If you are planning to enter the UK, your identity document (for example your passport or identity card, valid for the whole of your stay) will be checked when you arrive at a UK border to make sure you’re allowed to enter the country. You may also need a visa to come into or travel through the UK, depending on your nationality.
Check which documents you need when entering the UK below.
Before you travel to the UK, check that your visa is valid and will not expire before you enter the UK.
You can enter the United Kingdom if you have one of the following identity documents, valid for the whole of your stay:
You can use more than one document - for example, a driving licence with a citizenship certificate. If you’re using an expired passport or identity card, it must be recent enough that it’s clear that it’s yours.
If you are from outside the European Union (EU) , Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein, you must have a valid passport for the whole of your stay to enter the UK. In some cases, you may also need a visa, depending on which country you’re from. Make sure you check if you need a visa to come to the UK. It is mandatory to have your visa before you travel to the United Kingdom.
You may also need a visa if you are ‘transiting’ or travelling through the United Kingdom, for example if you will be changing flights at one of UK’s airports.
Before you travel to the UK, check that your visa is valid and will not expire before you enter the UK.
Traveling to England from China this from the 8th January 2023? Before you leave, check the new COVID-19 rules for travel to England, including whether you need to take any tests.
From obtaining a work visa to applying for citizenship, our professional guides cover all you need to know about visas and immigration in the UK.
If you are relocating to the United Kingdom, you must determine whether you will require a visa to enter the UK and which type of visa you will need to apply for and when.
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