UK Publishes Full List of Countries Requiring Visas for or Short Stays Under 6 Months
- The UK updated its Immigration Rules Appendix Visitor, naming over 100 countries whose nationals must obtain a visa before travelling
- Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa and dozens of other African nations appear on the full list released by the Home Office on July 1
- Stateless persons and travellers using non-passport documents also require entry clearance regardless of their nationality
The United Kingdom's Home Office has published an updated version of its Immigration Rules Appendix Visitor, setting out a definitive list of countries and territories whose nationals must secure a visa before travelling to the UK for visits or stays of fewer than six months.
The update confirms that nationals from more than 100 countries are required to obtain entry clearance in advance.
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The rules also extend this requirement to stateless persons and individuals travelling on any document other than a national passport or, where permitted, a national identity card, unless that document was issued by the United Kingdom.
African countries on the UK visa list
A significant number of African nations appear on the updated list. These include Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Uganda, Cameroon, Côte d'Ivoire, Senegal, Rwanda, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Mozambique, Malawi, Madagascar, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, South Sudan, Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria, Libya, and several others across the continent.
Other African countries named include Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Eswatini, Gabon, the Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Lesotho, Mali, Mauritania, Namibia, Niger, São Tomé and Príncipe, Togo, and others.
UK announces key exemptions
Beyond Africa, the list covers nations across Asia, the Middle East, Latin America, and Eastern Europe. Countries such as India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, China, the Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan, Russia, Ukraine, Turkey, Colombia, Venezuela, Cuba, and Jamaica are among those whose nationals must apply for a visa before arrival.
The Home Office noted that China and Taiwan are marked with an asterisk, indicating that specific exemptions apply to nationals of those countries under separate provisions within the appendix.
The rules make clear that the visa requirement is not limited to those travelling on passports from listed countries.
Anyone travelling on a non-standard document, regardless of where they hold nationality, must also seek entry clearance before departure, with the sole exception being documents issued by the UK itself.
The updated Immigration Rules Appendix Visitor serves as the authoritative reference for travellers, airlines, and immigration officers assessing eligibility for entry into the United Kingdom.
UK publishes Skilled Worker visa fees
In a related development, YEN.com.gh reported that the UK published a detailed breakdown of the fees required to apply for a Skilled Worker visa.
The government clarified that the total cost depends on where an applicant is applying from and the length of the visa being sought.
The information, made available on the UK government website, outlines that applicants may pay anywhere between £819 and £1,865 in application fees alone.
Source: YEN.com.gh
