Visa policies of British Overseas Territories
Policies on permits required to enter the British Overseas Territories
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Akrotiri and Dhekelia
The visa policy of Akrotiri and Dhekelia is the same as for Cyprus, which follows the visa policy of the Schengen Area. However, stays longer than 28 days per 12-month period require a permit. The territory has open borders with Cyprus, but controls entry from Northern Cyprus.
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Anguilla
Anguilla – A maximum visa-free stay of 3 months is granted to nationals of all European Union countries, Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominica, East Timor, El Salvador, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Hong Kong, Iceland, Israel, Japan, Kiribati, Liechtenstein, Macao, Malaysia, Maldives, Marshall Islands, Mauritius, Mexico, Micronesia, Monaco, Namibia, Nauru, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Seychelles, Singapore, Solomon Islands, South Korea, Switzerland, Taiwan, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tuvalu, United Kingdom, United States, Uruguay, Vanuatu and Western Sahara.
In addition, holders of a valid visa or residence permit for the United Kingdom, United States or Canada do not need a visa for Anguilla.
From January 2021, other travellers may apply online for an electronic visa.
- Statistics
Most visitors arriving in Anguilla were from the following countries:
Bermuda
Bermuda – Follows mainly the visa policy of the United Kingdom. A visa-free stay is granted to nationals of all European Union countries, Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bahrain, Barbados, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, Comoros, Costa Rica, Djibouti, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Equatorial Guinea, Fiji, Gabon, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Hong Kong, Iceland, Israel, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kiribati, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Liechtenstein, Macao, Madagascar, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Micronesia, Monaco, Montenegro, Morocco, Mozambique, Nauru, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger, Norway, Oman, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Qatar, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, São Tomé and Príncipe, Saudi Arabia, Seychelles, Singapore, Solomon Islands, South Korea, Suriname, Switzerland, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Tunisia, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vatican City, Zambia, and nationals of Cuba, Haiti, Ukraine and Venezuela with a work permit.
Nationals of other countries must present a visa or travel authorisation for Canada, the United Kingdom or the United States (the countries with frequent flights from Bermuda), valid for at least 45 days from their intended departure from Bermuda, or a government letter attesting that they are a spouse of a Bermudian or belong to Bermuda. Since 1 March 2014, Bermuda does not issue its own visas.
Visitors are granted entry for a stay of up to 180 days in any 12-month period.
- Statistics
Most visitors arriving in Bermuda (including arrivals by air, cruise and yacht) were from the following countries:
British Antarctic Territory
British Antarctic Territory – The territory is administered in London by staff in the Polar Regions Department of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office which issues permits to those travelling to the territory. New applications should be filed at least 4 months in advance. Organisers need to demonstrate that they are sufficiently prepared for a visit to Antarctica.
British Indian Ocean Territory
British Indian Ocean Territory – Visitors must obtain a valid permit before travelling. Permits are issued by British Indian Ocean Territory Administration at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London. Any permit issued is valid for the outer islands only while the access to Diego Garcia is restricted to those with connections to the military facility. No unauthorised vessel is permitted to approach the Diego Garcia within 3 nautical miles and vessels in transit, on innocent passage as defined under maritime law, should maintain their course away from Diego Garcia. Proof of travel insurance and yacht insurance is required. Passports must be valid for 6 months. Any person who enters BIOT without a permit is liable to imprisonment for 3 years and/or a fine of £3000.
British Virgin Islands
British Virgin Islands – Visitors are usually granted a one-month entry stamp on arrival, and may request an extension of stay up to 6 months.
A visa-free stay is granted to nationals of all European Union countries, Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belize, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Canada, Chile, China, Costa Rica, Dominica, East Timor, Ecuador, El Salvador, Eswatini, Fiji, Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guatemala, Honduras, Hong Kong, Iceland, India, Japan, Kenya, Kiribati, Kosovo, Lesotho, Liechtenstein, Macao, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Marshall Islands, Mauritius, Mexico, Micronesia, Monaco, Montenegro, Namibia, Nauru, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Solomon Islands, South Africa, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Switzerland, Taiwan, Tanzania, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Tuvalu, Uganda, United Kingdom, United States, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Vatican City, Venezuela, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
In addition, holders of a visa for the United Kingdom, United States or Canada do not need a visa for the British Virgin Islands. The visa for those countries must have at least 6 months of validity before travel to the territory.
Cruise ship passengers do not need a visa for stays of up to 24 hours. Nationals of Belarus, Moldova, Russia and Ukraine visiting by mega yacht, without sanctions, do not need a visa for stays of up to two weeks.
Cayman Islands
Cayman Islands – A maximum visa-free stay of 6 months, for tourist purposes only, is granted to nationals of all European Union countries, Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Bahamas, Bahrain, Barbados, Belize, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Dominica, Ecuador, Eswatini, Fiji, Grenada, Guyana, Hong Kong, Iceland, Israel, Japan, Kenya, Kiribati, Kuwait, Lesotho, Liechtenstein, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritius, Mexico, Monaco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, New Zealand, Norway, Oman, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Seychelles, Singapore, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Switzerland, Taiwan, Tanzania, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tuvalu, United Kingdom, United States, Vanuatu and Zambia; and nationals of Jamaica under 15 or over 70 years of age.
A maximum visa-free stay of 30 days is also granted to permanent residents of the United States when arriving directly from the United States, of Canada when arriving directly from Canada or the United States, or of the United Kingdom when arriving directly from the United Kingdom.
Nationals of China, India and Jamaica who hold a valid visa issued by the United States, Canada or the United Kingdom can visit the Cayman Islands for up to 30 days only if arriving directly from the country that issued the visa.
Passengers can transit without a visa except for nationals of Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Bangladesh, Belarus, Burundi, Cameroon, China, Colombia, Congo, Cuba, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Dominican Republic, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Haiti, India, Iran, Iraq, Ivory Coast, Lebanon, Liberia, Moldova, Montenegro, Myanmar, Nepal, Nigeria, North Macedonia, Northern Cyprus, Pakistan, Palestine, Peru, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Syria, Turkey, Uganda, Venezuela, Vietnam and Zimbabwe.
- Statistics
Most visitors arriving in the Cayman Islands by air were from the following countries:
Falkland Islands
Falkland Islands – Follows mainly the visa policy of the United Kingdom. The Customs and Immigration Department of the Falkland Islands controls entry into the territory.
Visa exemption
Cruise ship visitors regardless of nationality do not need a visa to enter the Falkland Islands or to participate in shore excursions for up to seven days. However, visitors arriving by air or intending to spend time in the Falkland Islands before or after a cruise need a visa if not otherwise exempt.
Land-base visitors are required to have evidence of accommodation and funds for the duration of their stay, a return ticket, and travel insurance including medical evacuation should it be required.
Nationals of the following countries and territories holding a valid passport can enter the Falkland Islands without a visa for a period of one month and are issued a visitor's permit on arrival:
In addition, holders of a United Nations laissez-passer do not need a visa. All visa-exempt visitors may extend their visit up to a maximum of 12 months by applying directly to Customs and Immigration in Stanley.
Visa types
- Visitor permit: Nationals of countries not listed as visa-exempt need to obtain a visitor permit prior to arrival in the Falklands.
- Work permit: A work permit must be applied from outside of the Falkland Islands initially. It grants permission for the holder to enter, depart and reside in the Falklands during the period of its validity, and to take employment with a specified employer or on one's own account engage in any trade, business or vocation stated in the permit. Maximum validity is 2 years but it can be renewed on application.
- Temporary residence permit: A residence permit, which needs to be applied from outside of the Falkland Islands, grants permission for the holder to enter, depart and reside in the Falklands during the period of its validity up to a maximum of 3 years, but it can be renewed on application. The holder of a residence permit and any dependents included in the permit are entitled to apply for work permits if they wish to subsequently take up an employment opportunity.
- Permanent residence permit: A permanent residence permit grants indefinite leave for the holder to enter, depart and reside in the Falkland Islands and to take any lawful employment or pursue any lawful business, trade, profession, or vocation in the Falkland Islands without needing a work permit. Where an application for a permanent residence permit is approved, any dependents included in the application of a principal applicant are also granted a permanent residence permit in their own right. The annual number of permanent residence permits that may be granted is controlled by a quota system.
Transit
All travellers who would normally require a visa to enter the Falkland Islands but are transiting by air or sea for less than 24 hours are exempted from the visa requirement.
Gibraltar
Gibraltar – Follows the visa policy of the Schengen Area. The territory has open borders with Spain.
Montserrat
Montserrat – A visa-free stay of 6 months is granted to nationals of all European Union countries (except Croatia), Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belize, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Cameroon, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Dominica, Dominican Republic, East Timor, Eswatini, Fiji, Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hong Kong, Iceland, India, Israel, Jamaica, Japan, Kenya, Kiribati, Lesotho, Liechtenstein, Macao, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Marshall Islands, Mauritius, Mexico, Micronesia, Monaco, Myanmar, Namibia, Nauru, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Solomon Islands, South Africa, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Switzerland, Taiwan, Tanzania, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tuvalu, Uganda, United Kingdom, United States, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Vatican City, Western Sahara, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
In addition, holders of a valid visa for the United Kingdom, United States, Canada or an EU country do not need a visa for Montserrat.
Other travellers may apply online for an electronic visa, which is valid for 1 year and may be used for multiple entries.
Pitcairn Islands
Pitcairn Islands – Visitors intending to stay for up to 14 days do not need a visa or prior clearance, and may obtain permission to enter on arrival. Visits longer than 14 days or for employment or business purposes require an entry clearance, whose application should be submitted electronically at least 3 months before travel.
Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha
Different rules apply to each part of the territory of Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha:
Saint Helena – Visa-free entry is granted to nationals of all European Union countries, Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Dominica, East Timor, El Salvador, Grenada, Guatemala, Honduras, Hong Kong, Iceland, Israel, Japan, Kiribati, Liechtenstein, Macao, Malaysia, Maldives, Marshall Islands, Mauritius, Mexico, Micronesia, Monaco, Namibia, Nauru, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Seychelles, Singapore, Solomon Islands, South Africa, South Korea, Switzerland, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tuvalu, United Kingdom, United States, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Vatican City and Western Sahara.
Nationals of other countries may apply online for an electronic visa.
Ascension Island – Visitors of all nationalities, including British citizens, need a visa for Ascension Island, except certain government and military personnel, their dependents, and crew members. The Ascension Island government introduced an electronic visa (e-visa) system in the first half of 2018. There are seven e-visa categories: tourist, business, scientific/research, transit, contractor, employment and dependents/family. Tourist e-visas allow a single stay of up to 3 months and are not issued for more than a cumulative duration of 3 months in any 12-month period.
From May 2015, the Ascension Island government does not issue visas to nationals of Belarus, China, Egypt, Iran, Libya, North Korea, Russia, Syria, Ukraine and Vietnam, and from 2017, to passport holders of Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan.
Tristan da Cunha – All visitors must request permission to land in advance from the Secretary of the Administrator. They must also have a return passage, health insurance including medical evacuation, and sufficient funds for their visit.
South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands – The Commissioner of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, based in Stanley, regulates all access to the territory. All visitors irrespective of their nationality or mode of transport must apply to the Commissioner for permission to land in advance. The visit permit is issued to a 'permit holder', normally a cruise vessel expedition leader or a yacht master. Visitors travelling as paying passengers on cruise ships and yachts do not need to submit a visit application.
Turks and Caicos Islands
Turks and Caicos Islands – A visa-free stay of 90 days is granted to nationals of all European Union countries, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Botswana, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominica, Ecuador, Fiji, Grenada, Guyana, Hong Kong, Iceland, Israel, Japan, Lesotho, Liechtenstein, Mauritius, Mexico, Monaco, New Zealand, Norway, Oman, Panama, Qatar, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Saudi Arabia, Seychelles, Singapore, Solomon Islands, South Africa, South Korea, Suriname, Switzerland, Taiwan, Trinidad and Tobago, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States and Vatican City.
In addition, holders of a valid visa or residence permit for the United Kingdom, United States or Canada do not need a visa for the Turks and Caicos Islands.