Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games
Guidance for participants, workers and visitors attending the games, including obtaining visas and enrolling biometric information.
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Glasgow will host the 20th Commonwealth Games, an international, multi-sport event involving 71 teams of athletes from the Commonwealth nations and territories.
The Games will be held from 23 July to 3 August 2014 and will feature 17 sports across 11 days of competition, including 261 medal events on show. A million tickets will be available for the Games, which will see 6,500 athletes and officials descend on Glasgow. The event will be supported by up to 15,000 volunteers.
The Home Office is working to support the Scottish Government and Glasgow City Council to deliver a safe and secure Commonwealth Games. We will ensure that participants, workers, visitors and trade will be able to enter the UK swiftly and easily, whilst preventing access to those who could cause harm.
Spectators
If you are coming to the UK to watch the Games, you may need to get a visa before you travel. Find out whether you need a visa, and how to apply for one in our Visiting the UK section.
Our standard for processing visitor visas is 15 working days. Games spectators and other visitors should pass through the border in the normal way. If you are a UK, EU or EEA citizen with a ‘chipped’ passport, you can use the e-passport gates.
Games family members who would normally require a visas to travel to the UK
If you are coming to the UK to be involved with the Games, for example as an athlete, coach, official of a sporting body, or accredited member of the media, and you would normally need a visa to enter the UK, this section applies to you.
You will not need to have a visa to come to the UK for the Games if you are arriving between 4 March and 3 August 2014 as long as you have:
- a valid passport
- an accreditation pass from the Glasgow 2014 Organising Committee
- provided your biometric information (fingerprints and photograph) before travelling
You will be given leave to enter the UK until 3 September 2014.
In order to get an accreditation pass, you will need to provide your biometric information by 30 April 2014 at the very latest. The biometric enrolment process involves providing scans of your fingers and a facial photograph. See link above for more information about this. Information you provide in support of accreditation applications will be used for Games security and immigration purposes.