United Kingdom
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
At a glance
United Kingdom visa & entry requirements
Whether you need a visa for United Kingdom depends on your nationality. Here’s the entry picture at a glance, with official links and a way to check the exact rule for your passport.
Short-stay tourist entry to United Kingdom, across 198 nationalities in our dataset. Your own requirement depends on your passport — check it below.
Visa cost indicative
Indicative figures compiled from third-party sources — not official, and not a fee charged by packset.travel. Always confirm the current fee on the official government site before you apply.
Good to know
- Most visitors from visa-exempt countries (Europe, USA, Canada, Australia and others) need an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) — not a full visa — for stays of up to 6 months. British and Irish citizens do not need an ETA.
- Nationals who are NOT visa-exempt — including Russian citizens — cannot use the ETA and must apply for a full Standard Visitor visa before travelling.
- The Standard Visitor visa (up to 6 months) costs £135. Apply online at GOV.UK, pay the fee (charged in USD, non-Russian card required), then give biometrics at a VFS Global centre (Moscow, St Petersburg, Ekaterinburg, Novosibirsk or Rostov-on-Don).
- You can apply up to 3 months before travel. Official processing is about 3 weeks (15 working days) after biometrics, but in practice it can take longer. A visa authorises travel but is not a guarantee of entry.
- An ETA authorises travel to the UK but is not a visa and is not a guarantee of entry; most ETA applicants get a decision within minutes (allow up to 3 working days).
Been to United Kingdom already?
Scratch it off and the sheet keeps the receipt — what your passport needed to get in.
Scratch United Kingdom in →Do you need a visa for United Kingdom?
Pick your passport and get the exact entry rule for United Kingdom — visa-free, visa on arrival, e-Visa or apply in advance.
Staying online in United Kingdom
- Use home banking & apps that block foreign IP addresses
- Reach sites & services that may be blocked locally
- Encrypt hotel, café & airport WiFi
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Frequently asked questions
It depends on your nationality. Citizens of 1 countries can currently enter United Kingdom visa-free for short tourist stays, while others need a visa on arrival, an e-Visa or a visa arranged in advance. Use the visa checker to see the rule for your passport.
Fees vary by visa type and nationality. When we have indicative figures for United Kingdom they’re shown above, but they’re compiled from third-party sources — always confirm the current fee on the official government site before you apply.
Start on United Kingdom’s official government entry or e-Visa page (linked above when available). Check which visa type fits your trip, prepare a passport valid for your whole stay and any required documents, and apply well before you travel.
How to get to United Kingdom
Every way into United Kingdom by air — each city's main airport plus the budget-carrier, secondary and cross-border options, with how long the transfer takes.
Edinburgh (EDI)
Scotland's busiest airport, 13 km west of the centre. The tram runs to Princes Street in about 35 minutes; during the Fringe it is far more predictable than a taxi through a closed-off Old Town.
Glasgow (GLA)
In August, Edinburgh beds and flights both spike. Glasgow is roughly 90 minutes door to door (airport bus plus the frequent Queen Street–Waverley train) and often much cheaper to fly into.
Glasgow (GLA)
Glasgow's main airport, 15 km west of the city. The 500 Airport Express runs to Buchanan Street bus station in about 25 minutes, every 10–15 minutes through the day.
Glasgow Prestwick (PIK)
Budget carriersRyanair's Ayrshire base, 50 km from the city despite the name. The station is under the terminal and trains reach Glasgow Central in about 50 minutes — check the discounted air-rail fare before booking.
London Heathrow (LHR)
London's primary hub and the one most intercontinental routes use. The Elizabeth line reaches central London in 30–45 minutes and accepts contactless, so you can skip the Heathrow Express premium.
London Gatwick (LGW)
South of the city, and the fastest of the non-Heathrow options: Thameslink and Southern trains reach London Bridge or Victoria in about 30–35 minutes without paying Gatwick Express prices.
London Stansted (STN)
Budget carriersRyanair's biggest UK base, 60 km northeast. The Stansted Express takes about 50 minutes to Liverpool Street; the coach is slower but a fraction of the price if you are not in a hurry.
London Luton (LTN)
Budget carriersWizz Air and easyJet territory. Budget for the DART shuttle from the terminal to Luton Airport Parkway on top of the 25-minute Thameslink run to St Pancras — the combined trip is closer to an hour.
Power & plugs
United Kingdom runs on 230V with plug types G. Most chargers work with a simple plug adapter.
United Kingdom uses a single socket type — one Type G adapter and you're set.
Full power guide for United KingdomLocation
Light & dark
London swings from 8-hour winter days to 17 hours of summer light. Today the sun sets at 19:08.
Build a packing plan tailored to United Kingdom, its weather and your trip.