Lonely Planet™ · Thorn Tree Forum · 2020

How many countries can uou enter on a UK passport

Country forums / UK & Ireland

Apparantly a German passport gives you the most countries you can enter without a visa, 176 out of 218. The BBC news quiz says that the UK is equal fourth but doesn't specify the number. So what are the countries that a German can enter visa free that somebody from the UK can't?

Iran

1

It is apparently 173 for UK passports.

The 'worst' is an Afghani passport (only 28).

2

So what are the countries that a German can enter visa free that somebody from the UK can't?

Visa free or VOA (when UK passport needs a proper visa)are Marshall Islands, Mongolia, Palau, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Timor Leste, Turkey, Tuvalu, Tonga and UAE.

3

Well I am not sure about UAE, the embassy states "Citizens of the UK (with right of abode in the UK) will be granted a free of charge visit visa on arrival in the UAE. No application in advance of travel is necessary. Please note that your passport will be stamped for 30 days upon arrival." So perhaps Turkey is the only significant difference.

4

Visa free or VOA (when UK passport needs a proper visa)are Marshall Islands, Mongolia, Palau, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Timor Leste, Turkey, Tuvalu, Tonga and UAE.

What has the UK done to upset these countries?

5

Not sure where that list came from but it is bogus, Palau, Samoa, Tuvalu and Tonga also do not require visas.

6

I think there are several different and competing lists.

They don't even agree on what constitutes a "country" ,or how many countries there are in the world.

7

Cost of visas is also a consideration when it comes to powerful passports. It seems unfair when a particular nationality pays less for a visa than another.

8

Certainly not the UAE - I (UK passport) visited friends in Dubai last year when passing through.

Emirates and Etihad have many, many flights a day from UK airports, they wouldn't if we needed visas.

9

UK nationals get a VOA in UAE which lets you stay 30 days. You've probably never noticed because it's free and is just an automatic stamp in your passport. Germans don't need a VOA and can stay 90 days which makes their passport more powerful..

10

#10, fcg, your original post #3 stated "Visa free or VOA (when UK passport needs a proper visa)" which is just not true with at least half the countries on your list.

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I assumed the natural progression was understood. Visa versus VOA or VOA versus visa-free, the latter in each case allows more freedom over the former hence one passport is deemed more powerful than another. German passports are visa free for all those countries whereas UK passports need a VOA. Whether it's free or not is immaterial, it's beaurocracy German nationals are spared.
Before you ask, no I'm not going to check if any VOA for UK nationals is free or payable.

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#12, fcg, if you want to split hairs about about the UAE what about all the countries in #6 that do not require a visa, for example Samoa does not require visas from anybody, your list was fake news as they say.

13

Gosh you clearly don't like the fact that the German passport is more powerful than yours but shooting the messenger won't change anything. I didn't set the judging criteria although they seem pretty straight forward to me - ease of / lack of formalities in passing international borders.
Life is too short for me but you can actually check the entry requirements for all those countries by consecutively using German and UK nationalities. I'm sure you'll find in all cases, formalities exist only for UK nationals and not Germans.
https://www.skyteam.com/en/flights-and-destinations/visa-and-health/

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#14, fcg, I did not say what my passport is, and I could care less whether a German or a UK passport is more powerful, I just said that your list is bogus, which it is and I gave you examples of half your list which is all I could be bothered to check. Maybe you need to look beyond your Skyteam blinkers.

15

Bad luck for you if you think it's blinkered. It's an official site, you won't get on a plane unless you conform to the requirements for any particular destination. The details are kept up to date by the relevant immigration departments of each country - maybe complain to them.

16

Well I certainly won't fly skyteam (whoever they are) then if they will not allow me onto a plane to Dubai.

17

It's not just Skyteam, it's any airline, they all use the same database. Ofcourse they will allow you onto a plane to Dubai, as a UK national you qualify for a VOA.

18

So if I get a VoA then what's the difference

19

The difference is the German passport doesn't need a VOA and he can stay 90 days whereas you, even with your VOA, can only stay 30 days.
Sigh, most would perceive the German passport in this case to be less restrictive than the UK and therefore more powerful but I'll leave the final decision up to you.

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