Scotland Passport Visa-Free Countries
What should you know about a Scotland passport
Scotland passport (British passport) has 5th place in the global passport ranking, being one of the most desirable passports in the world and providing outstanding travel freedom.
Now there are 109 visa-free countries for British passport holders. Even after Brexit, British citizens can travel to EU countries for tourism and some other allowed purposes without any visa if they don't intend to stay for longer than 90 days.
Scottish citizens can get an on-arrival visa in 38 countries and apply for an online visa to 34 countries.
See traveling from the other side with visa-free access
Visa-free access gives Scottish people an opportunity to see traveling differently.
Without the need to meet visa requirements, British passport holders can visit more unexpected and exotic destinations, change their plans as they think about it, and stay longer or shorter depending on their impressions and emotions.
They don't have to stick to tours and hotels, so they may try to stay at locals and get deeper cultural knowledge and inside information about places and history.
How to apply for a Scotland passport
As Scotland is a part of the UK, there is no separate Scottish citizenship or Scottish passport as an alternative to UK ones, so the procedure goes through the UK Border Agency.
To apply for a passport, a person must acquire citizenship first. The requirements for becoming a British citizen are the following:
- be over 18 years old;
- live continuously in the UK for over five years;
- not to be outside of the UK for more than 90 days over the past year;
- be a permanent UK resident for EEA nationals, or have been granted indefinite leave to stay in the UK and must have had it for at least a year before application;
- pass the English language test;
- pass the good character requirement;
- Pass the “Life in the UK” test.
Upon acquiring British citizenship, it's possible to apply for a passport in two ways:
- online
- through a paper form
In both cases, an applicant needs to fill the form, attach photos and supporting documents, and have someone who can confirm their identity.
Traveling to visa-free countries is advantageous
There are many great things about traveling to visa-free countries.
For example, it can save a lot of time and money. Applying for a visa can be a long and complicated process, and it can be expensive as well. If a person is planning to travel to multiple destinations requiring a visa, the cost of visas can add up and cost the applicants a lot of money.
Moreover, British passport holders don't have to worry about being entry-denied, as with non-visa-free countries, there's always the possibility that one won't be able to enter the country, as a visa is not a guarantee.
Scots can simply show up at their destination and start exploring it without any stress.
109 countries that Scotland passport holders enter visa-free
Visa-free countries with a Scotland passport
- Albania
- Andorra
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Argentina
- Armenia
- Austria
- Bahamas
- Barbados
- Belarus
- Belgium
- Belize
- Bolivia
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Botswana
- Brazil
- Brunei
- Bulgaria
- Canada
- Cape Verde
- Chile
- Colombia
- Costa Rica
- Croatia
- Cyprus
- Czech Republic
- Denmark
- Dominica
- Dominican Republic
- Ecuador
- El Salvador
- Estonia
- Eswatini
- Fiji
- Finland
- France
- Gambia
- Georgia
- Germany
- Greece
- Grenada
- Guatemala
- Guyana
- Haiti
- Honduras
- Hungary
- Iceland
- Indonesia
- Ireland
- Israel
- Italy
- Jamaica
- Japan
- Kazakhstan
- Kiribati
- Kyrgyzstan
- Latvia
- Lesotho
- Liechtenstein
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Malaysia
- Malta
- Marshall Islands
- Mauritius
- Mexico
- Micronesia
- Moldova
- Monaco
- Montenegro
- Morocco
- Namibia
- Netherlands
- Nicaragua
- North Macedonia
- Norway
- Panama
- Paraguay
- Peru
- Philippines
- Poland
- Portugal
- Qatar
- Romania
- Saint Kitts and Nevis
- Saint Lucia
- Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
- Samoa
- San Marino
- São Tomé and Príncipe
- Senegal
- Serbia
- Singapore
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- South Africa
- Spain
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- Thailand
- Trinidad and Tobago
- Tunisia
- Turkey
- Ukraine
- Uruguay
- Uzbekistan
- Vanuatu
- Vatican City
- Venezuela
- Vietnam
Visa is also not required in some British Crown Dependencies and Overseas Territories, such as Akrotiri and Dhekelia, Anguilla, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Guernsey, Isle of Man, Jersey, Gibraltar, Montserrat, Pitcairn Islands, and the Turks and Caicos Islands.
Holders of diplomatic and special passports of the United Kingdom also have visa-free access to:
- China (diplomatic passports);
- Ethiopia (diplomatic or service passports);
- Kuwait (diplomatic or official passports);
- Mongolia (diplomatic or official passports);
- Qatar (diplomatic or official passports and British Diplomatic Messenger or Queen's Messenger Passports);
- the United Arab Emirates (diplomatic or official passports);
- Zimbabwe (diplomatic or service passports).
Moreover, Scottish citizens can get an on-arrival visa in 38 countries and apply for an online visa to 34 countries.
Visa on arrival countries
- Bahrain
- Bangladesh
- Benin
- Burkina Faso
- Cambodia
- Comoros
- Egypt
- Gabon
- Guinea-Bissau
- Iraq
- Jordan
- Kuwait
- Laos
- Lebanon
- Madagascar
- Malawi
- Maldives
- Mauritania
- Mozambique
- Nepal
- Palau
- Papua New Guinea
- Rwanda
- Saudi Arabia
- Seychelles
- Sierra Leone
- Solomon Islands
- Somalia
- Sri Lanka
- Tanzania
- Timor-Leste
- Togo
- Tonga
- Tuvalu
- Uganda
- United Arab Emirates
- Zambia
- Zimbabwe
Electronic visa countries
- Angola
- Australia
- Azerbaijan
- Bahrain
- Benin
- Cambodia
- Côte d'Ivoire
- Djibouti
- Egypt
- Ethiopia
- Gabon
- Guinea
- Guinea-Bissau
- Kenya
- Kuwait
- Laos
- Madagascar
- Malawi
- Myanmar
- New Zealand
- Oman
- Pakistan
- Papua New Guinea
- Rwanda
- Saudi Arabia
- South Korea
- Sri Lanka
- Suriname (E-tourist card)
- Tajikistan
- Tanzania
- Uganda
- United States
- Zambia
- Zimbabwe
British citizens who want to travel to the US by air or cruise ship must obtain a valid electronic visa waiver.
FAQ
How can you find out if your travel destination is visa-free?/strong>
To find out if you need a visa for your travel destination, contact the embassy or check the list of visa-free countries for your citizenship.
How can you obtain visa for non-visa-free countries?
Depending on your nationality, the purpose of travel, and intended period of stay, you may apply for an online visa or electronic travel authorization, get an on-arrival visa, or attend an embassy to get a traditional visa.
Advice for traveling to the countries requiring a visa
Keep these things in mind to ensure that you'll have a smooth and hassle-free experience when visiting countries that require visas:
- examine entry requirements and apply for a visa in advance;
- double-check the information you provide in the application form;
- have a valid passport that stays effective for a minimum of 6 months;
- make paper copies of your documents just in case.
Is researching countries' visa requirements an essential thing to do before traveling?
Research of your destination's visa requirements may not only help you to choose the best way to apply for a visa if you need one but, most importantly, ensure you enter the desired country without any issues.
