Coming to the UK is an important step and knowing what is right for you is vital. Your intentions are crucial for us as we can understand what you want to do in the UK, whether you want to study, work or visit.
What travel documents are accepted at the border?
You must be the legal holder of a genuine document. Your documents must be valid and issued by a government or authority. The most common examples of travel documents are:
- national passports; or
- 1951 Convention travel documents for refugees.
- Home Office also accept national identity cards for EEA citizens.
Waiting times at the border
With tougher checks now in place at the border you may have to wait a little longer to get into the United Kingdom, especially at peak times. Home Office use scanners to ensure that passports, visas and other official documents are genuine. Home Office officers are trained to detect forgeries and check that people have the right to enter the United Kingdom.
An officer will check your passport and give you permission to stay, if you need it and the turnaround is about 45 minutes.
If you are a national of the EU or EEA, you can use the separate EEA/EU channel, where Home Office will usually check your passport or national identity card more quickly.
If you are a frequent traveller, you should read about IRIS, Home Office automated barrier system which allows registered passengers to cross our border more quickly.
If you are part of a group you may be able to travel under the group travel scheme. This can also speed passage through the border.
Which countries are part of the EU?
Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Irish Republic, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom. Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway are not members of the European Union (EU) but citizens of these countries have the same rights to enter, live in and work in the United Kingdom as EU citizens.Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Irish Republic, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom.
Visiting the UK
To come to the UK as a visitor, there are various categories available. To read about general visitors, click here. Information regarding other types of visitors to the UK can be found here.
Business Visitors coming to the UK
The UK accomodates those who want to come to the UK on a short stay as a business visa holder. To find out more information, click here
Immigration Questions
THis section answers some of the most common questions regarding UK Immigration and these are real questions asked by majority of our clients. Please click here to read more.
Nationality Information & Common Questions
UK Nationality is one of the most complex and this requires expert advice. British citizenship is one of the six different forms of British nationality. Some of these were defined in the British Nationality Act 1981, which came into force on 1 January 1983. The laws defining how citizenship can be obtained changed on that date, which is why you will often see references to 1983 on this site. Click here to read more information.
European Citizens & Free Movement Rights
This section explains how European citizens and members of their family can enter, live in and work in the United Kingdom. The information in this section applies to citizens of countries within the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland. Click here to read more information.