United Kingdom: Visas Now Required for Certain Previously Visa-Exempt Nationals
July 19, 2023

Effective immediately, nationals from Dominica, Honduras, Namibia, Timor-Leste, and Vanuatu are now required to obtain a visa to enter the United Kingdom, regardless of their reason for travel. Previously, these nationals could travel to the United Kingdom without a visa for business or tourism. Despite this policy change, there will be a four-week transition period until August 16, 2023, during which nationals of these countries who booked their travel before 15:00 GMT on July 19, 2023, can still enter the United Kingdom without a visa. Nationals of these countries currently in the United Kingdom do not need to obtain a visa for the remainder of their visit; however, if they leave the United Kingdom they will need to obtain a visa to re-enter the United Kingdom.
This alert is for informational purposes only. If you have any questions, please contact the global immigration professional with whom you work at Fragomen or send an email to [email protected].
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