Visa for British passport holders: entry requirements for 10 destinations

No visa is needed before you travel to any of these 10 destinations on a full British citizen passport for a holiday: Turkey, Thailand, Japan, Morocco, Vietnam, China, the Maldives, Mexico, Dubai (UAE) and Barbados. What changes is the length of stay, the passport validity and, for four of them, an online form.

This page sets out the entry requirements for British passport holders, destination by destination: what you need before you go, how long you can stay as a tourist and how long your passport must still be valid on arrival. Every rule comes from the entry requirements section of GOV.UK foreign travel advice, read on 29 October 2026.

It covers tourism only. Work, study, long stays and other British passports (British National (Overseas), British overseas territories citizen) follow other rules: the embassy of the destination in the UK is the place to check them.

None of the 10 needs a visa applied for in advance for a tourist trip: seven let you in visa-free and three (Japan, the Maldives and the UAE) stamp a visa in your passport at the border, free of any application. The table gives the rule that matters for each one.

Two rules in this table move in 2026: Thailand cut its visa exemption to 30 days on 15 September 2026, and China's visa-free entry for British citizens runs until 31 December 2026. Check both again close to your departure date.

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  Thailand: Since 15 September 2026, visa-exempt entry is for tourism only and for up to 30 days. Business trips, conferences and meetings now need a visa obtained before you travel. If you entered before 15 September 2026, you keep the period granted at the time.
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  China: Visa-free stays of up to 30 days are open to holders of a British citizen passport, Crown Dependency passports included, until 31 December 2026. A trip that ends after that date, or a stay over 30 days, needs a visa applied for before you travel.
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  Turkey: The passport rule is not the 6 months many travellers expect: your passport must be valid at least 150 days after arrival, with one blank page.

Each destination below sets its own rules, and the entry requirements for British passport holders differ most on the length of stay and the passport. Here is what GOV.UK lists, country by country, for a holiday.

Turkey

You can visit Turkey without a visa for up to 90 days in any 180-day period, for tourism or business. Your passport must have an expiry date at least 150 days after the day you arrive and at least one blank page. Holders of other types of British passport need a visa from the Turkish Embassy or Consulate General. The FCDO advises against all travel to parts of Turkey: read its regional advice before you book.

Thailand

Under the visa exemption you can stay up to 30 days, for tourism only. Every foreign visitor must fill in the Thailand Digital Arrival Card online, in the 3 days before arrival, whether you come by air, land or sea. Your passport needs 6 months of validity after arrival and one blank page.

Border officers may ask for proof of funds, at least 10,000 Thai baht (about £220) per person or 20,000 baht (about £450) per family, and for an onward or return ticket. British nationals have been refused entry without them. By land, visa-exempt entry is normally limited to 2 entries per calendar year. The FCDO advises against all but essential travel to parts of Thailand.

Japan

A British citizen gets a visa on arrival in Japan for tourism or business, for up to 90 days, with nothing to apply for in advance. Your passport only has to be valid for the length of your stay, with a blank page for the stamp. An extension of another 90 days can be requested at a Japanese immigration office. If you plan to leave Japan and come back during the same trip, ask the immigration officer for multiple-entry permission when you arrive.

Morocco

You can visit Morocco without a visa for up to 90 days as a tourist. Your passport must be valid at least 3 months after arrival and must not be damaged: the Moroccan authorities have turned away travellers with damaged passports. Make sure the officer stamps your passport on entry, as travellers without an entry stamp have had trouble leaving. To stay beyond 90 days, you ask for an extension at a Moroccan police station.

Vietnam

Vietnam lets British citizens in without a visa for up to 45 days, for tourism or business. Your passport must be valid 6 months after arrival, have 2 blank pages and be free of damage, and you must enter and leave on the same passport. Check that the exit date stamped on arrival is 45 days after your arrival date before you leave the airport, because immigration will not correct it later. For a longer trip, Vietnam issues an e-visa for up to 90 days with multiple entries.

China

Until 31 December 2026, you can enter mainland China without a visa for up to 30 days for tourism, business, family or friend visits, or transit. Your passport needs 6 months of validity after arrival and 2 blank pages. You must register where you stay with the local Public Security Bureau within 24 hours, which hotels do for you at check-in. Hong Kong and Macao have their own rules.

Maldives

The Maldives gives British tourists a 30-day visa on arrival. Before you fly, you must complete the IMUGA traveller declaration online within 96 hours of your arrival. The passport rule is the lightest on this page: an expiry date at least one month after arrival, on a passport in good condition.

Mexico

British tourists do not need a visa for Mexico. The officer stamps the number of days you may stay, and you need that stamp to leave the country. Your passport must be valid for the whole stay; the Mexican Embassy in the UK recommends 180 days, the longest a tourist can stay. Officers may ask for a return ticket, proof of accommodation and proof of funds. If you enter by land, fill in the online immigration form first.

Dubai and the United Arab Emirates

On arrival in the UAE, Dubai included, British citizens receive a visitor visa free of charge, with no application in advance. It is valid for up to 90 days over a 180-day period from your first entry, in one stay or several. Your passport must be valid at least 6 months after the day you arrive.

Barbados

You do not need a visa to visit Barbados. The immigration officer tells you how long you can stay when you arrive, and you must be able to show an onward or return ticket. Every traveller fills in the immigration and customs form online before arrival, and your passport must be valid for the planned length of your stay.

Four of the 10 destinations ask for an online form before arrival, none of them a visa: Thailand, the Maldives, Barbados and, for land arrivals only, Mexico. Vietnam has a fifth one that is optional for now.

• Thailand Digital Arrival Card: Compulsory for every foreign visitor since 1 May 2025, by air, land or sea, within the 3 days before arrival.
• Maldives IMUGA traveller declaration: Compulsory, within 96 hours before your flight lands.
• Barbados immigration and customs form: Compulsory for all travellers, online before arrival.
• Mexico immigration form: Compulsory online for British nationals entering by land; air arrivals get their stamp at the border.
• Vietnam digital arrival card: Encouraged, not compulsory, for arrivals at Tan Son Nhat Airport in Ho Chi Minh City since 15 April 2026. It may become compulsory with little notice.

Six months after arrival is the rule for Thailand, Vietnam, China and the UAE; Turkey asks for 150 days, Morocco for 3 months, the Maldives for one month, and Japan, Mexico and Barbados only for the length of your stay. Blank pages and the state of the passport matter too.

If your trip goes through another country, its own passport rule applies too: GOV.UK notes that many countries only let you in with at least 6 months of validity left.

Overstaying is an offence in each of these countries, with fines, detention or deportation. Thailand is the most precise: 500 Thai baht (about £11) a day, up to 20,000 baht (about £450), with a possible ban of up to 10 years.

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  Thailand: Fine of 500 baht a day up to 20,000 baht, detention, deportation at your own expense and a re-entry ban of up to 10 years.
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  Japan: Arrest, detention and a heavy fine.
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  Vietnam: You can be stopped from leaving until you pay a fine, deported and refused future visits.
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  China: Regular checks, with fines, detention and deportation.
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  Dubai and the UAE: Fines that build up for each day of overstay.
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  Barbados: A fine or detention. An extension is applied for, and paid for, through the Barbados Immigration Department.

Five checks cover the entry requirements of all 10 destinations: your passport type, its expiry date, its blank pages, the online form and the stay you plan against the stay allowed.

1. Check your passport type: Every rule on this page is for a full British citizen passport. Other British passports may need a visa, as in Turkey.
2. Count the validity from your arrival date: 6 months, 150 days, 3 months or one month depending on the destination (table above).
3. Count your blank pages: Two for Vietnam and China, one for Turkey, Thailand and Japan.
4. Fill in the online form on time: Thailand within 3 days, the Maldives within 96 hours, Barbados before arrival, Mexico by land.
5. Compare your trip with the stay allowed: 30 days in Thailand and China, 45 in Vietnam, 90 in Turkey, Japan, Morocco and the UAE. Longer means a visa or an extension.

Rules change with little notice: Thailand changed its own on 15 September 2026. GOV.UK lets you sign up for email alerts on each country's travel advice, which is the simplest way to hear about a change before you leave.

• Do British passport holders need a visa for Turkey?

  No. With a full British citizen passport you can visit Turkey without a visa for up to 90 days in any 180-day period, for tourism or business. Your passport must be valid at least 150 days after you arrive and have one blank page (GOV.UK, checked on 29 October 2026).

• How long can a British tourist stay in Thailand?

  Up to 30 days under the visa exemption, for tourism only, since 15 September 2026. You must complete the Thailand Digital Arrival Card online in the 3 days before arrival, and you may be asked for proof of funds and an onward ticket.

• Do I need a visa for Dubai with a British passport?

  No application is needed. British citizens get a free visitor visa stamped on arrival in the UAE, valid for up to 90 days over a 180-day period. Your passport must be valid at least 6 months after the date you arrive.

• Can I go to China without a visa on a British passport?

  Yes, until 31 December 2026: British citizens can enter mainland China visa-free for up to 30 days for tourism, business, family visits or transit. A longer stay, or another purpose such as work or study, needs a visa applied for before you travel.

• Do I need a visa for Japan from the UK?

  You do not apply for anything in advance. A British citizen receives a visa on arrival in Japan for up to 90 days for tourism or business, and the passport only has to be valid for the length of the stay.

• How long can British citizens stay in Vietnam without a visa?

  Up to 45 days, for tourism or business. Check that the exit date stamped on arrival is correct before leaving the airport. For up to 90 days, Vietnam issues an e-visa with multiple entries.

• Which of these countries need 6 months left on a British passport?

  Thailand, Vietnam, China and the United Arab Emirates ask for at least 6 months of validity after arrival. Turkey asks for 150 days, Morocco for 3 months, the Maldives for one month, and Japan, Mexico and Barbados for the length of the stay.

• Do I need to fill in a form before flying to the Maldives?

  Yes. The IMUGA traveller declaration must be completed online within 96 hours before your flight arrives. You then receive a 30-day tourist visa on arrival, and your passport must be valid at least one month after arrival.

• Is a visa needed for Mexico or Barbados?

  No visa is needed for a holiday in either. In Mexico the officer stamps the number of days you may stay; in Barbados the officer sets your stay on arrival, after you have filled in the online immigration and customs form and can show a return or onward ticket.