Entry Clearance

What is Entry Clearance?

Entry Clearance is a status issued by a British Mission (i.e. Embassy, High Commission, or Consulate), outside of the United Kingdom. It cannot be issued from within the shores of the UK. Entry Clearance grants the applicant permission to travel to the UK in a specific capacity.

Entry Clearance takes the form of a sticker, called a "vignette" which is affixed to one of the pages of the applicant's passport.

Travel to the UK with Entry Clearance

There are various specific categories in which a person may travel to the UK holding Entry Clearance, listed below are a few of these:

Working Holiday Maker / UK Ancestry / Spouse / Student / Work Permit / EEA Family Member / EC Association Agreement / Elderly Dependant / Minister of Religion / Writer, Artist, or Composer / Person of Independent Means / Visitor, for certain countries.

If you intend to travel to the UK genuinely for a holiday of up to six months, and you are not a "visa national" (see FAQ's) you do not need to gain Entry Clearance in this capacity. (See our section headed "Visitors Visa" for further information regarding this.)