What visas are required to move to Gibraltar?
Short answer
It depends on nationality, and entry and residence are separate. British, EU, EEA and Swiss nationals need no visa or work permit, nationals of visa-requiring countries need a Schengen short-stay visa to enter and a work permit to work, and anyone moving to Gibraltar without a Gibraltar identity card now needs a residence permit under the Residency Regulations 2026.
Detailed answer
Moving to Gibraltar involves two separate questions: whether you need a visa to enter, and whether you need permission to live and work there. Both changed in July 2026. Since Wednesday 15 July 2026, when the UK-EU treaty on Gibraltar began to apply provisionally, Gibraltar has aligned its short-stay visa policy with the Schengen Area. Visitors who are not Gibraltarian or legally resident may stay for up to 90 days in any 180-day period, and time in Gibraltar and in the Schengen Area counts towards the same limit. This applies to British citizens visiting Gibraltar too. Nationals of visa-requiring countries need a Schengen short-stay visa, which Spain issues where Gibraltar is the main destination, and Gibraltar is aligning its visa lists with the EU's over time. The UK visa route for Gibraltar closed on Wednesday 8 July 2026. EU citizens and others with EU free movement rights enter with a valid passport or identity card. Entry on a visa or without one only covers a visit. To live in Gibraltar, anyone who does not hold a Gibraltar identity card, and did not hold a valid Civilian Registration Card or Permit of Residence on Monday 6 October 2025, must apply for a residence permit under the Residency Regulations 2026 (Legal Notice 166 of 2026), in operation since Tuesday 14 July 2026. The routes cover employees, the self-employed, students, Crown Servants and members of HM Armed Forces, with provisions for family members. For the employment route, the Government's residency portal lists a contract of at least one year paying at least £37,500 a year (Gibraltar's average gross annual earnings), a rented or owned home in Gibraltar as your main residence, an age of 55 or under unless the Chief Minister exercises discretion, and an official vetting form from your last country of residence. Exemptions and deposits can apply in some cases, including applicants under 30. British, EU, EEA and Swiss nationals do not need a work permit and can start work while their residency application is processed. Other nationals need a work permit, which the employer obtains from the Department of Employment. The employer must have approval in principle before the residency application can go ahead, and the person cannot start work until the residence permit is approved. Applications are made online and assessed by the Department of Immigration and Home Affairs.