Visiting the UK as an EU Citizen: How Long Can You Stay?

Citizens of the European Union (EU), the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland can all stay in the UK as visitors for up to six months per visit. However, there might be some confusion as to how this works, how quickly you can return, and what you’re allowed to do during your visit.

VisitBritain’s inbound tourism forecast estimates that 43.6 million visitors came to the UK in 2025, generating £33.4 billion. A huge proportion of this number comes from our European friends. If you’re thinking about visiting the UK as an EU/EEA/Swiss citizen, here’s what you need to know.

What you can do as a permitted visitor to the UK

 
EU citizens don’t need to apply for a visa if they intend to visit the UK for a stay not exceeding six months. However, this visa comes with restrictions outlining what you can and can’t do whilst in the UK.

 
Here’s a breakdown of permitted activities under the definition of the visa-free regime:

·  Holidaying and sightseeing.

·  Visiting friends and family.

·  Attending meetings, conferences, interviews and negotiating contracts.

·  Work-related training from a UK company if you’re employed abroad.

·  Take short courses lasting up to 30 days, as long as it’s not the primary reason for visiting.

·  Participating in performing arts and sporting events.

·  Conducting research or teaching.

·  Getting private medical treatment.

·  Limited remote work for employers based outside of the UK. However, this can’t be your primary reason for visiting.

What you can’t do as a permitted visitor to the UK

 
Visiting the UK as a permitted visitor also comes with restrictions on what you can do whilst you’re here. The main restrictions you’ll have to abide by include:

·  Taking up paid or unpaid employment.

·  Starting or running a business.

·  Marrying or registering a civil partnership.

·  Accessing social welfare benefits.

·  Taking up long-term residence through repeat visits.

·  Long-term study of more than 30 days.

Your visa can be cancelled and you can be removed from the UK if you overstay or violate your visa terms. Consequences can include mandatory re-entry bans, being detained in an immigration removal centre, or even a criminal record under Section 24 of the Immigration Act 1971.

 
It’s also vital to remember that breaching your visa conditions can also make it much harder to come back to the UK in the future. Today, it’s estimated that 250,000 people overstayed their visas between 2016 and 2020.

How long can EU citizens stay in the UK per year?

 
The only explicit limit is that no single visit can last longer than six months. On the other hand, there are no limits on how many visits you can have in any given year.

From a legal perspective, there’s no law against leaving at the end of six months and returning the following day. This practice is known as a “visa run”, but even though it isn’t against the law, immigration officers are entitled (and likely) to refuse your re-entry into the country.

 
Generally, immigration officers will look for whether there’s a clear pattern of frequent or successive visits that could flag you as taking up long-term residence in the UK.

Can you stay in the UK for more than six months, leave, and then return?

Legally, nothing is stopping you from staying in the UK for five months and 29 days, spending a night in France or Ireland, and then returning the next day. In theory, this would reset your visa, giving you another six months.

 
The six-month clock might reset, though, but the UK also has what’s known as a “Genuine Visitor” requirement. It’s exactly what it sounds like. If it’s judged that you could be using the visa-free regime to circumvent the legal immigration system, you can be detained and sent away immediately.