United Kingdom
United Kingdom Visa-free stay (6 months)
First stay: 6 mo
Visa-free visit of up to 6 months (ETA)
First checked against official sources on Change log
Key facts
Visa-free stay (6 months) is a long-stay route for United Kingdom. You can't take local work. Checked 2026-10-10 against the official source.
- Government fees
- £20 ≈ $26
- First stay
- 6 mo
Cost
Government fees£20 ≈ $26
- GBP 20 (≈ $26)Fee for an electronic travel authorisation (ETA).
Why this route may not fit
Check this before you apply.
- Work isn't allowed on this route
- Only for passports from 83 countries
What you'll need
Who can apply3
- Citizen of a location on the ETA National List in the Immigration Rules (Appendix ETA National List).
- Taiwan citizens qualify only with a passport that shows the identity card number issued in Taiwan.
- The visit must be for tourism, visiting family or friends, or other Standard Visitor activities such as business or short study.
What you must show1
- An ETA costs GBP 20 (≈ $26).
Steps2
- Apply for the ETA online before travelling; each traveller, including babies and children, needs an ETA.
- An ETA does not guarantee entry to the UK, Jersey, Guernsey or the Isle of Man.
After you arrive1
- An ETA lets you travel to the UK, Jersey, Guernsey or the Isle of Man for up to 6 months.
When you become tax resident
How United Kingdom decides tax residence and treats foreign-source income, from its tax records.
- Stay on this route
6 months at first
- Tax residence
Statutory Residence Test.
- Foreign-source income
New-resident relief (4 years)
Qualifying new UK residents can claim relief on eligible foreign income and gains for their first four tax years of UK residence after at least ten years of non-UK residence; regime replaced the remittance basis on 6 April 2025.
- Special regime
Four-year Foreign Income and Gains regime · Tax relief
All tax rules for United Kingdom Tax records checked
Full official text
Nationals of ETA-eligible countries can visit the UK without a visa for up to six months after getting an electronic travel authorisation (ETA). 1 2 3
What you must show and pay
- A fee of GBP 20 (≈ $26) · Fee for an electronic travel authorisation (ETA). 2
Requirements
- Citizen of a location on the ETA National List in the Immigration Rules (Appendix ETA National List). 1
- Taiwan citizens qualify only with a passport that shows the identity card number issued in Taiwan. 1
- The visit must be for tourism, visiting family or friends, or other Standard Visitor activities such as business or short study. 2 3
- An ETA costs GBP 20 (≈ $26). 2
- Apply for the ETA online before travelling; each traveller, including babies and children, needs an ETA. 2
- An ETA does not guarantee entry to the UK, Jersey, Guernsey or the Isle of Man. 2
- An ETA lets you travel to the UK, Jersey, Guernsey or the Isle of Man for up to 6 months. 2 3
Stay
- Up to 6 months per visit.
- Initial permitted stay: 6 months.
- Visit with an ETA up to 6 months: Standard Visitor rules.
Nationality
Citizens of the countries and territories on the ETA National List (Gulf states, Americas, Asia-Pacific, EU and EFTA states and others). Open to: Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Barbados, Belize, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Hong Kong, Israel, Japan, KI, MO, Malaysia, Maldives, MH, Mauritius, Mexico, FM, New Zealand, PW, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Saint Kitts and Nevis, VC, WS, Seychelles, Singapore, Solomon Islands, South Korea, Taiwan, The Bahamas, TO, TV, United States, Uruguay, Andorra, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, San Marino, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, VA.
Work
Standard Visitors may not do paid or unpaid work for a UK company or as a self-employed person, except permitted paid engagements and events.
Official sources
- Immigration Rules Appendix ETA National List · UK Visas and Immigration (GOV.UK) · checked 2026-10-10
- Get an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) to visit the UK · UK Visas and Immigration (GOV.UK) · checked 2026-10-10
- Standard Visitor visa · UK Visas and Immigration (GOV.UK) · checked 2026-10-10
Visa-free stay (6 months) and its alternatives
| Route | Money needed | Stay | Work |
|---|---|---|---|
| Visa-free stay (6 months) | – | 6 mo | No |
| Common Travel Area | – | – | Yes |
| EU free movement Portugal | – | – | Yes |
| Free movement by treaty Spain | – | 5 yr | Yes |
| Visa-free stay (12 months) Georgia | – | 1 yr | – |
Questions people ask
How much money do I need for the Visa-free stay (6 months)?
A fee of GBP 20 (≈ $26). Fee for an electronic travel authorisation (ETA).
How long can I stay on the Visa-free stay (6 months)?
Up to 6 months per visit.
Can I work on the Visa-free stay (6 months)?
No. Standard Visitors may not do paid or unpaid work for a UK company or as a self-employed person, except permitted paid engagements and events.
Who can apply for the Visa-free stay (6 months)?
Citizens of the countries and territories on the ETA National List (Gulf states, Americas, Asia-Pacific, EU and EFTA states and others). Open to: Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Barbados, Belize, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Hong Kong, Israel, Japan, KI, MO, Malaysia, Maldives, MH, Mauritius, Mexico, FM, New Zealand, PW, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Saint Kitts and Nevis, VC, WS, Seychelles, Singapore, Solomon Islands, South Korea, Taiwan, The Bahamas, TO, TV, United States, Uruguay, Andorra, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, San Marino, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, VA.
Is there a tax break for Visa-free stay (6 months) holders in United Kingdom?
Four-year Foreign Income and Gains (FIG) regime: Qualifying new UK residents can claim relief on eligible foreign income and gains for their first four tax years of UK residence after at least ten years of non-UK residence; regime replaced the remittance basis on 6 April 2025. It's separate from the visa and has its own conditions.
Tax
Special regime
Four-year Foreign Income and Gains (FIG) regime
Tax relief
Details
- Who: UK tax resident under the Statutory Residence Test
Qualifying new UK residents can claim relief on eligible foreign income and gains for their first four tax years of UK residence after at least ten years of non-UK residence; regime replaced the remittance basis on 6 April 2025.
Taxed on
Claimed eligible foreign income and gains arising in the first four UK tax-resident years after at least ten years’ non-UK residence. Examples include foreign trade conducted wholly outside the UK, overseas property-business profits, non-UK dividends and foreign interest. Foreign employment earnings and specified employment income are outside FIG.
Who it applies to
- UK tax resident under the Statutory Residence Test.
- Within the first 4 years of UK tax residence after at least 10 years as non-UK resident.
- Claim made annually; unused years do not roll over; temporary years abroad are skipped.
- If the 4 years began before 6 April 2025, claims are available from 2025 to 2026 to the last year of the period.
Exclusions
- UK-source income stays taxable.
- Foreign earnings and foreign specific employment income are not eligible, though Overseas Workday Relief may apply.
- A claim loses Income Tax and Capital Gains Tax tax-free allowances, Marriage Allowance, Married Couples Allowance and Blind Person's Allowance.
Tax residence
Qualifying resident means UK tax resident under the Statutory Residence Test and within the first four years of UK residence after at least a 10-year period as non-UK tax resident.
Visas
Immigration permission does not qualify anyone; eligibility is tax residence only.
Other taxes
National Insurance, VAT, payroll, UK-source income, treaties and home-country taxes are outside the claim.
Checked against official sources on Change log
Similar visas elsewhere
≈ USD figures are approximate: daily reference rates from ExchangeRate-API, dated 12 Oct 2026, refreshed when the site is updated.
Ask the AI about this route AI
An AI assistant answers from the published records on this page and cites them. It can't assess your personal eligibility. Don't include personal details.
How this was checked
Checked on 2026-10-10 against 3 official sources. Status: verified against the official sources.
Every figure on this page comes from the official source it links to. The record was researched against these sources, then reviewed separately, with special attention to effective dates and amendments. Where a source does not state something, the page leaves it out.
- Immigration Rules Appendix ETA National List · UK Visas and Immigration (GOV.UK) · checked 2026-10-10
- Get an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) to visit the UK · UK Visas and Immigration (GOV.UK) · checked 2026-10-10
- Standard Visitor visa · UK Visas and Immigration (GOV.UK) · checked 2026-10-10
Tracked since 2026-10-11. Rule changes and corrections are listed on the changes page, and the methodology page explains how facts are checked. Found something out of date? Email contact@stayglobe.app with a link to the official source.