Which Countries Can I Visit with UK Residence Permit without Visa?

Visa-free travel refers to entering a country without applying for a visa due to agreements between your home country and other countries and regions, which aims to simplify the procedures of crossing borders and personnel exchanges. For example, UK citizens can visit almost anywhere without visas. The good news is that some UK residents enjoy similar privileges. If you have a UK residence permit, you might wonder “Which countries can I visit with UK residence permit without visa?” In this passage, we will find out the answer.

What Is UK Residence Permit

A UK residence permit is an immigration authorization that guarantees an individual can legally live, work, access certain public benefits and even settle down in the country but with nationalities of other countries. Here are some common types.

Biometric Resident Permit

BRP is issued to those who:

• apply to enter the UK for more than 6 months, or
• extend their visa for over 6 months, or
• intend to settle in the UK, or
• transfer their visa to another passport, or
• apply for travel documents from the Home Office.

This plastic card is usually valid for 10 years. There is a chip on it that is used to prevent identity theft and misuse.

UK Residence Card

It is known as a European Economic Area (EEA) biometric residence card (BRC), but it is no longer available since Brexit. EU citizens have to obtain other types of permission to continue staying in the UK, such as EU Settlement Scheme.

Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR)

ILR is also called a UK permanent residence permit, allowing the holder to live, work, study and engage in business activities in the UK without restriction of stay and visa extension. It is issued to those who:

• have been legally staying in the country for a qualifying period, or
• have family (spouse, partner, parent, child, or other relatives) in the UK, or
• are a Commonwealth citizen, or
• are a refugee or enjoy humanitarian protection or Discretionary Leave
• are coming back to the UK with a previous ILR
• served in the armed forces

Which Countries Can I Visit with UK Residence Permit Without Visa

The visa-free policy for UK residence permit holders covers a variety of countries and regions. In this section, we will talk about eligibility, entry rules, duration of stay, etc. Please note that we mainly focus on visa-free travel for ordinary passport holders who travel internationally for non-gainful purposes.

Europe

Europe is one of the most popular travel destinations for travelers from all over the world. Britain has reached an agreement with the European Union (EU) to allow its citizens and residents to have a short visit without a visa. The purpose of travel and length of stay might vary from country to country.

● Albania

Travelers of all nationalities are eligible to enter Albania as long as they present a passport valid for at least 3 months and a valid, multiple-entry UK visa stamped on the passport or a separate valid UK resident permit. Please don’t stay over 90 days during a 6-month period.

● Armenia

Foreign visitors can take a visa-free travel to Armenia with passports issued by the countries listed in the table and a valid, multiple-entry UK visa or valid UK resident permit. The passport must be valid for at least 90 days or during your stay in Armenia which should not exceed 180 days in a year.

Georgia

People of all nationalities are allowed to enter this country without a visit and stay for 90 days within a 180-day period when showing a valid, multiple-entry UK visa on their passports or a valid UK resident permit. The passport must be valid for at least 3 months and has at least 2 blank pages at the time of entry.

● Gibraltar

International visitors with a valid, multiple-entry UK visa issued for at least 6 months or a valid UK resident permit issued for at least 12 months are exempt from applying for a visa to enter Gibraltar regardless of their nationalities. The visa-free duration of stay should be less than 180 days.

● Montenegro

All nationals around the world enjoy a 30-day vasa-waiver stay in Montenegro with a valid, multiple-entry UK visa or valid UK resident permit and a passport valid for no less than 3 months.

● North Macedonia

Valid, multiple-entry UK visa, UK BRP or UK ILR holders can stay in North Macedonia for 15 days without an extra visa. The validity of the UK visa or residence permit must be 5 days longer than the expected period of stay in North Macedonia. Make sure your passport does not expire in 3 months when you arrive.

North America

UK permanent residence permit (ILR) holders and valid/unexpired UK visa holders can travel to Mexico without a Mexican visa despite their nationalities. Permitted visa-free stay does not exceed 180 days. The authority might request foreign visitors to show proof of the intended duration of stay and purpose of travel, such as onward or returning air ticket, and travel itinerary.

Central America

People of any nationality with a valid used multiple-entry UK visa or UK residence permit can visit the Republic of Panama and stay for a maximum of 30 days. Here are some extra entry rules.

• A UK visa or permit must have been used to visit UK before entering Panama.
• The UK visa or permit must be valid for at least 6 months upon arrival.
• The passport must be valid for at least 3 months upon arrival.
• Proof of financial support of USD 500 is required.

Caribbean Areas

● Anguilla

As a British Overseas Territory, it does not require an extra visa for British nationals, residents and already in possession of a UK visa. These visitors will be granted a 3-month stay. If you go there for any form of employment, a work permit is a must.

● Aruba

Holders of a valid temporary or permanent residence permit (all nationalities) from the United Kingdom and Bolivian, Chinese, Cuban, Dominican, Haitian, Indian, Jamaican, and Peruvian nationals with a valid multi-entry UK visa are exempted from Aruba visas. The maximum period of stay as tourists should not be over 30 days. The passport or other travel documents must be valid at arrival and during your stay in Aruba.

● Bermuda

It is a British overseas territory, allowing all nationals with valid multiple-entry visas, ILR, BRP to enter without an additional visa. The duration of stay should not exceed 30 days. At the date of leaving Bermuda, the passport and UK visa or residence permit must have 45 days of validity.

● Bonaire

Holders of a valid residence permit for the United Kingdom are exempted from the visa requirement. The length of stay is usually 14–30 days. On the date of entering Bonaire, your passport must be valid for at least six months.

● Cayman Islands

As a British territory, it welcomes travelers with a valid ILR or BRP and a passport issued by China, India and Jamaica to take a 30-day visa-free trip. You must arrive from the UK instead of from a third country.

● Curacao

Foreign nationals of all nationalities and legal UK residents can stay in Curacao for 90 days without a visa. You must present a passport and a valid UK visa, ILR or BRP to prove your citizenship and residency.

● Dominican Republic

Multiple-entry UK visa and UK residence permit holders are permitted to enter Dominica and stay for 90 days without visas regardless of nationality. A Tourist Card and passport with at least 6 months of validity is required. If you travel by land or sea, you should pay extra fees to purchase the card.

● Sint Maarten

UK residence permit holders (either temporary or permanent) are granted a 30-day trip without a visa. Make sure your BRP or ILR is valid for at least 30 days upon arrival.

● Turks and Caicos

This British territory is open to UK multiple-entry visa holders and UK long-term or permanent residents. If you are eligible, you can stay for 90 days at most.

South America

According to Peru entry requirements, if you are a Chinese or Indian national with a valid multiple-entry UK visa or UK permanent resident card (ILR), you can enter the country without a visa and stay for 180 days. Make sure your UK visa or ILR is valid for 6 months or longer from the date of arrival.

Asia

● Philippines

India nationals with a valid multiple-entry UK visa, ILR or BRP are not required to apply for a visa to visit the Philippines, but you cannot stay for more than 14 days. The officer will check whether all travel documents are valid during your stay and whether your passport is valid for at least 6 months from the date of departure.

● Singapore

As a popular tourist destination, Singapore welcomes UK temporary and permanent residents with Chinese and Indian nationality to enter and stay for no more than 96 hours (4 days) without a visa, but you must be arriving from or returning to your country of passport.

● South Korea

Transit passengers with UK residency can enter the country without a visa and stay for 30 days. They must be arriving from 26 Schengen countries, Cyprus, Ireland, Romania or UK or arriving in one of these 30 European countries after leaving South Korea. Please note that nationals of the following 24 countries are not eligible for this policy.

Taiwan, China

All ILR or BRP (valid/expired) holders with nationalities of Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Laos, Myanmar, and Vietnam are eligible to stay in Taiwan for 14 days with a visa, but you have to apply for ROC Travel Authorization Certificate online before arrival, which is free of charge and valid for multiple entries in 90 days.

FAQ:

Q: Can I travel to Europe with UK BRP?

A: Yes. It acts as proof of immigration status in the UK and carries essential personal information, but make sure to use it along with a valid passport.

Q: Do UK BRP holders need Schengen visa?

A: It depends on your country of citizenship. If you are from a visa-required country and legally live in the UK, you can apply for a Schengen visa from UK as long as your UK residence permit is valid.

Q: Am I UK resident with BRP?

A: Yes, a BRP holder is a temporary resident in the UK.

Q: Why is my UK BRP expiring in Dec 2024

A: The Home Office is planning to grant digital immigration status to residents before the end of 2024. That is to say, there will be no physical BRP cards starting from 2025.

Summary

After reading this passage, you must have found the answer to the question — which countries can I visit with UK residence permit without visa. UK resident permit includes a BRP (biometric resident permit) and ILR (permanent residence permit). With this permit, one can travel to 22 countries and territories without visas, but you have to use it along with a valid passport or other required travel documents. The entry requirements and duration of stay might vary from country to country. When it comes to “which countries can I visit with UK BRP”, most of the countries above are eligible for BRP holders, except Mexico.

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