UK Entry Clearance: Visa & Travel Requirements

Entry clearance refers to the permission granted by the UK authorities for a non-UK national to enter the country. It is typically required for individuals who need a visa to come to the UK for work, study, family visits or settlement. The process involves submitting an application from outside the UK and obtaining approval before travelling.

Applicants must meet the specific requirements of their chosen visa category, such as proving eligibility, meeting financial thresholds, and providing supporting documents. For example, those applying for work visas must have a valid job offer and sponsorship from a UK employer, while family visas require proof of relationships and income.

The following guide will help you to understand the rules and requirements relating to entry clearance, from what this actually means to the rules on transiting though the UK.

 

What is entry clearance?

 

Under UK Immigration Rules, you will need to apply for entry clearance if you are a foreign national coming to the UK as either a visitor, to work or to study, or if you intend to settle here temporarily or permanently.

Entry clearance is used by Entry Clearance Officers (ECOs) based overseas to verify, before an individual arrives in the United Kingdom, if that person qualifies under the Immigration Rules for entry to the UK. ECOs are officials of UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI), the division of the Home Office responsible for the United Kingdom’s visa system.

In some cases, it is mandatory to obtain entry clearance, whereas in others it is optional. However, in all cases, the authority to admit someone to the UK ultimately rests with the Immigration Officer (IO) at the UK port of entry.

 

Is entry clearance the same as a visa?

 

An application for entry clearance is essentially an application for a visa, or other type of immigration permission, made from outside the UK to enter the United Kingdom. In broad terms, entry clearance is the official term for a visa, although entry clearance can also be issued in advance to non-visa nationals, notwithstanding that in some cases non-visa nationals can also elect to seek leave to enter at the UK border.

For visa nationals, entry clearance will take the form of an entry clearance visa. For non-visa nationals, where they are not required to hold a visa under the UK Immigration Rules, entry clearance will take the form of an entry certificate.

 

Is entry clearance the same as an ETA?

 

Entry clearance and the Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) in the UK are not the same. While both relate to permission to enter the country, they serve different purposes and apply to different groups of travellers.

Entry clearance is formal permission granted by UK immigration authorities to allow a non-UK national to enter the UK. It is required for visa nationals or individuals travelling to the UK for specific purposes, such as work, study, or settlement. Applicants must apply from outside the UK, provide supporting documents, attend a biometric appointment, and receive a visa vignette in their passport if successful. Entry clearance applies to longer stays, such as work or settlement visas, and requires a formal visa application process.

In contrast, ETA is a digital pre-travel authorisation for certain non-visa nationals who are visiting the UK for short stays of up to six months. It is being introduced in stages in 2024. ETA is required for purposes such as tourism, business trips, or family visits. Travellers apply online, submitting personal and travel information, and generally receive a decision within a few days. Unlike entry clearance, ETA does not involve biometric appointments or visa vignettes.

The key difference is that entry clearance applies to longer stays or specific visa routes, while ETA is for short-term visits and is limited to travellers who do not normally require a visa to enter the UK. ETA does not replace visas for work, study, or settlement.

 

Who needs UK entry clearance?

 

In the UK, all visa nationals require entry clearance to enter the UK, regardless of the length or purpose of their stay, even if only as a tourist. In particular, you will need entry clearance if you are a person specified in Appendix 2 to Appendix V of the Immigration Rules, namely a national who needs a visa to visit the UK, or for any other purposes, where seeking entry for six months or less.

You will also need entry clearance by way of a visitor visa, if you are either classed as a ‘stateless person’ or you are travelling on any document other than a national passport, regardless of whether the document is issued by or evidences nationality of a state in which you would be classed as a non-visa national, except where that document has been issued by the UK.

In respect of non-visa nationals, entry clearance will be required where they are seeking entry to the UK for a period exceeding six months, or for a purpose for which prior entry clearance is required under the Rules.

The UK’s new Electronic Travel Authorisation scheme covers non-visa nationals visiting the UK for six months or less. By April 2025, all non-visa nationals will require either a valid ETA or a visa to enter the UK as a visitor.

However, some individuals, for whom entry clearance is not mandatory, may still choose to apply for it. This is often the case where someone has a history of previous refusals or wishes to confirm their eligibility for entry in advance to avoid issues at the border.

 

How do you apply for UK entry clearance?

 

Under the Immigration Rules, an ‘applicant for an entry clearance must be outside the United Kingdom and Islands at the time of the application’. As such, you cannot apply for entry clearance from inside the UK.

However, the overseas location from which you can apply will depend on the category of visa sought. By way of example, if you are applying for entry clearance as a visitor, you can apply at the British diplomatic post of any country abroad, whereas applications for entry clearance in various other categories must be made from the country in which you are living.

In circumstances where it is impossible to apply for entry clearance in the country where you usually live, for example, because there is no visa application centre available there, provision will be made for applying elsewhere.

Where entry clearance is required under the UK Immigration Rules, typically you will need to apply and pay for your visa online on the Home Office website.

Having submitted your application, you will be required to attend an overseas visa application centre to provide your supporting documentation and, for those applying for entry clearance to come to the UK for more than six months, to enrol your biometric information.

Your supporting documentation will need to demonstrate your eligibility for the category of visa you are applying for. The document checklist in your application will explain what to provide, although you may also want to seek expert advice here, not least given that any refusal of entry clearance will have a significant impact on your plans to live, work or study in the UK.

 

Can entry clearance be refused?

 

In the event that you do not satisfy the eligibility criteria on the face of your application and supporting documentation, typically your application for entry clearance should not be refused without an interview. This will provide the ECO with an opportunity to further assess your eligibility, as well as your credibility.

In particular, during the course of this interview, you must be able to satisfy the ECO that you are genuinely seeking entry for the period and purpose stated. The burden of proof will lie with you, as the applicant, in proving that you satisfy the relevant requirements under the UK Immigration Rules.

In circumstances where you fall short of what is required for your particular visa category, your application for entry clearance will either be deferred pending further documentation, or completely denied.

Depending on your category of visa, there are also general grounds on which your application for entry clearance may be turned down, including:

 

• Where false representations have been made, or false documents or information have been submitted, or material facts have not been disclosed in this or any previous application
• Where you have previously breached the UK’s immigration laws, for example, by overstaying or breaching a condition attached to your leave
• You are currently the subject of a deportation order
• You have been convicted of a recent or serious criminal offence
• Where your exclusion from the UK is deemed conducive to the public good, for example, because your conduct, character, associations, or any other reasons, make it undesirable to grant you entry clearance.

 

 

What documents prove entry clearance for the UK?

 

In the event that your application for entry clearance is approved, this will be granted in the form of a stick-in vignette that goes inside your passport or travel document. This can be designated as either an entry clearance visa for visa nationals or an entry certificate for non-visa nationals.

This will show what type of permission you have been granted and the period of validity, including a start and end date. It should also include the conditions you must meet during your stay in the UK, in other words, what you can or cannot do, for example, no access to public funds, no work or restricted work only.

Where you have been required under the Immigration Rules to obtain entry clearance in advance, you must produce to the IO at the port of entry a valid passport or other identity document endorsed with a UK entry clearance, issued to you for the purpose for which you seek entry and which is still in force.

Alternatively, in circumstances where you have been granted entry clearance in electronic form, you must produce a valid passport or other identity document.

In the event that you are unable to produce current entry clearance, or a valid national passport or other document satisfactorily establishing your identity and nationality, you will be refused leave to enter the UK.

 

Does entry clearance guarantee entry into the UK?

 

Having been granted entry clearance by way of a visa or entry certificate, this will entitle you to travel to a UK port of entry to seek admission. However, this does not necessarily guarantee entry into the UK. As previously explained, the authority to admit someone to the UK ultimately rests with the IO at the port of entry. This is commonly referred to as leave to enter.

Typically, however, when travelling with entry clearance, the entry clearance itself serves as leave to enter. However, to be treated as such the vignette must specify the purpose for which the holder wishes to enter the UK and be endorsed with the conditions to which your leave is subject or, alternatively, with a statement that it has effect as indefinite leave to remain.

In these circumstances, entry clearance will constitute prior permission to enter the UK that will only be overridden by the IO in limited circumstances.

 

What happens at the UK border if you have entry clearance?

 

In circumstances where you arrive in the UK with prior entry clearance, you should go through passport control relatively quickly as normally no decision will need to be made about whether or not to grant you leave to enter.

Typically, the only questions an IO will ask are ones that establish, for example, whether your purpose for travelling to the UK is different from the purpose specified in your entry clearance or whether there has been a change in your circumstances since leave was granted.

That said, even where you hold prior entry clearance, you can still be refused leave to enter on the basis that false representations were employed or material facts not disclosed for the purpose of obtaining the entry clearance, or your circumstances have changed since issue of the entry clearance which has removed the basis of your claim to admission.

Where you are permitted by the IO to enter the UK, you will be treated as having been granted leave from the date you arrive in the UK until the date your entry clearance expires, subject to the conditions endorsed on your vignette.

 

What happens at the UK border if you don’t have entry clearance?

 

If you were not required to obtain prior entry clearance, opting instead to apply for leave to remain on arrival in the UK as a non-visa national visiting the UK for less than six months, you will still need to demonstrate that you satisfy the requirements under the UK Immigration Rules with reference to clear documentation in support of the reason for your trip.

Where leave is granted at the port of entry, typically you will be given a time limit on your length of stay. You may also have a number of conditions imposed, including a condition restricting your employment or studies in the UK, or a condition requiring you to maintain and accommodate yourself, and any dependants, without recourse to public funds.

It is important to note that if you are travelling without prior entry clearance and are refused leave to enter, you are liable to be removed from the UK with immediate effect.

 

Do you need entry clearance to transit through the UK?

 

If you are transiting through the UK while travelling to another destination, you may still require prior entry clearanceor a specific transit visa, depending on your circumstances and nationality. This applies even if you are only changing flights at a UK airport.

There are two main types of transit: landside and airside. Landside transit involves passing through UK border controlbefore departing the UK within 48 hours. Airside transit, on the other hand, occurs when you do not pass through border control, instead remaining in the international airport transit area until boarding your connecting flight.

If you are a visa national (a citizen of a country that requires a UK visa), you may need either a Visitor in Transit visafor landside transit or a Direct Airside Transit Visa (DATV) for airside transit. A DATV is required for certain nationalities when transiting airside, even if you do not officially “enter” the UK.

Under the Transit Without Visa (TWOV) scheme, some visa nationals may qualify to transit landside without a visa. This applies if you meet specific conditions, such as holding a valid visa for a destination country like the US, Canada, Australia, or New Zealand.

The ETA scheme, which is set to take full effect from April 2025, requires non-visa nationals – including individuals from countries like the United States, Canada, Australia, and Gulf states – to apply for an ETA before travelling to the UK, including when transiting through the UK airside or landside.

Travellers should check their eligibility based on their nationality and transit plans, as failure to secure an ETA may result in being denied boarding or entry.

 

Need Assistance?

 

The rules surrounding entry clearance and transiting can be highly specific and vary depending on your travel plans, nationality and circumstances. As such, it is advisable to seek guidance from a qualified immigration specialist before travelling through the UK. For professional advice, contact our experts.

 

Entry clearance FAQs

 

What is entry clearance?

Entry clearance is permission granted by UK immigration authorities for a non-UK national to enter the UK. It is usually required before travelling for work, study, family visits, or settlement.

 

Who needs entry clearance to come to the UK?

Most individuals from outside the UK, including non-visa nationals staying for more than 6 months, must apply for entry clearance before travelling.

 

How do I apply for entry clearance?

You must apply online through the official UK government website, provide supporting documents, pay the visa fee, and attend a biometric appointment.

 

How long does it take to get entry clearance?

Processing times vary depending on the visa type and location, but standard applications typically take 3 weeks. Priority and super-priority services can reduce this time.

 

What happens if my entry clearance is refused?

If refused, you will receive a refusal notice explaining the reasons. Depending on the visa type, you may appeal, request an administrative review, or reapply with corrected information.

 

How long is entry clearance valid?

The validity depends on the visa type. For example, short-term visas are valid for up to 6 months, while work or settlement visas are issued for longer periods.

 

Can I work in the UK with entry clearance?

You can only work in the UK if your entry clearance specifically allows employment, such as with a Skilled Worker visa.

 

What documents are required for entry clearance?

The required documents depend on the visa category but generally include a valid passport, proof of finances, sponsorship letters, and supporting evidence for your reason to enter the UK.

 

Can entry clearance be revoked?

Entry clearance can be revoked if conditions are breached, such as working without permission or providing false information during the application.

 

Do I need entry clearance if I am visiting the UK for less than 6 months?

Visa nationals always require entry clearance, while non-visa nationals can visit the UK without entry clearance for up to 6 months, provided they meet visitor rules.