UK Visa Policy and its Customs Details

IMMIGRATION AND VISAS

Passport Requirements: –

All travelers need a passport, except for the following:

1. Travelers with Identity Cards issued by the Gibraltar Authorities to ‘British Citizens’ and ‘British Overseas Territories Citizens.’ such cards have a red stripe and maybe valid on arrival.
2. Travelers with a ‘Laissez-Passer,’ provided they are traveling on duty, issued by:
3. Travelers with a ‘Laissez-Passer’ issued by Israel.
4. Travelers with a Seaman Book issued by countries that have signed all or one of the two Conventions 22 and no. 108 of the International Labor Organization, if they travel on duty.
5. Travelers with travel documents given to permanent Kosovo residents by the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo.
6. Travelers with the documents issued to refugees and people without nationality or citizenship.

Document Validity based on UK Visa Policy: –

Passports and alternative records, or any of them, must be valid for the duration of the visit envisaged.

a. Expired British passports endorsed «British Citizen» is accepted for an unlimited period.

b. Expired British passports endorsed «British Subject» are accepted for an unlimited period on condition that the travelers are ‘Citizens of the UK and Colonies’ with the right of residence in the UK.

c. British passports endorsed «British Overseas Territories Citizen»; «British Protected Person»; «British Dependent Territories Citizen»; or «British National (Overseas) »; must be valid on arrival.

Additional information: –

1. Flights between the UK and the Channel Islands, Ireland, and the Isle of Man are considered as domestic flights and are not subject to UK immigration control.

2. British passports added ‘British Dependent Territories Citizen’ issued to Hong Kong nationals are no longer valid for travel. Besides, British passports endorsed ‘British National (Overseas)’ was issued until December 31, 1997.

3. Students, apart from their nationality, residing in a European Union member country and traveling as part of a school group from within the European Union, do not need a passport on condition that:

– Their names are listed on a ‘List of Travelers’ stamped by the school and accredited in their home country by the appropriate authority.

– One of the teachers at that school accompanies the school group.

– This ‘List of Travelers’ need to have a student photo.

N.B.

Travelers with the passports referred to above are only allowed to access the United Kingdom if they have a ‘Declaration of Identity for Visa Purposes,’ known as ‘Type GV3,’ issued by a British Consulate or High Commission.

4. All Libyan passports with deleted English biographical data endorsements are acceptable for travel so long as the biographical data on the accompanying valid UK visa or residence permit can be read.

Minors: –

If the children’s names are registered in their parent(s) or guardian(s)’ passport, the visa or transit visa, if necessary, must demonstrate that it is valid for the child(ren) traveling with that passport. Children are not allowed to fly with a registered passport if they are not in the presence of the bearer(s) of that passport.

Visa Issuance based on UK Visa Policy: –

Before arrival, travelers are kindly asked to contact the UK ‘s closest representative.

Visa Exemptions based on UK Visa Policy: –

All travelers must hold a visa except the following:

1.Travellers with British passports endorsed «British Citizen» «British National (Overseas British Overseas Citizen, «British Overseas Territories Citizen» or «British Protected Person. »

2. Travelers with passports endorsed «British Subject, » stating «Citizens of the UK’s and Colonies»

3. Travelers with an ID Card provided by the Authorities of Gibraltar to «British Citizens» and «British Overseas Territories Citizens. »

4. Citizens of the European Union member countries and Iceland, Lichtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland.

5. Travelers who are staying for no more than six months provided they are:

5.1. Citizens of Principality of Andorra, Antigua & Barbuda, Argentina, The Commonwealth of Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Botswana, Federative Republic of Brazil, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Croatia, Dominica, El Salvador, Grenada, Guatemala, Honduras, Japan, Kiribati, Korea, Kingdom of Malaysia, Maldives, Marshall Islands, Mauritius, Mexico, Federated States of Micronesia, Monaco, Namibia, Nauru, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Palau Islands, Republic of Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Samoa, San Marino, Seychelles, Republic of Singapore, Solomon Islands, St. Kitts-Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Timor-Leste, Kingdom of Tonga, Trinidad & Tobago, Tuvalu, United States of America, Republic of Uruguay and Vanuatu.

5.2. Travelers with a biometric passport with an electronic chip, as long as they are residents of Venezuela.

5.3. Travelers with passports issued by Hong Kong (A Special Administrative Region of China) and Macao (A Special Administrative Region of China).

5.4. Travelers with diplomatic passports, who are citizens of the People’s Republic of China or Vatican City.

5.5. Taiwan normal passports, only when they contain a personal ID number on the biographical data page.

5.6. Citizens of China traveling with a serving government minister of China on a state visit to the UK and holding:

– A service passport.

– A passport endorsed ‘Public Affairs.’

5.7. Travelers with a «Laissez-Passer» issued by the United Nations provided they are traveling on duty.

5.8. Travelers with a «Laissez-Passer» issued by the European Community provided they are traveling on duty.

6. Refugees and people without nationality or citizenship with travel documents known as «Titre de Voyage» issued by the UK according to the United Nations Agreement of 1946 or the United Nations Convention of 1951.

TWOV (Transit Without Visa): –

Most travelers need a visa to enter the UK may be granted permission to enter the UK for 24 hours as decided by the immigration authorities. Alternatively, if travelers are moving between different airports within the UK, they may be allowed to TWOV on conditions that they:

– have confirmed flight tickets for an onward flight within 24 hours; and

– are continuing their trip to a third world country; and

– have no other goal in entering the UK except to pass through in transit; and

– have all the necessary valid documents for the next destination.

a. Citizens of countries mentioned in items ‘1’ and ‘2’ below, who have documents issued by the countries in items ‘Three’, ‘Four’, ‘Five’ and ‘Six’ below may only use the above-mentioned TWOV facility if they have:

a visa which allows entry to or transits through either Australia, Canada, New Zealand or the United States of America; and have a valid ticket as part of a trip to or through Australia, Canada , New Zealand, or the USA for travel from a third country or region via the UK according to which country the visa is applicable to or a valid visa for entry into Australia, Canada, New Zealand or the USA; and have a valid Category D visa in its common form for entry into the European Economic Area (EEA) member country or Switzerland.

Prohibited Goods: –

Animal-based products which are not coming from the European Union member country and Andorra, Lichtenstein, Norway, San Marino, or Switzerland, may not be imported into a European Union member country with the exception of small quantities from the Principality of Andorra, Republic of Croatia, the Faeroe Islands, Greenland, Iceland and small quantities of particular products from other countries. For further details: http://europa.eu/

CUSTOMS AND FOREIGN EXCHANGE

Import regulations: –

1. Travelers arriving with goods purchased within the European Union for private use only are entitled to import the following items free of charge:

– There are no limits on goods collected and taxed in the European Union, given that they are intended for personal use, including personal use and gifts for family and friends. However, if travelers are brining big amounts of alcoholic drinks or tobacco products, they may be stopped and asked by Customs about their journey, purchases, and purpose of the goods, especially if the amounts exceed:

a. tobacco products:

800 cigarettes.

400 cigarillos (max. 3 grams each.

200 cigars

1 kg of pipe or cigarette tobacco.

b. Travelers aged 16 and older are permitted,

Ten liters of spirits over 22%; 20 liters of alcoholic drinks less than 22%; 90 liters of wine but no more than 60 liters of sparkling wine; 110 liters of beer.

2. Travelers from countries outside the European Union, including the Canary Islands, the Channel Islands, Gibraltar, and similar regions, are permitted free of charge to import their goods:

a. Travelers aged 17 years old and more are allowed 200 cigarettes; 100 cigarillos (max. 3 grams each); 50 cigars; 250 grams of tobacco; or a proportional mixture of these products.

b. Travelers aged 17 years and more are allowed, 1 liter of spirits over 22% volume, or non-denatured ethyl alcohol with more than 80% volume; 2 liters of spirits or aperitifs made from wine or related drinks with a volume of less than 22% or even sparkling wines or liquor wines; or a relative mixture of such products, in addition to four liters of still wine; and 16 liters of beer.

3. Air travelers are allowed other goods up to a total value of GBP 390.

Crew members customs regulations: –

For crew members, the same rules apply as for normal travelers.

Pets: –

At present, carriers on certain routes are participating in PETS to transport pets. Please visit the UK Government website for comprehensive details on carriers/routes, alerts, and more details on pet entry into the UK at http://www.defra.gov.uk. Passengers are also advised to contact their carrier for more information.

As an indication that the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has given an import license, cats, dogs, and ferrets must be accompanied by a “boarding paper.” They will be vaccinated against rabies as they reach the U.K. If they have already been immunized, this could be waived.

Transit: –

Pet animals entering and departing from the same airport within 48 hours must be transported by a registered carrying agent from the incoming carrier to the outgoing one.

Prohibited Pets: –

Certain types of live birds are not allowed.

Baggage Clearance regulations: –

A traveler’s luggage should be cleared at the final destination airport or at an International Community Airport in the UK so long as it is labeled as required.

* Exemptions: –

1. Baggage of transit passengers with a destination outside the UK where the destination is labeled.

2.  Passengers who have boarded their baggage in another EU Member State will not be cleared at all (use Blue Exit).

Airport tax: –

No airport tax is levied on passengers upon embarkation at the airport.

Currency Import regulations: –

Import and Export: local currency and foreign currencies: no restrictions if arriving from or traveling to another EU Member State. If coming directly from or travelling to a country outside of the EU countries: sums must be exceeding EUR 10,000, or more or the equivalent in another currency (including. Draft from the bank and valid cheques of any kind) must be declared.

Additional Information on regulations: –

1. Prohibited: indecent or obscene books, films, or videos.

2. Foodstuffs for own consumption: the following might be brought into the UK if arriving from:

a. an EU Member State, Andorra, the Canary Islands, the Isle of Man, Norway, and San Marino: meat and meat products, milk and dairy products (not applicable to unpasteurized milk and its own products) and other animal-related products (e.g., fish items, shellfish items, honey items, eggs) which are obtained in the EU and free from disease;

b. The following articles may be brought into the UK if they are imported from the Faroe Islands, Greenland, Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Switzerland:

– 5 kilograms max. Combined total weight of meat and meat products, milk and dairy products (not applicable to unpasteurized milk and its products) obtained in these countries and free from disease; generally 1 kilogram (rules may vary per product and country) of other animal-related products (e.g., fish items, shellfish items, honey items, eggs) free from disease.

Arms and Ammunition regulations: –

Import of firearms (incl. sporting guns and shotguns) and ammunition must be supported by an appropriate license/certificate plus a permit. This permit can be obtained at the relevant police authority by a sponsor who is resident in the UK.

A person or a representative of a club, shooting community, country estate, or national shooting organization may be the sponsor.

The completed permit will be sent to the sponsor who can forward it to the visitor. The sponsor may also produce the permit at the time and place of the importation by arrangement. If a visitor has no permit, then the weapon will be detained by the UK Border Agency until a permit is produced.

N.B.

All handguns are restricted under UK law and only be carried on a British Airways plane only after getting permission from the Security Duty Manager. Small ammunition and arms used for sporting purposes may not be carried in the traveler’s luggage in quantities of more than five kgs per person.

What are the UK visas you can apply with Click2Visas?

Apply Tourist E-Visa Single Entry to United Kingdom
Tourist E-Visa Single Entry is mainly for sight-seeing and holidays. Most of these visas do not give the holder the right to work or start engaging in any business activity in the UK.

Apply Business E-visa Single Entry to United Kingdom
Business E-Visa Single Entry is mostly a short-stay visa, which allows the holder to enter the UK and engage in business activities without entering the labour market of that country.