Visa requirements for British Nationals (Overseas) are administrative entry restrictions by the authorities of other states and territories placed on British National (Overseas) passport holders. Several million people, the vast majority with a Hong Kong connection, hold this passport.
Holders of British National (Overseas) status[1] are British nationals and Commonwealth citizens, but not British citizens. This nationality, by itself, does not grant the right of abode anywhere in the world, including the United Kingdom or Hong Kong,[2] but all BN(O)s possess either right of abode or right to land in Hong Kong due to holding right of abode before 1997. BN(O)s are subject to British immigration controls and do not have the automatic right to live or work in the United Kingdom.[3] From January 2021, they are eligible to apply for limited leave to remain to work or study in the UK with a path to citizenship, as a consequence of the Chinese national security law imposed on Hong Kong, which the UK considers a violation of the Sino-British Joint Declaration signed in 1984.
The British National (Overseas) status was created in 1985 in anticipation of the transfer of sovereignty over Hong Kong on 1 July 1997.[1] This nationality was "tailor-made" for British Hong Kong residents with British Dependent Territories Citizen (BDTC) status by virtue of their connection with Hong Kong; it allowed the people of British Hong Kong to retain a relationship with the United Kingdom after the transfer of sovereignty over Hong Kong to China. BN(O)s enjoy consular protection as British nationals would when travelling outside Hong Kong. Since most BN(O)s also hold Chinese nationality, they do not enjoy consular protection in China, Hong Kong and Macau.[4] From 1 July 1987 to 30 June 1997, nearly 3.4 million of British Dependent Territories Citizens in Hong Kong successfully registered as a British National (Overseas).[5] All BDTCs relate only to Hong Kong lost their BDTC status on 1 July 1997, and any BDTC who did not register as a BN(O) and without other nationality automatically acquired British Overseas Citizenship.
Visa requirements for other classes of British nationals such as British citizens, British Overseas Citizens, British Overseas Territories Citizens, British Protected Persons or British Subjects are different.
Starting from 31 January 2021, China no longer recognizes British National (Overseas) passports as valid travel documents. BN(O) passport holders need to use other identity documents such as their Hong Kong identity card in conjunction with their BN(O) for immigration clearance.[6]
Country | Visa requirement | Allowed stay | Notes (excluding departure fees) | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Afghanistan | 30 days | In June 2022, government spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid said: "Anyone can visit Afghanistan for the purpose of humanitarian activities and tourism." which implicitly states that any one going to Afghanistan for Humanitarian or tourism purposes is visa free and there is evidence of visas being issued on arrival. | ||
Albania | 90 days | |||
Algeria | [7] | |||
Andorra | ||||
Angola | 30 days | |||
Antigua and Barbuda | [8] | 6 months | ||
Argentina | [9] | 30 days[10] | ||
Armenia | 180 days[11] | |||
Australia | 90 days |
| ||
Austria | 90 days |
| ||
Azerbaijan | 30 days[12] | |||
Bahamas | [13] | 21 days | ||
Bahrain | [16] | 3 months | ||
Bangladesh | 30 days |
| ||
Barbados | [22] | 6 months[23] | ||
Belarus | [24] | 30 days | ||
Belgium | 90 days |
| ||
Belize | [25] | |||
[26] | 30 days |
| ||
Bhutan | [27] [28] | |||
[31] | 90 days |
| ||
Bosnia and Herzegovina | 90 days |
| ||
Botswana | 90 days | |||
Brazil | [33] | 90 days |
| |
[35] |
| |||
Bulgaria | 90 days |
| ||
Burkina Faso | [36] | 1 month | ||
Burundi | 1 month |
| ||
Cambodia | 30 days | |||
Cameroon | [40] |
| ||
Canada | 6 months |
| ||
Cape Verde | [43] | 30 days |
| |
Central African Republic | [45] | |||
Chad | ||||
Chile | 90 days |
| ||
| ||||
Colombia | [47] | 90 days | ||
Comoros | ||||
[50] [51] | 7 days | |||
Costa Rica | 30 days | |||
Cote d'Ivoire | [52] | 3 months |
| |
Croatia | 90 days |
| ||
Cuba | 90 days |
| ||
Cyprus | 90 days |
| ||
Czech Republic | 90 days |
| ||
Denmark | 90 days |
| ||
Djibouti | [53] | 31 days | ||
Dominica | 6 months | |||
Dominican Republic | [54] |
| ||
Ecuador | 90 days |
| ||
Egypt | [55] | 30 days | ||
El Salvador | [56] | |||
Equatorial Guinea | [57] | |||
Eritrea |
| |||
Estonia | 90 days |
| ||
30 days | ||||
Ethiopia | up to 90 days |
| ||
Fiji | 4 months | |||
Finland | 90 days |
| ||
France | 90 days |
| ||
Gabon |
| |||
Gambia | 90 days | |||
Georgia | ||||
Germany | 90 days |
| ||
Ghana |
| |||
Greece | 90 days |
| ||
Grenada | 6 months |
| ||
Guatemala | 90 days | |||
Guinea | [60] | 90 days | ||
Guinea-Bissau | 90 days | |||
Guyana | [61] |
| ||
Haiti | 90 days | |||
Honduras | [62] | |||
Hungary | 90 days |
| ||
Iceland | 90 days |
| ||
India |
| |||
Indonesia |
| |||
Iraq | [63] | 60 days |
| |
Ireland | 90 days | |||
Israel | 3 months | |||
Italy | 90 days |
| ||
Jamaica | 180 days | |||
Japan | 90 days | |||
Jordan | [65] |
| ||
Kazakhstan | 30 days | |||
Kenya | [66] | 90 days |
| |
Kiribati | 30 days | |||
[68] | 30 days |
| ||
Kuwait | 3 months[70] | |||
Kyrgyzstan | [71] | 60 days | ||
30 days [72] | ||||
Latvia | 90 days |
| ||
Lebanon |
| |||
Lesotho | 14 days | |||
Liberia | [73] |
| ||
Libya | [74] | |||
Liechtenstein | 90 days |
| ||
Lithuania | 90 days |
| ||
Luxembourg | 90 days |
| ||
Madagascar | 60 days | |||
Malawi | 30 days | |||
Malaysia | 1 month | |||
Maldives | 30 days | |||
Mali | [75] | |||
Malta | 90 days |
| ||
Marshall Islands | [76] | 90 days |
| |
Mauritania |
| |||
Mauritius | 90 days | |||
Mexico | 180 days[77] | |||
30 days | ||||
90 days |
| |||
Monaco | 30 days | |||
Mongolia | [78] | 30 days[79] [80] | ||
Montenegro | 90 days |
| ||
Morocco | 90 days | |||
Mozambique | [84] | 30 days | ||
Myanmar | [85] | 28 days |
| |
Namibia | 3 months | |||
Nauru |
| |||
Nepal | 90 days[88] |
| ||
Netherlands | 90 days |
| ||
New Zealand | 3 months |
| ||
Nicaragua | 90 days | |||
Niger | ||||
Nigeria | [93] | 90 days |
| |
90 days | ||||
Norway | 90 days |
| ||
Oman | [94] | 14 days / 30 days | ||
Pakistan | [95] | 30 days | ||
Palau | 30 days | |||
Panama | 90 days |
| ||
Papua New Guinea | [103] | 60 days |
| |
Paraguay | 90 days | |||
Peru | 183 days |
| ||
Philippines | 7 days | |||
Poland | 90 days |
| ||
Portugal | 90 days |
| ||
Qatar | [107] | |||
Romania | 90 days |
| ||
Rwanda | 30 days |
| ||
Saint Kitts and Nevis | 3 months | |||
Saint Lucia | 6 weeks | |||
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | 6 months | |||
Samoa | 60 days | |||
San Marino | ||||
15 days | ||||
Saudi Arabia | [109] [110] | 90 days | ||
Senegal | 90 days | |||
Serbia | 90 days | |||
Seychelles | 3 months | |||
Sierra Leone | [111] [112] | 30 days | ||
Singapore | 30 days |
| ||
Slovakia | 90 days |
| ||
Slovenia | 90 days |
| ||
Solomon Islands | 3 months |
| ||
Somalia | ||||
South Africa | 30 days | |||
[113] [114] |
| |||
Spain | 90 days |
| ||
Sri Lanka | 4 months |
| ||
Sudan | [117] | |||
Suriname | [118] | 90 days | ||
Sweden | 90 days |
| ||
Switzerland | 90 days |
| ||
[121] | ||||
Tajikistan | [122] | 45 days | ||
[123] | 3 months | |||
30 days (as of April 1, 2023) |
| |||
Timor-Leste | 30 days |
| ||
Togo | [125] | 15 days | ||
Tonga | 31 days | |||
Trinidad and Tobago | ||||
Tunisia | 3 months | |||
Turkey | 3 months | |||
Turkmenistan |
| |||
Tuvalu | 1 month | |||
Uganda | 3 months |
| ||
Ukraine | 90 days | |||
United Arab Emirates | [127] |
| ||
United Kingdom | 6 Months (Visitors, extendable by converting into a BN(O) visa from inside the UK); Unlimited (With a valid BN(O) visa) |
| ||
United States |
| |||
Uruguay | 90 days | |||
Uzbekistan | [137] | 30 days | ||
Vanuatu | 30 days | |||
90 days[138] |
| |||
[140] |
| |||
Yemen | [142] |
| ||
Zambia | 90 days |
| ||
Zimbabwe | 3 months |
|
British Crown Dependencies and Overseas Territories | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Visitor to | Visa requirement | Allowed stay | Notes | ||
Anguilla | 3 months[144] |
| |||
Bermuda | 6 months[145] |
| |||
[146] [147] | |||||
[148] [149] | |||||
1 month[150] |
| ||||
Cayman Islands | 30 Days[151] |
| |||
4 weeks[152] [153] |
| ||||
| |||||
| |||||
| |||||
Gibraltar | |||||
Montserrat | 6 months |
| |||
14 days | |||||
Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha | |||||
[158] [159] | 3 months |
| |||
183 days[160] |
| ||||
| |||||
South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands |
| ||||
Turks and Caicos Islands | 90 days[165] |
|
Europe | |||
---|---|---|---|
Visitor to | Visa requirement | Notes (excluding departure fees) | |
[166] | |||
Mount Athos | 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.[167] [168] | ||
Belovezhskaya Pushcha National Park | 3 days;[169] must first obtain an electronic pass[170] | ||
Crimea | Visa policy of Russia applies de facto.[171] | ||
3 months[172] | |||
UN Buffer Zone in Cyprus | [173] | Access Permit is required for travelling inside the zone, except Civil Use Areas. | |
Faroe Islands | [174] | ||
Jan Mayen | [175] | Permit issued by the local police required for staying for less than 24 hours[176] and permit issued by the Norwegian police for staying for more than 24 hours.[177] | |
90 days | |||
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.[178] | |||
Several closed cities and regions in Russia require special authorization.[179] | |||
Multiple entry visa to Russia and three-day prior notification are required to enter South Ossetia.[180] [181] | |||
Registration required after 24h.[182] [183] | |||
Africa | |||
Visitor to | Visa requirement | Notes (excluding departure fees) | |
outside Asmara | To travel in the rest of the country, a Travel Permit for Foreigners is required (20 Eritrean nakfa).[184] | ||
Mayotte | 90 days | ||
Reunion | 90 days | ||
Visa not required up to 3 months.[185] | |||
30 days for 30 US dollars, payable on arrival.[186] [187] | |||
Sudan | All foreigners traveling more than 25 kilometers outside of Khartoum must obtain a travel permit. | ||
Darfur | Separate travel permit is required.[188] | ||
Asia | |||
Visitor to | Visa requirement | Notes (excluding departure fees) | |
Hong Kong | The Hong Kong SAR government does not recognise BN(O) passports as valid documents for immigration clearance and identification purposes. BN(O) citizens are instead entitled to a Hong Kong identity card which attests the passport holder the Right of Abode or Right to Land status in Hong Kong, implying BN(O) citizens the right to live, work or study in Hong Kong without any immigration controls.[189] | ||
India PAP/RAP | 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.[190] [191] [192] [193] [194] | ||
15 days[195] | |||
Kazakhstan | Special permission required for the town of Baikonur and surrounding areas in Kyzylorda Oblast, and the town of Gvardeyskiy near Almaty.[196] | ||
Kish Island | Visitors to Kish Island do not require a visa.[197] | ||
Macao | The Macau SAR government has no official announcement regarding the admissibility/ inadmissibility of BN(O) passport holders. BN(O) citizens are able to visit Macau with their Hong Kong Identity Card for up to 1 year. | ||
Sabah and Sarawak | 1 month. These two Malaysian states have their own immigration authorities and a valid passport is required to travel between them, however the same Malaysian visa applies. Length of stay will not be extended for travel between Peninsular Malaysia and East Malaysia.[198] | ||
Maldives | 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.[199] | ||
outside Pyongyang | People are not allowed to leave the capital city, tourists can only leave the capital with a governmental tourist guide (no independent moving) | ||
Arrival by sea to Gaza Strip not allowed.[200] | |||
BN(O) citizens who meet certain eligible can apply online (Fee waiver) or on arrival (Fee : NT 300). This Permit for up to 30 days https://www.roc-taiwan.org/uk/post/1888.html | |||
Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Province | OIVR permit required (15+5 Tajikistani Somoni) and another special permit (free of charge) is required for Lake Sarez.[201] [202] [203] | ||
Turkmenistan | 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.[204] | ||
Korean Demilitarized Zone | Restricted zone | ||
UNDOF Zone and Ghajar | Restricted zone | ||
Phú Quốc | Can visit without a visa for up to 30 days.[205] | ||
Yemen | Special permission needed for travel outside Sana’a or Aden.[206] | ||
Caribbean and North Atlantic | |||
Visitor to | Visa requirement | Notes (excluding departure fees) | |
Aruba | 30 days, extendable to 180 days[207] | ||
Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba | 90 days | ||
San Andrés and Leticia | Visitors arriving at Gustavo Rojas Pinilla International Airport and Alfredo Vásquez Cobo International Airport must buy tourist cards on arrival.[208] | ||
3 months | |||
French Guiana | 90 days | ||
French West Indies | 90 days. French West Indies refers to Martinique, Guadeloupe, Saint Martin and Saint Barthélemy. | ||
Greenland | |||
Margarita Island | All visitors are fingerprinted.[209] | ||
Puerto Rico | US visa required | ||
Saint Pierre and Miquelon | |||
3 months[210] | |||
US visa required | |||
Oceania | |||
Visitor to | Visa requirement | Notes (excluding departure fees) | |
American Samoa | [211] | US visa required | |
Ashmore and Cartier Islands | Special authorisation required.[212] | ||
Clipperton Island | Special permit required.[213] | ||
31 days | |||
Lau Province | Special permission required.[214] | ||
French Polynesia | 90 days | ||
Guam | [215] | 45 days | |
New Caledonia | [216] | 90 days | |
Niue | Visa on arrival valid for 30 days is issued free of charge.[217] | ||
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 permits required for Baker Island, Howland Island, Jarvis Island, Johnston Atoll, Kingman Reef, Midway Atoll, Palmyra Atoll and Wake Island.[218] [219] [220] [221] [222] [223] [224] | ||
Wallis and Futuna | 90 days | ||
South America | |||
Visitor to | Visa requirement | Notes (excluding departure fees) | |
Galápagos | Online pre-registration is required. Transit Control Card must also be obtained at the airport prior to departure.[225] | ||
South Atlantic and Antarctica | |||
Visitor to | Visa requirement | Notes (excluding departure fees) | |
Antarctica | Special permits required for,, Australian Antarctic Territory, Bouvet Island, Chilean Antarctic Territory, Heard Island and McDonald Islands, Peter I Island, Queen Maud Land, Ross Dependency.[226] [227] [228] [229] [230] [231] [232] [233] [234] [235] [236] [237] |
British Nationals (Overseas) have the right to consular protection from British diplomatic missions[238] except in China, Hong Kong, and Macau.
When in a country where there is no British embassy, British Nationals (Overseas) may get help from the embassy of any other commonwealth country present in that country. There are also informal arrangements with some other countries, including New Zealand and Australia, to help British nationals in some countries.[239]