British vs EU passport

[Marco 72]

Are there any countries which give preferential (or worse) treatment to holders of a British passport, as opposed to an "old EU" one, e.g. French, German, Italian, etc? So far I have only been able to find Hong Kong (6 months visa free vs 3 months) and the UAE (free 30 day visa extendable to 60 days, vs not free non-renewable 30 day visa). I have also heard that British passport holders always require a transit visa for China, unlike those of other countries (except the US), but I am not sure if this is correct.

[Dawie]

I have found that some commonwealth countries (for obvious reasons) will often give a longer period of entry to British passport holders than to people from other western countries. South Africa, for example, will give a maximum stay of 6 months to British passport holders, while it will usually only give 3 months to US, and other EU passports holders.

[tt]

This has been researched before.

I believe most nations around the world have synchronised their visas with the EU, by request and counter-request of the EU bodies and the various countries.

So it doesn't leave too many nations whose visa policy will distinguish between the UK and the other pre-2004 EU countries.

However, there are some.

Bearing in mind that the UK did have more favourable treatment (or sometimes less, during difficult periods) in the Commonwealth nations for quite a long time, there are still a small handful that have kept this going to a lesser extent. (Any of the following countries which are members of the Commonwealth are marked in bold).

In Africa, you have South Africa, which actually gives 3 months visafree to all EU including the UK, but seems to allow only the UK a further extension of stay (but for a fee).
Swaziland - UK is visa on arrival (VOA) - some other EU are visafree.
Tanzania - UK is VOA, Ireland is visafree.
Zambia - UK, no visa if on organised tour, otherwise VOA - Ireland, visafree - other EU, VOA.
Rwanda - UK, VOA - most other EU, must pre-organise the VOA.
Niger - UK, visa - Denmark, Finland, visafree.

You mentioned Hong Kong. Same thing holds for Macau - UK, 6 months visafree - other EU, 3 months visafree.

You also mentioned UAE. It's a little different to what it was. Now - UK, 60 days VOA, free 30 day extension - other EU, 60 days VOA, extension around GBP70.
Bahrain - UK (and Ireland), 3 months VOA - other EU, 14 days VOA.

Turkey - UK, VOA multiple 3 months GBP10 - other EU, all over the place, many visafree.

And then there a small handful of island nations.
Antigua - UK 6 months visafree - other EU, 3 months or 1 month visafree.
Bahamas - UK 8 months visafree - other EU, 3 months visafree.
Grenada - UK 6 months visafree - other EU, 3 months visafree, 3 month extension possible.
Jamaica - UK, no visa - other EU, 3 months or 30 days visafree.
St Lucia - UK, 6 weeks visafree - other EU, 28 days visafree.
Netherland Antilles - UK, 3 months visafree - many other EU, 14 days visafree.
Kiribati - UK visafree - many other EU, visa.

There are a small number of other countries that do not have exactly the same visa policy for all the EU nations - but almost do - and where the UK is treated the same as the majority of the EU nations. These are - Barbados, Dominica, Guyana, St Kitts, Gambia, Lesotho, Namibia, Tunisia -

- and the most famous of them all - the United States. Greece still needs a visa to the US. No other pre-2004 EU country does.


To be honest, I doubt if there are any other countries (amongst the 180 remaining) which distinguish at all between the UK and the other EU nations when it comes to "visiting/tourist visas". Maybe someone knows?

[China allows some EU nations to transit without visa for 6 days if visiting certain areas on officially approved routes and tours from Hong Kong/Macau - this includes the UK - but the general tourist visa regulations are the same for all the EU]

By the way, which destination of these suits you the best?

[tt]

To be clear, all references to the EU above are in relation to the pre-2004 EU nations, or in Marco 72's words, the "old EU".

It's interesting that many have not incorporated all the post-2004 EU nations into their visafree lists yet, including for instance, South Africa. This will take time, I imagine. All the EU bodies will be out there again now on behalf of these "new EU" travelling the world...

Just one other intriguing development is that Russia and the EU have implemented an agreement just this month that allows potentially for simplified visa procedures, but have left off the UK, Ireland and Denmark in all of this. This relates in all likelihood to the EU opt out provisions these 3 countries have in relation to matters such as immigration and border control. So differences might spring up there in the not too distant future.

[global gypsy]

To add to the list...
for New Zealand, a UK passport holder is allowed in for 6 months, versus only 3 months for EU citizens.

[thirdwave]

[China allows some EU nations to transit without visa for 6 days if visiting certain areas on officially approved routes and tours from Hong Kong/Macau - this includes the UK - but the general tourist visa regulations are the same for all the EU]

Was in Hong Kong recently & wanted to make a quick trip to Shenzhen, just across the border to shop for even cheaper Chinese tat. However, I had to cancel my plans as I was informed that many British nationals (my wife happens to be one) are refused visas at the border, unlike nationals of most other (including 3rd world) countries & Americans are charged 3 times the going rate for 5 day visas. So having a British passport can be a disadvantage in some countries, especially Russia & communist controlled countries in Asia.

[tt]

Technically speaking (and I know how much THAT'S worth in certain countries!), the situation is this for UK Citizens, in relation to China...

Visa NOT required...

for a stay of max. 6 days provided:
arriving from Hong Kong or Macao to take a trip to Zhujian
Delta in Guangdong Province and:
- travelling as tourist in a group organized by a Chinese
international tour operator or registered travel agency;
and
- entering/travelling and departing only from the following
cities: Dongguan, Foshan, Guangzhou, Huizhou, Jiangmen,
Shantou, Shenzheng, Zhaoqing, Zhongshan or Zhuhai

This applies equally to (of the "old EU"), Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Netherlands, Sweden, UK...but not the other "old EU"... (nor the USA).

[thirdwave]

Technically speaking (and I know how much THAT'S worth in certain countries!), the situation is this for UK Citizens, in relation to China...

Visa NOT required...

for a stay of max. 6 days provided:
arriving from Hong Kong or Macao to take a trip to Zhujian
Delta in Guangdong Province and:
- travelling as tourist in a group organized by a Chinese
international tour operator or registered travel agency;
and
- entering/travelling and departing only from the following
cities: Dongguan, Foshan, Guangzhou, Huizhou, Jiangmen,
Shantou, Shenzheng, Zhaoqing, Zhongshan or Zhuhai

This applies equally to (of the "old EU"), Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Netherlands, Sweden, UK...but not the other "old EU"... (nor the USA).

I won`t be surprised if some UK nationals are indeed refused entry at the border.I got the feeling that the Chinese were distinctly unfriendly to people from the West, particularly Caucasians..I think the Hong Kong Chinese resented being under British rule & treat a lot of Europeans with contempt, now that they have rediscovered their Chinese 'identity'. I suppose the fact that they seem to be doing much better financially than Western Europe just adds to their hubris.

[Marco 72]

Hi tt, thanks for your detailed information.

You mentioned Hong Kong. Same thing holds for Macau - UK, 6 months visafree - other EU, 3 months visafree.

I didn't know that. I wonder why UK nationals get more favourable treatment in Hong Kong and Macau but tighter restrictions in mainland China.

Bahamas - UK 8 months visafree - other EU, 3 months visafree.

Actually, I believe a few other EU countries (including Italy) also get 8 months visa free in the Bahamas. Do you know if there are any differences for the British Overseas Territories (Bermuda, Cayman Islands, BVI, etc)? I haven't been able to find any.

By the way, which destination of these suits you the best?

I don't know, but I'd like to visit some potential retirement destinations over the next several years. At the moment all I know is that I don't want to spend my retirement here in the UK. For this purpose I'd like to visit Hong Kong, Singapore, and other countries which combine a very low tax regime with a safe environment (the only high tax country I'd be willing to consider is the US).

[mahil_2000]

Hong Kong was British until 1997. It could be why they get better treatment.

[thirdwave]

[/quote]
I don't know, but I'd like to visit some potential retirement destinations over the next several years. At the moment all I know is that I don't want to spend my retirement here in the UK. For this purpose I'd like to visit Hong Kong, Singapore, and other countries which combine a very low tax regime with a safe environment (the only high tax country I'd be willing to consider is the US).[/quote]

I would definitely consider moving to HK(I`ve already been looking at jobs there;) ), which is, by far, the best place I`ve been to (places like UAE,US included)..cannot comment on Singapore as I have not been there yet. However, the language barrier is a bit of a put off. Also, property prices are extremely high, but should not be a problem if you have a million or two to spare.