Visa Requirements
Do British citizens need a visa for United States?
Official Requirement
eTA required
for United Kingdom citizens travelling to United States
Citizens of countries participating in the Visa Waiver Program must obtain approval through the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) before travelling to the United States for tourism or business. ESTA approval permits stays of up to 90 days. ESTA is not available to those who have visited certain countries since 2011, or to holders of dual nationality with those countries.
Checked 8 September 2026
We are not a government authority. Requirements change without notice. Always verify with the official consulate link before travel.
New York City
The short answer
British citizens need an approved electronic travel authorisation to enter United States for stays of up to 90 days. An electronic travel authorisation has to be approved before boarding for United States. Passport validity: an e-Passport is required to use the Visa Waiver Programme. It carries an embedded electronic chip and a unique international symbol on the cover. Bring an e-Passport with an embedded electronic chip. Conditions: an approved ESTA determines eligibility to travel, not the right to enter. Customs and Border Protection officers decide admissibility on arrival. This covers tourist and short business visits only, not work, study or residence, and a border officer makes the final decision on entry in every case. Entry rules change without notice, so the requirement is read again from the official source on a schedule and the date above is the last time that happened. This was last checked on 8 September 2026.
At a glance
Key facts for British citizens visiting United States
- Requirement
- eTA required
- Maximum stay
- Up to 90 days
- Passport validity
- An e-Passport is required to use the Visa Waiver Programme. It carries an embedded electronic chip and a unique international symbol on the cover.
- Documents
- An e-Passport with an embedded electronic chip
- Conditions
- An approved ESTA determines eligibility to travel, not the right to enter. Customs and Border Protection officers decide admissibility on arrival.
- Official source
- Official source for this route →
Step by step
How British citizens enter United States
Check your passport is an e-Passport. It carries an embedded electronic chip and a unique international symbol on the cover, and the Visa Waiver Programme cannot be used without one.
Apply for an ESTA as soon as you begin preparing travel plans, and before you buy airline tickets. Applications may be submitted at any time prior to travel.
Travel only once the authorisation has been approved.
Expect the officer at the border to decide admissibility, whatever the authorisation says.
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Questions
What British citizens ask about entering United States
Not for a short visit under the Visa Waiver Programme, but an approved ESTA is needed before boarding. An ESTA is a travel authorisation rather than a visa, and it does not by itself grant entry.
Up to 90 days on a Visa Waiver Programme entry. The officer at the border decides the period actually granted on the day.
An e-Passport. Customs and Border Protection states that you must have an e-Passport to use the Visa Waiver Programme. It has an embedded electronic chip and a unique international symbol on the cover.
Customs and Border Protection recommends applying as soon as you begin preparing travel plans, or before you buy airline tickets. Applications may be submitted at any time prior to travel.
Changes to this route
No changes recorded since the first check on 8 September 2026.
Full change history for this route →