The United Kingdom now requires travellers from Nigeria and 32 other African countries to get entry clearance before they can visit or pass through the UK.
The UK shared this update in new immigration guidance from the Home Office.
According to the new rules, travellers must make sure they meet the UK’s visa requirements before booking flights. Without the right documents, they could face delays, travel problems, or be denied boarding by airlines.
With these changes, people from over 100 countries and territories still need a visa to enter the UK for visits up to six months, unless they have a specific exemption. This rule also affects some travellers passing through British airports.
The Home Office also stated that stateless individuals and travellers using documents other than officially recognised national passports or identity cards must obtain entry clearance before travelling.
Officials explained that the new guidance is intended to improve border management and ensure immigration laws are followed.
The African countries whose citizens remain subject to the UK’s visa requirement are Algeria, Angola, Botswana, Burundi, Cameroon, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Egypt, Eritrea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Côte d’Ivoire, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Malawi, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda and Zimbabwe.