UK Lists 59 Countries with Military Immigration Exemptions

The UK government has announced a list of 59 countries whose armed forces personnel are exempt from standard immigration controls when entering the United Kingdom, as per the Visiting Forces Act 1952. This legislation, established in 1952, allows military forces from specified countries to enter the UK without undergoing typical immigration checks.

The definition of exempt visiting forces is outlined in Section 8(4)(a), (b), and (c) of the Immigration Act 1971, which references the countries named in the Visiting Forces Act. The list includes a significant number of Commonwealth nations and can be expanded through Orders of Council, allowing for the addition of more countries without a full legislative process.

This exemption is designed to facilitate military cooperation, joint training exercises, and other defense-related visits between the UK and its international partners. Guidance for immigration officials on handling cases involving personnel from these nations is also provided by the UK government.