Do I need a UK visa?

Foreigners living in the United States often ask: "I have a residence permit in the United States, do I need a visa to travel to the UK?".

This question arises because it is enough to have a residence permit in any EU country and you can travel within the Europe without restrictions. But the UK is neither in the EU nor in Schengen Area, so even if you have a residence permit in Germany, you will need to apply for a UK visa to travel.

Whether or not a visa is required depends solely on your citizenship (what nationality is shown on your passport). For example, even if your spouse has American nationality, which entitles them to visa-free entry to the UK, and you are travelling together - you will still need a visa.

Find out how to apply for a UK visa as a:

• Chinese passport holder
• Egyptian passport holder
• Ethiopian passport holder
• Indian passport holder
• Indonesian passport holder
• Iranian passport holder
• Nigerian passport holder
• Pakistani passport holder
• Philippine passport holder
• Russian passport holder
• Turkish passport holder

The information above does not apply to transit visas. When transiting through the UK you may not need a visa depending on your itinerary and your situation. Please check your situation at www.gov.uk