If you hold a British passport, there is a set of countries you can travel to without arranging a visa in advance, but which are not visa-free either. You arrange the visa when you get there, at a desk in the arrivals hall, before you reach passport control.
This article is the reference list. If you want to understand the mechanism first, our explainer on what visa on arrival means covers that, and what to expect at the desk walks through the arrival process itself.
This article is for general information and does not constitute immigration advice. Entry policies change, sometimes at short notice, and they differ by nationality. Always confirm the current position on the official government source for your destination before you travel.
Countries offering visa on arrival to British passport holders
The following destinations are recorded in Yoogo's data as offering visa on arrival to holders of British passports. Each links to the corridor page for that destination, which carries the current recorded status, the maximum stay where we hold it, and a link to the official government source.
Africa
- Burundi
- Comoros
- Djibouti
- Egypt
- Ethiopia
- Guinea-Bissau
- Madagascar
- Namibia
- Sierra Leone
- Tanzania
- Zimbabwe
Asia and the Middle East
- Bahrain
- Bangladesh
- Cambodia
- Indonesia
- Jordan
- Kuwait
- Laos
- Lebanon
- Maldives
- Nepal
- Oman
- Qatar
- Saudi Arabia
- Sri Lanka
- Timor-Leste
Oceania
Hold a different passport? Use the entry checker to see the requirement recorded for your own nationality, since visa on arrival availability varies considerably between passports.
Read the list carefully: several of these have an online alternative
This is the point that catches people out most often, and it is worth more than the list itself.
A country recorded as offering visa on arrival has not necessarily made that the best route, or even the intended one. Several of the destinations above also operate an electronic visa or authorisation system, and in a number of cases the online route is the one the government actively prefers, with the arrival desk kept as a fallback.
Sri Lanka, Egypt, and Cambodia each illustrate the pattern in a different way: an online system exists alongside, or has largely displaced, the older arrival process. Our guides on the Sri Lanka ETA and the Egypt tourist visa cover two of them in detail.
The practical implication is simple. Do not treat "visa on arrival is available" as "nothing to do before I fly". Check the corridor page and the official source, and if an online route exists, take it. Arriving with the paperwork already done is faster at the border and removes the risk of a system being unavailable on the day.
What visa on arrival does not mean
It does not mean guaranteed entry. A visa on arrival is issued at the discretion of the border authority, and officers can refuse it. The formal position is that you are asking permission at the border rather than having secured it beforehand, which is the fundamental difference from an eVisa or a visa obtained from a consulate.
It does not mean no requirements. Destinations offering visa on arrival typically still expect a passport meeting a validity condition, evidence of onward or return travel, an address for your stay, and sometimes proof of funds or insurance.
It does not mean available at every entry point. Visa on arrival is frequently offered only at designated international airports, and not at land borders or seaports. If you are crossing overland, check that specifically, because it is a common and expensive mistake.
It does not mean the same allowance everywhere. Permitted stay lengths vary widely between destinations, and extension rules vary more.
Before you go
Check the corridor page for your destination and passport for the recorded status, then confirm it against the official government source linked there. Check your passport validity, since most destinations apply a condition and airlines check it at the departure gate. Our guide to passport validity rules covers how those conditions work.
If your route crosses several countries, plan the whole sequence rather than each leg separately. Our guide to multi-country visa planning covers the ordering problems that arise.
Finally, sort your connectivity before departure. Arrival formalities are considerably easier with a working data connection for booking confirmations, addresses, and translation. Our explainer on what an eSIM is covers the options.
If you do not hold a British passport
The list above is specific to British passports, and visa on arrival availability differs more by nationality than travellers expect. Two people on the same flight can meet entirely different processes at the same counter.
The check that works for any passport is the corridor: the pairing of where you are going with the passport you hold. Yoogo records the current entry requirement for each pairing and links to the issuing government's own source, so the question of whether visa on arrival is open to you resolves to a specific answer rather than a general one. Start from the destination page for the country you want, then read the requirement recorded for your nationality.
Two patterns are worth knowing before you look. Regional agreements often grant easier access than nationality alone would suggest, so citizens of a bloc frequently enter neighbouring members with no visa at all. And a number of countries that once ran visa on arrival for a wide range of nationalities have since narrowed it to a shorter list while moving everyone else to an online application, which our guide to visa on arrival compared with an eVisa covers in detail.
Whatever your passport, the preparation at the counter is much the same, and our guide to what to expect at a visa on arrival desk covers the documents and the sequence.
Frequently asked questions
Which countries offer visa on arrival to British passport holders?
The list above sets out the destinations recorded in Yoogo's data, grouped by region, and covers destinations across Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and Oceania. Policies change, so confirm on the official government source before travelling.
Is visa on arrival the same as visa-free?
No. Visa-free means no visa is needed at all. Visa on arrival means a visa is required and you obtain it at the border rather than in advance. The paperwork and the discretion at the border are real, even though nothing is needed before you fly.
Is visa on arrival the same as an eVisa?
No. An eVisa is applied for and granted online before travel, so you arrive holding an approved authorisation. A visa on arrival is applied for at the border on the day. Our comparison of visa on arrival and eVisas covers the differences.
Can I be refused a visa on arrival?
Yes. It is issued at the discretion of the border authority, and entry is not guaranteed. This is the main practical risk of relying on it where an online route exists.
Do I need a return ticket for visa on arrival?
Frequently, yes. Many destinations expect evidence of onward or return travel as a condition of issuing the visa. Check the official source for your destination.
Is visa on arrival available at land borders?
Not always, and this is a common problem. It is often restricted to designated international airports. If you are crossing overland or arriving by sea, verify that your specific crossing point offers it.
How long can I stay on a visa on arrival?
It varies by destination, from short stays of a couple of weeks to considerably longer. The corridor page for your destination shows the maximum stay where we hold that data.
What do I need to bring for a visa on arrival?
Typically a passport meeting the destination's validity condition, evidence of onward travel, an address for your stay, and in some cases proof of funds or insurance. Requirements vary, so check the official source.
Does visa on arrival exist for the Schengen Area?
No. Schengen countries do not operate visa on arrival for tourism. You either qualify for visa-free entry or you apply for a Schengen visa in advance. See our guide to what the Schengen Area is.
Should I use visa on arrival if an eVisa is also available?
Generally the online route is preferable where it exists, because approval is secured before you fly and the border process is faster. Check the official source for your destination, since some governments now treat the online system as the primary route.
Does this list apply to my passport if I am not British?
No. This list is specific to British passport holders. Visa on arrival availability differs substantially by nationality, so check the entry requirement recorded for your own passport.