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A checklist from the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office to help British people prepare for travelling and staying safe abroad.

• Updated: 23 May 2025

British travellers to the US must register with the Electronic System for Travel Authorisation (ESTA) before their journey

• Updated: 21 December 2017

UK border control - passport checks, visas for entering, customs, transiting and layovers.

• Overview

  Your identity document (for example your passport or identity card) will…

• Before you leave for the UK

  Check what documents you’ll need to enter the UK. You’re a British citizen…

• At border control

  You’ll need to show your identity document, such as your passport or…

• Baggage checks

  You must co-operate if you’re stopped and asked about your baggage. If you…

• Layovers and transiting through a UK airport

  Passing through a UK airport while on the way to another country is called…

How to prove your permission to travel to the UK if you're a dual citizen with British or Irish citizenship (or right of abode).

• Updated: 29 May 2025

You may need a visa to come to the UK to visit, study or work.

Apply for an ETA to come to the UK if you’re a tourist, visiting family or for certain other reasons for up to 6 months. It costs £16. Find out if you need an ETA or a visa instead.

How long you can stay in the EU or Schengen area without a visa, when you travel from the UK.

How to use FCDO travel advice and how FCDO assesses the risks to British nationals abroad.

• Updated: 24 September 2025

Advice for British people on staying safe when travelling abroad by sea, including piracy, armed robbery and security risks in particular regions.

• Updated: 7 June 2024

List of nationalities that can apply for an ETA.

• Updated: 13 March 2025