"Visa-free" is rarely as simple as it sounds. Below are 23 destinations grouped by how much paperwork they really need, with stay limits, entry costs and the conditions attached. Last reviewed September 2026.
Europe & Caucasus
Georgia — Visa-free
The longest visa-free stay of any mainstream destination.
Stay: Up to 1 year · Entry cost: Free
Georgia allows citizens of roughly 95 countries — including the UK, all EU states, the US, Canada, Australia and the Gulf states — to enter and stay for up to 365 days without a visa. That is far longer than the 90-day norm, which is why Tbilisi and Batumi have become hubs for long-stay and remote workers. Entry is a passport stamp at the border; there is no form to fill in beforehand.
Who this applies to: Around 95 nationalities, including UK, EU/EEA, Swiss, US, Canadian, Australian, Japanese and GCC passport holders.
What you still have to do: A passport valid for the duration of your stay, and proof of onward travel or funds if asked at the border.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia
Albania — Visa-free
Mediterranean coastline at non-Mediterranean prices.
Stay: 90 days in any 180 · Entry cost: Free
Albania gives visa-free access to UK, EU, US, Canadian and Australian passport holders for 90 days in any 180-day period, and it runs seasonal visa-waiver schemes for several additional nationalities. It is the cheapest stretch of the Adriatic and Ionian coast in Europe, with Corfu-quality beaches at a fraction of Greek prices.
Who this applies to: UK, EU/EEA, US, Canadian, Australian and many other passports; some nationalities get a seasonal waiver announced year by year.
What you still have to do: Valid passport and travel insurance — no advance form.
Albanian Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs
Türkiye — Visa-free
Visa scrapped for UK, US and Canadian travellers.
Stay: 90 days in any 180 · Entry cost: Free for most Western passports
Türkiye removed the e-Visa requirement for UK, US, Canadian and several EU nationalities, so most Western travellers now simply arrive and get a stamp for up to 90 days in 180. Other nationalities can usually still apply online through the official e-Visa portal in a few minutes rather than visiting a consulate.
Who this applies to: UK, US, Canadian, and most EU/EEA passports enter visa-free; many other nationalities use the online e-Visa.
What you still have to do: Passport valid at least 150 days beyond arrival for visa-free entry — Türkiye enforces this strictly.
Republic of Türkiye e-Visa (official)
Serbia — Visa-free
Central-European city breaks without Schengen days.
Stay: 90 days in any 180 · Entry cost: Free
Serbia admits UK, EU, US and dozens of other passport holders visa-free for 90 days in 180, and it maintains one of the broadest visa-waiver lists in Europe, including nationalities that need a visa for the EU. Belgrade and Novi Sad are among the cheapest city breaks on the continent.
Who this applies to: UK, EU/EEA, US, Canadian, Australian passports, plus an unusually wide list of other nationalities — check the official list for yours.
What you still have to do: Foreign visitors must be registered with the police within 24 hours of arrival; hotels do this for you, private rentals may not.
Serbian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Asia
Thailand — Visa-free
Still visa-free — but the stay is shorter than it was.
Stay: 30 days (rules changed in 2026) · Entry cost: Free
Thailand revised its visa-exemption scheme with effect from 15 September 2026: the previous 60-day exemption was withdrawn and most eligible nationalities — including UK, US, EU, Australian and Japanese passport holders — now get 30 days visa-free. A handful of nationalities receive 15 days, and a few use visa-on-arrival instead. If you were planning a two-month trip on an exemption stamp, that plan needs rewriting.
Who this applies to: Around 54 countries and territories get 30 days, including UK, US, all EU states, Canada, Australia, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines, South Africa and the UAE.
What you still have to do: A Thailand Digital Arrival Card, submitted online before you land, plus proof of onward travel.
Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Japan — Visa-free
Visa-free for 70+ nationalities — JESTA is not live yet.
Stay: 90 days · Entry cost: Free
Japan grants visa-free short-stay entry of up to 90 days to citizens of more than 70 countries, including the UK, all EU states, the US, Canada and Australia. Japan passed the legal basis for JESTA — an ESTA-style pre-travel authorisation — in 2026, but it is not in operation and is not required for trips now; expect it later this decade. Nationalities outside the waiver list can often use the JAPAN eVISA rather than a consulate visit.
Who this applies to: 70+ nationalities for visa exemption; residents of Australia, Brazil, Canada, South Africa, Taiwan, the UK and the US can apply for an eVISA if they are not exempt.
What you still have to do: Pre-register immigration and customs details on Visit Japan Web to skip paper forms at the airport.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan
Malaysia — Visa-free
One of Asia's widest visa waivers, including Indian passports.
Stay: Up to 90 days · Entry cost: Free
Malaysia lets most Western and ASEAN passport holders in for up to 90 days without a visa, and it has extended its visa-free scheme for Indian and Chinese citizens (30 days on that scheme) into 2026. Kuala Lumpur is also one of the region's cheapest long-haul entry points, which makes it a strong first stop on a multi-country Asia trip.
Who this applies to: UK, EU, US, Canadian, Australian, Japanese and ASEAN passports for 90 days; Indian and Chinese citizens under the extended 30-day scheme.
What you still have to do: The Malaysia Digital Arrival Card (MDAC), submitted free online within three days of arrival — there is no fee, so avoid paid copycat sites.
Immigration Department of Malaysia
Indonesia (Bali) — Visa on arrival
Pay on arrival, or buy the same permit online beforehand.
Stay: 30 days, extendable once · Entry cost: IDR 500,000 (about £24 / US$32)
Most visitors to Bali and the rest of Indonesia use the visa on arrival: 30 days for IDR 500,000, extendable once for another 30 days. You can buy the identical permit in advance as an e-VOA, which usually means a much shorter queue at Denpasar. ASEAN citizens enter visa-free.
Who this applies to: Roughly 90 nationalities are eligible for VOA/e-VOA, including UK, EU, US, Canadian, Australian, Indian and South African passports. ASEAN citizens are visa-exempt.
What you still have to do: An electronic customs declaration, plus the Bali tourist levy (IDR 150,000) if you are landing in Bali.
Indonesian Directorate General of Immigration
Vietnam — e-Visa online
A 90-day multiple-entry e-visa open to every nationality.
Stay: Up to 90 days on the e-visa · Entry cost: From US$25
Vietnam runs one of the most generous e-visa schemes in Asia: any nationality can apply online for a single- or multiple-entry visa valid up to 90 days, usually issued within a few working days. Separately, citizens of the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Japan, South Korea and the Nordic countries get a 45-day visa exemption if they prefer not to apply.
Who this applies to: The e-visa is open to all nationalities; the 45-day exemption covers a shorter list including UK, several EU states, Japan and South Korea.
What you still have to do: Apply only via the official government portal — commercial sites resell the same visa at several times the price.
Vietnam National e-Visa Portal
Philippines — Visa-free
Visa-free for 150+ nationalities, extendable once you're there.
Stay: 30 days, extendable · Entry cost: Free
The Philippines admits citizens of more than 150 countries visa-free for 30 days, and extensions are routinely granted at Bureau of Immigration offices for travellers who want longer. It is the most affordable island-hopping destination in Southeast Asia once you're on the ground, though domestic flights add up.
Who this applies to: 150+ nationalities including UK, EU, US, Canadian, Australian, Indian (with certain valid visas) and most ASEAN passports.
What you still have to do: The free eTravel registration, completed online within 72 hours before arrival and again on departure.
Philippine Bureau of Immigration
Sri Lanka — Online authorisation
One online form, issued in minutes.
Stay: 30 days, extendable to 6 months · Entry cost: Varies — check the official portal
Sri Lanka uses an Electronic Travel Authorisation that almost every visitor applies for online before flying. The fee and the list of nationalities granted free entry have been changed several times since 2024, so confirm the current price on the government site rather than trusting an older article. Approval is typically fast and the standard tourist ETA covers 30 days with double entry.
Who this applies to: Nearly all visitors need an ETA; a rotating list of nationalities has been granted fee-free entry at various points.
What you still have to do: Apply at eta.gov.lk only. Third-party sites charge a large service fee for the same document.
Sri Lanka Electronic Travel Authorization (official)
Africa & Middle East
Morocco — Visa-free
Three hours from Europe, no paperwork at all.
Stay: 90 days · Entry cost: Free
Morocco admits UK, EU, US, Canadian, Australian and many other passport holders visa-free for up to 90 days. It is one of the few genuinely long-haul-feeling destinations reachable on a short-haul budget fare from Western Europe, with strong low-cost routes into Marrakesh, Fez, Tangier and Agadir.
Who this applies to: UK, EU/EEA, US, Canadian, Australian, Japanese, Brazilian and a number of African and Gulf passports.
What you still have to do: A passport valid for at least six months, and a completed arrival card handed in at immigration.
Moroccan Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Rwanda — Visa on arrival
Every nationality can get a visa on arrival, no exceptions.
Stay: 30 days (90 for visa-free groups) · Entry cost: US$50 on arrival; free for several groups
Rwanda has the most open entry policy in Africa: citizens of any country can obtain a visa on arrival without applying in advance. Citizens of all African Union member states, Commonwealth countries and La Francophonie enter visa-free for up to 90 days. Kigali is clean, safe and unusually easy to navigate as a first African city trip.
Who this applies to: African Union, Commonwealth and Francophonie citizens enter free; everyone else can buy a visa on arrival.
What you still have to do: Yellow fever certificate if you're arriving from a country with transmission risk.
Rwanda Directorate General of Immigration
Kenya — Online authorisation
Visas abolished — replaced by an online authorisation.
Stay: Up to 90 days · Entry cost: Fee applies; African Union citizens exempt
Kenya scrapped conventional visas and now requires an Electronic Travel Authorisation, applied for online before departure. Citizens of African Union member states are exempt from the eTA and enter for up to two months (East African Community citizens get longer). Approval usually arrives within a few days, so apply at least a week out.
Who this applies to: Everyone except exempt African Union nationals needs an eTA; there is no visa-on-arrival counter to fall back on.
What you still have to do: Apply only at etakenya.go.ke. Yellow fever proof is required if arriving from a risk country.
Republic of Kenya eTA (official)
South Africa — Visa-free
Long-haul quality at short-haul daily costs.
Stay: Up to 90 days · Entry cost: Free
South Africa admits UK, EU, US, Canadian, Australian and many other passport holders visa-free for up to 90 days. The rand makes it one of the best value long-haul destinations for European and North American travellers — the flight is the expensive part, and the days on the ground are not.
Who this applies to: Roughly 75 nationalities, with stays of 30 or 90 days depending on your passport.
What you still have to do: Two consecutive blank passport pages on arrival, and unabridged birth certificates plus consent letters when travelling with children.
South African Department of Home Affairs
United Arab Emirates — Visa-free
A stopover that can turn into a free second destination.
Stay: 30–90 days depending on passport · Entry cost: Free for visa-exempt nationalities
The UAE gives visa-free or visa-on-arrival entry to a long list of nationalities — 90 days for most EU citizens, 30 days extendable for UK, US, Canadian and Australian travellers. Indian passport holders who hold a valid US, UK or EU visa or residence permit can also get a visa on arrival, which is exactly the kind of document-based eligibility most travel sites ignore.
Who this applies to: Most EU/EEA passports (90 days), UK/US/Canada/Australia (30 days), plus document-based visa on arrival for some nationalities including Indian passport holders with qualifying visas or residence.
What you still have to do: Six months' passport validity, and awareness of local law on alcohol, medication and public behaviour.
UAE Government portal — visa on arrival
Egypt — Visa on arrival
A sticker bought at the airport bank counter.
Stay: 30 days · Entry cost: US$25
Most visitors buy a 30-day tourist visa on arrival at Egyptian airports for US$25, or apply for the same thing online as an e-visa beforehand. Travellers staying only in South Sinai resorts (Sharm el-Sheikh, Dahab) can often get a free entry permission of up to 15 days instead, provided they don't leave the area.
Who this applies to: UK, EU, US, Canadian, Australian and many other passports for visa on arrival; the e-visa covers a similar list.
What you still have to do: Six months' passport validity and cash in US dollars if buying the visa at the airport counter.
Egypt e-Visa Portal (official)
Jordan — Visa on arrival
Buy the Jordan Pass and the visa fee disappears.
Stay: 30 days · Entry cost: Waived with the Jordan Pass
Jordan issues visas on arrival to most nationalities, but the smarter route is the Jordan Pass: bought online before you fly, it waives the tourist visa fee entirely and bundles entry to Petra and around 40 other sites. It only works if you stay at least three nights and buy it before arrival.
Who this applies to: Most Western and Gulf passports for visa on arrival; the Jordan Pass waiver applies to travellers eligible for VOA.
What you still have to do: Buy the pass before departure — it cannot be applied retroactively at the border.
Jordan Pass (official government site)
Americas & Caribbean
Mexico — Visa-free
Visa-free if you hold a US, UK, Schengen, Canadian or Japanese visa.
Stay: Up to 180 days · Entry cost: Free
Mexico admits UK, EU, US, Canadian and Australian passport holders without a visa for a period set by the immigration officer, up to 180 days. Crucially, nationalities that would normally need a Mexican visa can enter visa-free if they hold a valid US, UK, Canadian, Japanese or Schengen visa, or permanent residence in one of those countries — a document-based rule that opens Mexico up to a lot of travellers who assume they're excluded.
Who this applies to: Visa-exempt nationalities, plus anyone holding a valid visa or permanent residence for the US, UK, Canada, Japan or the Schengen area.
What you still have to do: The digital immigration form (FMM) and, at many airports, a stamped stay length written by the officer — check the number of days you were actually given.
Mexican National Migration Institute
Colombia — Visa-free
Long stays, low daily costs, big geographic range.
Stay: 90 days, extendable to 180 a year · Entry cost: Free
Colombia gives visa-free entry of 90 days to citizens of around 100 countries, extendable to a maximum of 180 days within a calendar year. Between Caribbean coast, Andean cities and coffee country, it delivers several very different trips inside one visa-free stamp, and daily costs stay low outside Cartagena.
Who this applies to: Around 100 nationalities including UK, EU, US, Canadian, Australian, Japanese, Brazilian and Mexican passports.
What you still have to do: The online Check-Mig form, submitted free within 72 hours before both entry and exit.
Migración Colombia
Peru — Visa-free
No visa, but Machu Picchu tickets need booking months out.
Stay: Up to 90 days · Entry cost: Free
Peru admits UK, EU, US, Canadian, Australian and most Latin American passport holders visa-free for a period granted at the border, commonly up to 90 days. The paperwork that actually constrains a Peru trip is not the visa — it is timed-entry tickets for Machu Picchu and permits for the Inca Trail, which sell out months ahead.
Who this applies to: UK, EU/EEA, US, Canadian, Australian and most South American passports.
What you still have to do: Keep the entry record issued at immigration; overstays are fined per day on departure.
Peruvian Superintendencia Nacional de Migraciones
Barbados — Visa-free
One of the few Caribbean islands open to many African passports.
Stay: Up to 6 months · Entry cost: Free
Barbados grants visa-free entry — often up to six months — to most Commonwealth citizens, along with UK, EU, US and Canadian passport holders. That makes it one of the genuinely reachable Caribbean options for Indian, Nigerian, Ghanaian and other Commonwealth travellers who face refusals almost everywhere else in the region. Check the current list against your passport before booking, as terms differ by nationality.
Who this applies to: Most Commonwealth citizens plus UK, EU, US and Canadian passports; length of stay granted varies by nationality.
What you still have to do: The online immigration and customs form (ED card) submitted before arrival, and proof of onward travel.
Barbados Immigration Department
Brazil — Visa-free
Visa-free for the UK and EU; e-visa for US, Canada and Australia.
Stay: 90 days in any 180 · Entry cost: Free for visa-exempt nationalities
Brazil admits UK and EU passport holders visa-free for 90 days in any 180-day period. US, Canadian and Australian citizens, however, need an electronic visa again after Brazil reinstated reciprocity — it is applied for online and is not available on arrival, so it has caught out a lot of travellers at check-in.
Who this applies to: UK, EU/EEA and most South American passports visa-free; US, Canadian and Australian citizens must obtain an e-visa in advance.
What you still have to do: Yellow fever vaccination is recommended for several regions and required for onward travel to some countries.
Brazil e-Visa (official)