A visa national is anyone needing a visa for entry into the United Kingdom either for visits or for transiting to another country. Examples of the former include citizens of the United Arab Emirates, Thailand and Cape Verde. Examples of the both types include the nationals of China, Jamaica and Venezuela.
An American is exempt from all visa national requirements for visits of six months or less. All that he needs is a valid passport. The typical minimum passport validity of three or six months from date of entry does not even apply. Transit visitors who hold visas for the United States, Australia, Canada or New Zealand, or who are traveling from those countries to another are exempt from transit visa national requirements.
The most convenient way for visa nationals to obtain a visa is through the online application, but an appointment with a visa official, which can also be made online, is still necessary. Alternatively, in-person applications are available at the visa application centers located at U.K. embassies, high commissions and consulates throughout the world.
