UK Announces Lists of 45 Countries Whose Citizens Need Visa Even For Landside Transit
- The UK government has published an official list of countries whose nationals require a visa to enter or transit the UK landside, affecting dozens of nations
- Several African countries appear on the list, including Morocco, Zambia, and others, meaning their citizens cannot transit UK airports without a visa
- The full list covers 45 countries and territories across Africa, Asia, the Americas, and Europe
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The United Kingdom government has released an official list of 45 countries and territories whose citizens must obtain a visa before they can enter or even transit the UK landside, a requirement that catches many travellers off guard.
The list, published by the UK government on its official website, covers nationals from regions spanning Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe, and the Americas. Landside transit refers to passing through a UK port of entry in a way that requires clearing immigration, as opposed to airside transit, which allows passengers to remain in the international area of an airport without going through UK border control.
Source: UGC
Countries on UK landside transit visa list
A significant number of African nations appear on the list. All 45 countries are below:
- Armenia
- Azerbaijan
- Benin
- Bhutan
- Bolivia
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Burkina Faso
- Cambodia
- Cape Verde
- Central African Republic
- Chad
- Comoros
- Cuba
- Djibouti
- Dominican Republic
- Ecuador
- Equatorial Guinea
- Fiji
- Gabon
- Haiti
- Indonesia
- Kazakhstan
- Korea (Democratic People’s Republic of)
- Kyrgyzstan
- Laos
- Madagascar
- Mali
- Mauritania
- Montenegro
- Morocco
- Mozambique
- Niger
- Philippines
- Sao Tome e Principe
- Surinam
- Taiwan [4]
- Tajikistan
- Thailand
- Togo
- Tunisia
- Turkmenistan
- Ukraine
- Uzbekistan
- Venezuela (biometric)
- Zambia
UK: What the requirement means for travellers
For citizens of the listed countries, this means that even a connecting journey routed through a UK airport that requires passing through immigration will demand advance visa arrangements. Travellers who fail to secure the appropriate documentation risk being denied boarding by their airline, as carriers are legally obligated to verify visa status before allowing passengers to fly to the UK.
The requirement applies regardless of the traveller's final destination. A passenger from Zambia, for instance, connecting through London on their way to another country would still need a UK transit visa if their journey involves clearing immigration at any point.
In a similar report, Legit.ng published that the UK announced the countries whose citizens can apply for a Youth Mobility Visa under the age of 35.
Germany: African countries needing transit visa
Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that Germany announced its airport transit visa rules and the nine African countries whose citizens must get a Category A visa before stopping over at a German airport. The list includes Nigeria, Ghana, Ethiopia and six other nations.
Even travellers who qualify for transit without a visa may need one if their journey requires them to enter the Schengen area. And only five German airports have designated transit areas, with time limits applying at some of them.
Source: Legit.ng
