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.
Country | Visa requirement | Allowed stay | Notes (excluding departure fees) | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Afghanistan | ||||
Albania | 90 days | |||
Algeria | ||||
Andorra | ||||
Angola | ||||
Antigua and Barbuda | 6 months | |||
Argentina | 30 days | |||
Armenia | ||||
Australia | ||||
Austria | 90 days |
| ||
Azerbaijan | ||||
Bahamas | 3 months | |||
Bahrain | 3 months | |||
Bangladesh | 30 days | |||
Barbados | 6 months | |||
Belarus |
| |||
Belgium | 90 days |
| ||
Belize | 1 month | |||
[2] | 30 days | |||
Bhutan |
| |||
90 days | ||||
Bosnia and Herzegovina | 90 days | |||
Botswana | 90 days | |||
Brazil | 90 days | |||
Bulgaria | 90 days |
| ||
Burkina Faso | 1 month | |||
Myanmar | [3] | 28 days |
| |
Burundi | [5] | |||
Cambodia | 30 days |
| ||
Cameroon |
| |||
Canada | 6 months |
| ||
Cape Verde | ||||
Central African Republic | ||||
Chad | ||||
Chile | 90 days |
| ||
Colombia | 180 days | |||
Comoros | ||||
Costa Rica | ||||
Croatia | 90 days |
| ||
Cuba | ||||
Cyprus | 90 days |
| ||
Czech Republic | 90 days |
| ||
Denmark | 90 days |
| ||
Djibouti | ||||
Dominica | 6 months | |||
Dominican Republic | ||||
Ecuador | 90 days | |||
Egypt | 30 days | |||
El Salvador | ||||
Equatorial Guinea | ||||
Eritrea |
| |||
Estonia | 90 days |
| ||
30 days | ||||
Ethiopia | ||||
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 | ||||
Guinea | ||||
Guinea-Bissau | 90 days | |||
Guyana | ||||
Haiti | 90 days | |||
Honduras | ||||
Hungary | 90 days |
| ||
Iceland | 90 days |
| ||
India | ||||
Indonesia | ||||
Iraq |
| |||
Ireland | ||||
Israel | 3 months | |||
Italy | 90 days |
| ||
Cote d'Ivoire | [9] | 3 months |
| |
Jamaica | 30 days | |||
Japan | ||||
Jordan |
| |||
Kazakhstan | ||||
Kenya | 3 months | |||
Kiribati | ||||
[11] | 30 days |
| ||
Kuwait | 3 months | |||
Kyrgyzstan | ||||
30 days | ||||
Latvia | 90 days |
| ||
Lebanon | ||||
Lesotho | 14 days | |||
Liberia |
| |||
Libya |
| |||
Liechtenstein | 90 days |
| ||
Lithuania | 90 days |
| ||
Luxembourg | 90 days |
| ||
Madagascar | 90 days | |||
Malawi | ||||
Malaysia | 3 months | |||
Maldives | 30 days | |||
Mali | ||||
Malta | 90 days |
| ||
Marshall Islands | ||||
Mauritania |
| |||
Mauritius | 90 days | |||
Mexico | ||||
30 days | ||||
90 days |
| |||
Monaco | ||||
Mongolia | ||||
Montenegro | ||||
Morocco | ||||
Mozambique | ||||
Namibia | 3 months | |||
Nauru | ||||
Nepal | 90 days | |||
Netherlands | 90 days |
| ||
New Zealand |
| |||
Nicaragua | 90 days | |||
Niger | ||||
Nigeria |
| |||
90 days | ||||
Norway | 90 days |
| ||
Oman | 3 months | |||
Pakistan | ||||
Palau | 30 days | |||
Panama | 180 days | |||
Papua New Guinea | ||||
Paraguay | 90 days | |||
Peru | 183 days | |||
Philippines | 7 days | |||
Poland | 90 days |
| ||
Portugal | 90 days |
| ||
Qatar | 30 days |
| ||
Romania | 90 days |
| ||
| ||||
Rwanda | 90 days | |||
Saint Kitts and Nevis | 3 months | |||
Saint Lucia | 6 weeks | |||
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | 1 month | |||
Samoa | 60 days |
| ||
San Marino | ||||
[17] | ||||
Saudi Arabia | ||||
Senegal | [18] | 3 months | ||
Serbia | 90 days | |||
Seychelles | 3 months |
| ||
Sierra Leone |
| |||
Singapore | 30 days | |||
Slovakia | 90 days |
| ||
Slovenia | 90 days |
| ||
Solomon Islands | 3 months |
| ||
Somalia | ||||
South Africa | ||||
Spain | 90 days |
| ||
Sri Lanka | 30 days | |||
Sudan | ||||
Suriname | 90 days | |||
Sweden | 90 days |
| ||
Switzerland | 90 days |
| ||
Tajikistan | ||||
Timor-Leste | 30 days |
| ||
Togo | 7 days | |||
Tonga | 31 days |
| ||
Trinidad and Tobago | 30 days | |||
Tunisia | 3 months | |||
Turkey | ||||
Turkmenistan |
| |||
Tuvalu | 1 month |
| ||
Uganda |
| |||
Ukraine | ||||
United Arab Emirates | ||||
United Kingdom | [23] | 6 months | ||
United States | ||||
Uruguay | 90 days | |||
Uzbekistan | [24] | 30 days |
| |
Vanuatu | 30 days | |||
90 days | ||||
[25] |
| |||
Yemen | ||||
Zambia | 90 days | |||
Zimbabwe | 3 months |
British Crown Dependencies and Overseas Territories | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Visitor to | Visa requirement | Allowed stay | Notes | |
[27] [28] | 3 months |
| ||
Anguilla | 3 months[29] |
| ||
Bermuda | 6 months[30] |
| ||
[31] [32] | ||||
[33] [34] | ||||
1 month[35] |
| |||
Cayman Islands | 30 Days[36] |
| ||
4 weeks[37] [38] |
| |||
[39] | ||||
| ||||
Gibraltar | ||||
Montserrat | 6 months |
| ||
14 days | ||||
183 days[47] |
| |||
South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands |
| |||
Turks and Caicos Islands | 90 days[51] |
| ||
|
Europe | |||
---|---|---|---|
Visitor to | Visa requirement | Notes (excluding departure fees) | |
[53] | |||
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.[54] [55] | ||
Belovezhskaya Pushcha National Park | 3 days;[56] must first obtain an electronic pass[57] | ||
Crimea | Visa policy of Russia applies de facto.[58] | ||
3 months[59] | |||
UN Buffer Zone in Cyprus | [60] | Access Permit is required for travelling inside the zone, except Civil Use Areas. | |
Faroe Islands | [61] | ||
Jan Mayen | [62] | Permit issued by the local police required for staying for less than 24 hours[63] and permit issued by the Norwegian police for staying for more than 24 hours.[64] | |
[65] | |||
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.[66] | |||
Several closed cities and regions in Russia require special authorization.[67] | |||
Multiple entry visa to Russia and three-day prior notification are required to enter South Ossetia.[68] [69] | |||
Registration required after 24h.[70] [71] | |||
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).[72] | ||
Mayotte | 90 days | ||
Reunion | 90 days | ||
Visa not required up to 3 months.[73] | |||
30 days for 30 US dollars, payable on arrival.[74] [75] | |||
Sudan | All foreigners traveling more than 25 kilometers outside of Khartoum must obtain a travel permit. | ||
Darfur | Separate travel permit is required.[76] | ||
Asia | |||
Visitor to | Visa requirement | Notes (excluding departure fees) | |
Hong Kong | 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.[77] | ||
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.[78] [79] [80] [81] [82] [83] | ||
15 days[84] | |||
Kazakhstan | Special permission required for the town of Baikonur and surrounding areas in Kyzylorda Oblast, and the town of Gvardeyskiy near Almaty.[85] | ||
Kish Island | Visitors to Kish Island do not require a visa.[86] | ||
Macao | 6 months | ||
Sabah and Sarawak | These states have their own immigration authorities and passport is required to travel to them, however the same visa applies.[87] | ||
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.[88] | ||
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.[89] | |||
Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Province | OIVR permit required (15+5 Tajikistani Somoni) and another special permit (free of charge) is required for Lake Sarez.[90] [91] [92] | ||
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.[93] | ||
Korean Demilitarized Zone | Restricted zone | ||
UNDOF Zone and Ghajar | Restricted zone | ||
Phú Quốc | Can visit without a visa for up to 30 days.[94] | ||
Yemen | Special permission needed for travel outside Sana’a or Aden.[95] | ||
Caribbean and North Atlantic | |||
Visitor to | Visa requirement | Notes (excluding departure fees)f | |
Aruba | 30 days, extendable to 180 days[96] | ||
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.[97] | ||
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.[98] | ||
Puerto Rico | |||
Saint Pierre and Miquelon | |||
3 months[99] | |||
Oceania | |||
Visitor to | Visa requirement | Notes (excluding departure fees) | |
American Samoa | [100] | ||
Ashmore and Cartier Islands | Special authorisation required.[101] | ||
Clipperton Island | Special permit required.[102] | ||
31 days | |||
Lau Province | Special permission required.[103] | ||
French Polynesia | 90 days | ||
Guam | Visa not required under the Guam - CNMI Visa Waiver Program, for 45 days. Must also present a Hong Kong identity card. | ||
New Caledonia | [104] | 90 days | |
Niue | 30 days | ||
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.[105] [106] [107] [108] [109] [110] [111] | ||
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.[112] | ||
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.[113] [114] [115] [116] [117] [118] [119] [120] [121] [122] [123] [124] |
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.