel advice provided by the British Government (unless otherwise noted) these are the numbers of British visitors to various countries per annum in 2015 (unless otherwise noted):
Foreign travel statistics
| Country | Number of visitors | Lost or stolen passports |
| Albania | 80,000 |
| American Samoa | 119 |
| Angola | 14,267/12,319 ? |
| Andorra | 150,000 |
| Anguilla | 5,021 |
| Antarctica | 3,915 |
| Antigua and Barbuda | 70,701 |
| Aruba | 10,447 |
| Australia | 731,900 | 640 |
| Austria | 919,500 |
| Azerbaijan | 29,514 |
| Bahamas | 28,022 |
| Bangladesh | 150,000 |
| Barbados | 218,638 |
| Belarus | 6,000 |
| Belgium | 868,173 |
| Belize | 13,342 |
| Bermuda | 41,348 |
| Bhutan | 3,246 |
| Bolivia | 17,528 |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | 12,715 |
| Botswana | 41,011 |
| Brazil | 185,858 |
| Brunei | 18,222 |
| Bulgaria | 424,384 |
| Burkina Faso | 1,343 |
| Cambodia | 159,489 |
| Cameroon | 16,008 |
| Canada | 819,530 |
| Cape Verde | 126,685 |
| Cayman Islands | 14,017 |
| Chile | 54,714 |
| China | 594,300 |
| Colombia | 39,715 |
| Congo | 6,115 |
| Cook Islands | 2,954 |
| Costa Rica | 76,173 |
| Croatia | 750,675 |
| Cuba | 155,802 |
| Curacao | 2,806 |
| Cyprus | 1,327,805 |
| Czech Republic | 470,576 |
| Denmark | 150,000 |
| Dominica | 4,951 |
| Dominican Republic | 177,534 |
| Ecuador | 27,126 |
| Egypt | 865,000 |
| Ethiopia | 20,000 |
| Estonia | 58,402 |
| Eswatini | 15,503 |
| Fiji | 16,925 |
| Finland | 232,071 |
| France | 12,235,713 | 1,344 |
| French Polynesia | 2,840 |
| Gambia | 60,424 |
| Ghana | 90,000 |
| Georgia | 29,406 |
| Germany | 2,551,061 | 606 |
| Greece | 2,397,169 |
| Greenland | 1,595 |
| Grenada | 25,351 |
| Guadeloupe | <1,000 |
| Hong Kong | 555,353 |
| Hungary | 376,573 |
| Iceland | 297,963 |
| Indonesia | 352,017 |
| India | 986,296 |
| Ireland | 3,547,000 |
| Israel | 198,500 |
| Italy | 4,922,000 | 737 |
| Jamaica | 217,647 |
| Japan | 310,500 |
| Jordan | 64,776 |
| Kazakhstan | 21,341 |
| Kiribati | 173 |
| Kuwait | 7,000 |
| Kenya | 100,000 |
| Kyrgyzstan | 6,900 |
| Laos | 27,723 |
| Latvia | 95,357 |
| Lebanon | 61,994 |
| Lesotho | 2,380 |
| Liechtenstein | 2,200 |
| Lithuania | 58,200 |
| Luxembourg | 69,350 |
| Macau | 57,121 |
| Madagascar | 3,167 |
| Malaysia | 358,818 |
| Malawi | 51,145 |
| Maldives | 103,977 |
| Malta | 640,570 |
| Mali | 900 |
| Marshall Islands | 51 |
| Mauritius | 149,807 |
| Mexico | 563,099 |
| Moldova | 11,555 |
| Mongolia | 6,012 |
| Montenegro | 37,464 |
| Montserrat | 1,380 |
| Morocco | 554,000 |
| Myanmar | 51,051 |
| Namibia | 27,365 |
| Nepal | 29,730 |
| New Caledonia | 708 |
| Nigeria | 117,000 |
| Niue | 146 |
| North Macedonia | 8,856 |
| Norway | 581,000 |
| Netherlands | 2,195,000 | 602 |
| New Zealand | 249,264 |
| Nicaragua | 16,923 |
| Oman | 143,224 |
| Pakistan | 275,400 |
| Palau | 852 |
| Panama | 16,338 |
| Papua New Guinea | 6,974 |
| Peru | 69,506 |
| Philippines | 182,708 |
| Poland | 796,900 |
| Portugal | 2,600,000 | 405 |
| Qatar | 120,495 |
| Romania | 243,991 |
| Russia | 193,522 |
| Saba | 200 |
| Saint Lucia | 68,175 |
| Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | 17,045 |
| Samoa | 1,422 |
| San Marino | 5,750 |
| São Tomé and Príncipe | 83 |
| Serbia | 32,802 |
| Seychelles | 21,906 |
| Singapore | 518,903 |
| Sint Eustatius | 200 |
| Slovakia | 77,837 |
| Slovenia | 118,508 |
| Solomon Islands | 496 |
| South Africa | 407,486 |
| South Korea | 126,024 |
| Spain | 18,502,722 | 5,605 |
| Sri Lanka | 201,879 |
| Suriname | 1,077 |
| Switzerland | 709,925 | 430 |
| Sweden | 603,000 |
| Taiwan | 104,911 |
| Tanzania | 67,742 |
| Thailand | 994,468 | 603 |
| Timor-Leste | 1,253 |
| Tonga | 1,102 |
| Trinidad and Tobago | 37,473 |
| Turkey | 2,254,871 |
| Turks and Caicos | 6,399 |
| Tuvalu | 59 |
| Uganda | 43,009 |
| Uruguay | 20,000 |
| Ukraine | 78,603 |
| United Arab Emirates | 1,265,000 |
| United States | 5,076,167 | 1,539 |
| Uzbekistan | 1,800 |
| Venezuela | 20,837 |
| Vietnam | 283,537 |
| Zambia | 36,997 |
* 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 Data for 2014
* 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 Data for 2017
* 1 2 3 Data for 2015
* 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 Data for 2016
* 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 Counting only guests in tourist accommodation establishments.
* ↑ Data for 2011
* 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Data for 2018
* 1 2 3 4 5 Data for arrivals by air only.
* 1 2 Data for 2012
* 1 2 3 Data for 2013
* 1 2 Data for 2009
* ↑ Data for 2010
* ↑ Data for 2019
* ↑ Data for 2005
* ↑ Total number includes tourists, business travelers, students, exchange visitors, temporary workers and families, diplomats and other representatives and all other classes of nonimmigrant admissions (I-94).