Africa

Visas and entry requirements: British Indian Ocean Territory

Prepare your journey to British Indian Ocean Territory using official sources.

British Indian Ocean Territory

Access is restricted. This is not a tourist visa offer. Consult the competent authority about access restrictions and any exceptional permission; do not assume ordinary tourism is possible.

Sources and review status

Review date recorded; current rules still need confirmation.

Dates describe an editorial record, not a live check or legal validity. Review is due after 90 days; rules can change sooner. Open the linked source before relying on this guide.

Recorded review date
  • FCDO — BIOT, accès et mouillage

    Recorded review date:

    Review date recorded; current rules still need confirmation.

    UK travel advice: check its stated British passport scope; it is not a rule for all nationalities.

Your next checks

  1. Write down the passport you will use and its type, your country of residence and your planned activities. Residence and interface language do not replace passport nationality.
  2. List arrival and departure dates, transit stops and entry points. Check each leg separately, including whether you pass immigration during transit.
  3. Open the official instructions for that profile. Record the required documents, submission window, fees and processing guidance; mark anything the source does not confirm as unresolved.
  4. If a condition is unclear, contact the competent authority with your passport country, residence, purpose and dates. Recheck before departure and after a passport or itinerary change.
The source guide below is currently available in French.

Territoire britannique de l’océan Indien : accès sur autorisation

La source officielle présente un territoire à accès restreint, sans desserte commerciale touristique. La plaisance relève d’un permis de mouillage pour les îles extérieures.

La source consulaire vise le passeport British citizen ; tout équipage doit faire confirmer son admissibilité et les zones autorisées auprès de l’administration.

  • Autorisation préalable correspondant au projet.
  • Pour la plaisance : permis de mouillage et assurance appropriée ; documents de tous les membres de l’équipage.
  1. Contacter l’administration pour confirmer que le projet et les îles visées peuvent être autorisés.
  2. Déposer le dossier suffisamment tôt et attendre l’autorisation avant de prévoir l’escale.
  • Le permis relatif aux îles extérieures ne vaut pas autorisation générale d’accès à Diego Garcia.
  • Reconfirmer le régime en vigueur et l’autorité compétente avant tout projet ; aucun séjour touristique ordinaire n’est proposé.

Check your travel profile

Documents to consider

Eligibility depends on your passport and circumstances. The authorities decide whether documents are issued and entry is granted.

Check the official entry rules before travelling.

Official sources

Advice from a foreign government may be intended for its own nationals. Check the destination authority's requirements for your passport and circumstances; an advisory is not a universal eligibility decision.

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