UK Releases Names of 6 Countries Whose Citizens Can Enter Britain Using DVA, Stay Up To 6 Months
- The UK government announced that only six countries are eligible for its Diplomatic Visa Arrangement, which allows entry on a diplomatic passport
- Citizens from the eligible countries can stay in Britain for up to six months at a time under the special arrangement
- The list of qualifying nations includes two African countries, with the rest drawn from Asia and the Middle East
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The United Kingdom has named the only six countries whose passport holders qualify to enter Britain under its Diplomatic Visa Arrangement, a special category that permits stays of up to six months at a time.
According to the UK government, the Diplomatic Visa Arrangement (DVA) functions as a UK visitor visa specifically for individuals travelling on diplomatic passports. The scheme is not open to all countries, and the government has published a definitive list of which nationalities are eligible.
Source: Getty Images
UK diplomatic visa arrangement
The six countries whose citizens can access the DVA are:
1. China
2. India
3. Indonesia
4. South Africa
5. Turkey
6. Vietnam
South Africa is the only sub-Saharan African nation on the list, while no West or East African country features among the six. The remaining five are spread across South Asia, Southeast Asia, and Eurasia.
What the diplomatic visa arrangement covers
The DVA is specifically for holders of diplomatic passports, meaning ordinary passport holders from these six countries would still need to follow standard UK visa application procedures.
The arrangement grants eligible travellers the ability to enter Britain and remain for periods of up to six months per visit, a duration that aligns with the standard UK visitor visa allowance.
Citizens of the listed countries who hold diplomatic passports can use this route rather than going through the conventional visa process. The UK government has stated clearly that the arrangement is limited to these six nations, with no indication that the list will be expanded in the near term.
Visa-free entry: UK lists eligible countries
Meanwhile, Legit.ng recently reported that people from many countries can visit the UK without applying for a visitor visa.
Some travellers only need an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) before they travel. However, Irish citizens do not need a visa or an ETA to enter the UK because of the Common Travel Area rules.
Source: Legit.ng
