Visa requirement
United States visa for British citizens
Official-source answer with stay limit, cost, required documents and last verification date.
Do British citizens need a visa for the United States?
Checked answer — confirm before travel
British citizens need an ETA (electronic travel authorisation) before travelling to the United States.
Last verified:
What this means: An ETA is an electronic travel authorisation you apply for online before you fly — it is not a visa, but you cannot board without it.
Confidence: Medium Likely current — confirm details with the official source.
This answer is for ordinary British passport holders travelling as citizens of that passport. Residence permits, long-stay visas or living in another country can change which embassy or rule applies.
Visa types at a glance
| Visa type | Availability | Stay |
|---|---|---|
| Tourist visa-free? | No visa, ETA required | Up to 90 days. |
| eVisa? | No | No eVisa route is stored for this corridor. |
| Visa on arrival? | No | No visa-on-arrival route is stored for this corridor. |
- 90 days
- 40.27 USD
- Apply online before you fly
Before you travel
- 1 Entry step Apply online before you fly Official route (opens in a new tab)
- 2 Stay limit 90 days
- 3 Official fee 40.27 USD
- 4 Passport validity 6-month validity after departure. Full note below. See full note
- 5 Transit airside: required; landside: required. Full note below. See full note
- 6 Freshness Checked 23 Jul 2026; confidence: medium
Shareable verdict: British citizens need an ETA (electronic travel authorisation) before travelling to the United States. Checked 23 Jul 2026.
Open SVG cardCost note
ESTA fee. The official ESTA site currently shows a total fee of about USD 40.27.
Passport and transit notes
- Passport validity
- passport valid for at least 6 months after departure; U.S. travel generally requires a passport valid for at least six months beyond the period of stay, unless the passport-issuing country is covered by a country-specific exemption agreement. Confirm the exemption before travel.
- Validity source (opens in a new tab) Validity guide
- Transit
- airside transit: required; landside transit: required; Transit through the United States is still an entry or authorization event. Visa Waiver Program travellers may transit with ESTA if they meet VWP conditions; otherwise a valid U.S. visa is needed.
- Transit source (opens in a new tab) Transit guide
What you need
- biometric (e-passport) valid for at least 6 months after departure
- approved ESTA before boarding
- return or onward ticket
Why this verdict
British citizens have travelled visa-free to the US under the Visa Waiver Program (VWP) since 1988. An approved ESTA is required before boarding any air or sea carrier to the US. ESTA is valid for 2 years or until passport expiry, whichever comes first. Each stay is limited to 90 days for tourism or business.
Frequently asked questions
Do British citizens need a visa for the United States?
British citizens need an ETA (electronic travel authorisation) before travelling to the United States. (ETA required.) Verified 23 Jul 2026 against the official source.
How long can British passport holders stay in the United States?
Up to 90 days.
How much does entry to the United States cost for British citizens?
The official fee is 40.27 USD. This page tracks the official government fee only, not agent markup.