St Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha entry requirements for British passport holders (2026): visa and passport validity
Read the official text below. The official page gives different rules for different territories. We quote it word for word and do not summarise it.
Visa (FCDO): Read the official visa text below
Official source: GOV.UK – St Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha travel advice, Entry requirements (FCDO) · page last updated 10 September 2026 · checked on 17 October 2026
What the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) says about visas and passport validity for British travellers to St Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha, quoted word for word.
Do I need a visa for St Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha with a British passport?
We quote the FCDO text word for word and do not summarise it: its first sentence has conditions or a wording we do not turn into a one-line answer.
St Helena
You must have an entry permit to visit St Helena. A short-term entry permit is valid for up to 183 days. You can apply for a short-term entry permit when you arrive. To get a permit, you must have:
- a return ticket or proof of funds to buy one
- accommodation
- sufficient funds for your visit
- medical insurance which covers medical evacuation to the value of £175,000
An entry permit costs £20, payable in cash in British pounds, euros, US dollars or South African rand.
To stay longer than 183 days you must have a long-term entry permit.
To work on St Helena on a self-employed basis for 6 months or more, you must have a work permit and a long-term entry permit.
Email the St Helena Immigration Services for more information: evisaenquiries@sainthelena.gov.sh.
More from the FCDO visa section (extensions, border checks and other cases)
Ascension
You must have a visa to visit Ascension. A single-entry visa allows you to stay for up to 3 months. To get a visa you must have:
- a return ticket
- accommodation
- sufficient funds for your visit
- medical insurance which covers medical evacuation at a minimum value of £500,000
Apply for a visa to visit Ascension.
You must get permission from the Administrator if you want to work on Ascension.
Contact the Ascension visa service for more information.
Tristan da Cunha
You must get permission from the Island Council to visit Tristan da Cunha.
To apply, email the administrator’s office: tdcenquiries@tdc-gov.com. You must have:
- a return ticket
- sufficient funds for your visit
- comprehensive travel and medical insurance that covers the cost of medical treatment and possible evacuation to Cape Town
If you’re planning on staying longer than 2 months, you may need to show a criminal record check.
You will have to pay a small landing fee when you arrive. See Tristan da Cunha tourism for information on prices.
Official source: GOV.UK – St Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha travel advice, Entry requirements (FCDO), section “Visa requirements” · page last updated 10 September 2026 · checked on 17 October 2026
Passport validity: official text “Passport validity requirements”
St Helena and Ascension
To enter St Helena or Ascension, your passport must have an ‘expiry date’ at least 6 months after the date you arrive.
Tristan da Cunha
To enter Tristan da Cunha, your passport must be valid for the duration of your stay.
Official source: GOV.UK – St Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha travel advice, Entry requirements (FCDO) · page last updated 10 September 2026 · checked on 17 October 2026
No automatic check for this destination. The official text above is not a validity period we turn into a date calculation. Read it, and check with your airline or carrier.
For British passport holders only. These are the rules published by the UK government (FCDO) for British citizens. If you hold another passport, check your own government's advice. The airline and the border officials of the destination decide whether you can travel or enter: this site is information, not legal advice.
Recent FCDO updates to the entry requirements
- 30 January 2026: “Removal of information about the need to present a yellow fever certificate to enter St Helena if you are arriving from a country listed as a transmission risk (‘Entry requirements’ page).”
- 5 August 2024: “Addition of a new email address for the Ascension Immigration Office, information on the risk of shark attacks and on fines for killing a land crab (‘Entry requirements’ and ‘Safety and security’ page).”
- 23 February 2023: “Information on entry requirements to St Helena, and Tristan da Cunha, where you no longer need to quarantine ('Entry requirements' page). Updated information on weekly flights between St Helena and Johannesburg ('Summary' and 'Safety and security' pages).”
- 24 August 2022: “Updated information on quarantine requirements for entry into Tristan de Cunha ('Entry requirements' page).”
- 10 August 2022: “Updated information to reflect that St Helena and Ascension have now lifted their COVID-19 travel restrictions ('Coronavirus' and 'Entry requirements' pages)”
Read the full FCDO travel advice for St Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha (safety, visas, health) before you travel.
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