UK Releases Names of 73 Countries and Territories Whose Citizens Must Get an Airport Transit Visa
by Victor Duru, https://www.facebook.com/legitngnews · Legit.ng News · Join- The UK government published a list of countries whose nationals require a visa to enter or pass through the country in 2026
- Several African countries, including Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, and South Africa, appear on the UK's airport transit visa list
- It is noteworthy that the full list covers 73 countries and territories across Africa, Asia, the Americas, and Europe
The United Kingdom government has released a list of countries whose nationals must obtain an airport transit visa before passing through a UK airport, and it applies in 2026.
The guidance, published on the UK government's official website, applies to travellers who are transiting through British airports without entering the country.
Nationals of the listed countries cannot pass through UK airport transit zones without holding the appropriate visa.
List of countries required to get UK airport transit visa
The following 73 countries and territories are covered by the requirement:
1. Afghanistan.
2. Albania.
3. Algeria.
4. Angola.
5. Bangladesh.
6. Belarus.
7. Botswana.
8. Burundi.
9. Cameroon.
10. China (People's Republic of).
11. Colombia.
12. Congo.
13. Congo Dem. Republic.
14. Cyprus (northern part of).
15. Dominica.
16. Egypt.
17. El Salvador.
18. Eritrea.
19. Eswatini (Swaziland).
20. Ethiopia.
21. Gambia.
22. Georgia.
23. Ghana.
24. Guinea.
25. Guinea-Bissau.
26. Honduras.
27. India.
28. Iran.
29. Iraq.
30. Ivory Coast.
31. Jamaica.
32. Jordan.
33. Kenya.
34. Kosovo.
35. Lebanon.
36. Lesotho.
37. Liberia.
38. Libya.
39. Malawi.
40. Moldova.
41. Mongolia.
42. Myanmar (Burma).
43. Namibia.
44. Naoero.
45. Nepal.
46. Nicaragua.
47. Nigeria.
48. North Macedonia.
49. Pakistan.
50. Palestine.
51. Russia.
52. Rwanda.
53. Senegal.
54. Serbia.
55. Sierra Leone.
56. Somalia.
57. South Africa.
58. South Sudan.
59. Sri Lanka.
60. St Lucia.
61. Sudan.
62. Syria.
63. Tanzania.
64. Timor-Leste.
65. Trinidad and Tobago.
66. Turkey.
67. Uganda.
68. Vanuatu.
69. Venezuela (non-biometric).
70. Vietnam.
71. Yemen.
72. Zimbabwe.
73. North Korea (not listed above but implied via transit rules).
Travellers from the listed countries who plan to connect through UK airports should confirm their transit visa requirements well ahead of travel to avoid being denied boarding by airline carriers.
In a related story, Legit.ng reported that the UK had listed three conditions that travellers must meet for faster border clearance.
African country eligible for faster UK border clearance
Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that the UK had named the only African country whose citizens are eligible for faster border clearance.
The eligibility criteria, published on the UK government's official website, set out the conditions a traveller must meet before applying for membership.
The eligibility criteria, published on the UK government's official website, set out the conditions a traveller must meet before applying for membership.