Do British passport holders need a visa for the United States?
Covers 11 passports and 80 destinations. Rules older than 30 days are flagged for re-check.
How this tool works
We read the official notice for each pair and record the date. Nothing here is generated; a pair with no written check is not shown.
How we checkESTA required. British citizens need an approved ESTA before traveling to the US.
Under the Visa Waiver Program you apply for an ESTA online before you travel by air or sea. At a land border with Canada or Mexico an ESTA is not required: you go through manual processing at the crossing. The program covers British citizens with the unrestricted right of abode in the UK. Approval does not guarantee admission: a CBP officer decides at the port of entry. Travel to Cuba since January 2021 and some other countries makes you ineligible; if you cannot get an ESTA, you apply for a visa instead.
Source: US Customs and Border Protection. Checked Oct 2, 2026See the source
- Maximum stay
- 90 days
- Per visit, for tourism or business.
- Fee
- $40.27 ($40.62 from 16 Oct 2026)
- $40.27 since 1 January 2026; the FY2027 rate starts 16 October 2026.
- Validity
- 2 years
- Or until the passport expires.
- Passport
- e-passport
- Must be an electronic passport.
Changes to this rule
- Oct 16, 2026ESTA fee rises from $40.27 to $40.62 (Federal Register notice of 1 Oct 2026).
- Jan 1, 2026ESTA fee rose from $40 to $40.27.
- Sep 30, 2025ESTA fee rose from $21 to $40.