Brunei
Brunei Darussalam is a small Malay sultanate on the north-west coast of Borneo, facing the South China Sea and divided into two parts by Brunei Bay and a strip of the Malaysian state of Sarawak. Its capital, Bandar Seri Begawan, stands on the Brunei River, its economy rests on oil and gas, and roughly seven-tenths of its land is still covered by forest. Many nationalities enter without a visa for 90, 30 or 14 days depending on the passport, a few obtain a visa on arrival, and every visitor registers an E-Arrival Card online before arriving.
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Visa Requirements for Brunei
Brunei admits a long list of nationalities without a visa, but the length of the visa-free stay is not the same for everyone: it comes in three tiers of 90, 30 or 14 days, depending on the passport. United States, British and Canadian passport holders, for example, are admitted for up to 90 days, and Singaporean passport holders for up to 30. A short list of nationalities — Australians among them — obtains a visa on arrival instead, and everyone else applies in advance through a Brunei embassy or high commission, in person or, where there is no mission nearby, by sending the application to the nearest one. Because these lists are revised from time to time, confirm the current position for your own passport before booking. Separately from any visa, every foreign national arriving by air, land or sea must register an E-Arrival Card online before entering Brunei; it replaced the paper arrival form, it is not a visa and does not replace one, and it can only be submitted within a short window before arrival, so check the current window when you book. Passports should be valid for at least six months, and immigration may ask to see an onward or return ticket and sufficient funds. Official travel advice from several governments also notes that visitors should be able to show medical insurance covering the whole stay, and that without it the permitted stay can be limited to two weeks; some of that advice also mentions a separate health declaration, so check the current arrival formalities close to departure. A yellow fever vaccination certificate is required of travellers arriving from a country with risk of yellow fever transmission. Customs rules on alcohol are strict: none is sold in Brunei, and non-Muslim visitors aged 17 and over may bring in only a limited personal allowance, declared on arrival — check the current limits before packing.
Visa types
Visa-free entry (up to 90 days)
Tourism or business visits for nationalities on Brunei's longest visa-free tier — United States, British and Canadian passport holders among them.
Visa-free entry (up to 30 days)
Tourism or business visits for nationalities on the middle tier — Singaporean passport holders among them.
Visa-free entry (up to 14 days)
Short tourism or business visits for nationalities on Brunei's shortest visa-free tier.
Visa on arrival
For the short list of nationalities eligible to obtain their visa at the point of entry — Australian passport holders among them.
Visa through a Brunei diplomatic mission
For nationalities not covered by the visa-free or on-arrival arrangements, and for any stay, work or study beyond what those arrangements allow.
Guides
Brunei occupies a small stretch of Borneo's north-west coast, and its appeal is how little of it has been arranged around visitors. Every district is within a couple of hours' drive of Bandar Seri Begawan, which makes the capital the natural single base, and a bridge across Brunei Bay carries the road to the forested east. What shapes the days is the calendar more than the distance, because the week keeps its own rhythm here and the fasting month moves every year. With buses thin and taxis few, getting around means a hire car or an arranged transfer, and two or three unhurried days, one of them spent in the rainforest, is the scale the country rewards.
Brunei travel guide →
The full guide — Ulu Temburong by bridge and longboat, its canopy towers, and the plan built around Friday and the fasting month.
Money in Brunei →
Brunei dollars at par with Singapore's, cards in the capital and cash beyond it — the practical money guide.
Eating in Brunei →
Ambuyat twirled, dipped and swallowed, nasi katok at any hour, kelupis and kuih, and a table with no alcohol on it.
Getting around Brunei →
Why most visitors hire a car, water taxis as the capital's street, the bridge to Temburong and the crossings into Malaysia.
Health & safety in Brunei →
The local laws a visitor actually meets, dress and the fasting month, heat and dengue, and the insurance you may need to prove.
Cities & planning
Plan your trip
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Embassies & missions
Europe · 2
Accredited missions for Brunei
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a visa to visit Brunei?
It depends on your passport. Brunei admits many nationalities without a visa for 90, 30 or 14 days, depending on the passport; a short list, Australians among them, can obtain a visa on arrival instead; and everyone else applies in advance through a Brunei embassy or high commission. The lists are revised from time to time, so confirm your own nationality's position before booking.
How long can I stay in Brunei without a visa?
Up to 90, 30 or 14 days, depending on nationality. United States, British and Canadian passport holders, for example, are admitted for up to 90 days, and Singaporean passport holders for up to 30. A longer stay, or any work or study, needs the appropriate visa arranged in advance through a Brunei diplomatic mission.
What is Brunei's E-Arrival Card?
A mandatory online registration that every foreign national entering Brunei by air, land or sea completes before arriving. It replaced the paper arrival form, it is not a visa and does not replace one, and it can only be submitted within a short window before arrival — check the current window, and have your passport, travel details and Brunei address to hand.
How long must my passport be valid to enter Brunei?
At least six months. Official advice words the rule differently — some counts the six months from arrival, some from the day you leave — so the safe reading is six months beyond your departure date. Keep blank pages for entry and exit stamps as well, especially if you plan to cross into Malaysia and back.
Do I need travel insurance to enter Brunei?
Carry it and be able to prove it. Official travel advice from more than one government notes that visitors should be able to show medical insurance covering their whole stay, and that without it the permitted stay can be limited to two weeks. A policy that includes medical evacuation is the sensible choice.
Can I bring alcohol into Brunei?
Only a limited personal allowance, and only if you are a non-Muslim visitor aged 17 or over. It must be declared to customs on arrival and consumed in private, and repeated imports a short time apart are not allowed. Alcohol is not sold anywhere in Brunei, so what you declare is all there is — check the current limits before you pack.
Can I enter Brunei overland from Malaysia?
Yes. Brunei has four road crossings with Sarawak — Sungai Tujoh near Miri, Kuala Lurah near Limbang, and Labu and Ujong Jalan in Temburong for travellers coming from Sabah — plus a ferry between Labuan and Muara. The same rules apply as at the airport, including the E-Arrival Card, and each crossing brings exit and entry stamps on both sides.
Do I need a yellow fever certificate for Brunei?
Only if you are arriving from a country with risk of yellow fever transmission, or have transited for more than twelve hours through an airport in one. The rule follows your route rather than your nationality, so raise it at a travel-health appointment if your journey passes through Africa or South America.
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This overview comes from Visaja's worldwide missions database (visaja.com), checked against official government sources; for binding answers, the mission itself always has the final word.