Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man: not part of the UK

What a Crown Dependency is

There are three Crown Dependencies: the Bailiwick of Jersey, the Bailiwick of Guernsey and the Isle of Man. The Bailiwick of Guernsey has three separate jurisdictions: Guernsey (which includes Herm and Jethou), Alderney, and Sark (which includes Brecqhou).¹

The Ministry of Justice says they are not part of the UK but self-governing dependencies of the Crown, with their own elected parliaments, administrative, tax and legal systems and their own courts. They have no MPs in the UK Parliament. The UK Government is responsible for their defence and international relations. They were never colonies, and they are not Overseas Territories like Gibraltar.¹

The Isles of Scilly, Lundy, Anglesey and the Isle of Wight are different: they are part of England or Wales. See our guides to the Isles of Scilly and Lundy.

Passports, visas and ETAs

The UK, Jersey, Guernsey, the Isle of Man and Ireland form the Common Travel Area. There is no immigration control between the UK and the islands, or between the islands; the islands form part of the border of the British Isles as a whole.¹

• ID, not a passport. GOV.UK says you do not need a passport travelling from the Crown Dependencies to the UK, but Border Force may ask for a document confirming your identity, such as a passport, a driving licence or a copy of your passport.² Airlines and ferry companies set their own ID rules: check yours before you travel.
• One permission covers all of them. If you have permission to enter or stay in the UK, that permission and its conditions also apply in the Isle of Man, Guernsey and Jersey, and the reverse is also true. You need only one UK visa to travel to the UK or any of the Crown Dependencies.²
• The ETA includes the islands. An electronic travel authorisation lets you travel to the UK, Jersey, Guernsey or the Isle of Man for up to 6 months; it costs £20 and does not guarantee entry. British and Irish passport holders do not need one.³ See our entry requirements page.
• Passing through the UK on the way? You must follow UK immigration law while you are in the UK, even if the islands are your final stop.²

Denaro

All three use the pound, but each issues its own notes and coins. The Jersey pound and the Guernsey pound are local issues of sterling, exchangeable at par, much like Scottish and Northern Irish banknotes.^4,5 The Isle of Man issues Manx pounds, at parity with sterling, and Bank of England money is also legal tender there.⁶

The catch comes when you leave: island notes are not Bank of England notes, and Wikipedia notes that UK shops accept Jersey notes with varying degrees of difficulty.⁴ Spend them, or ask for change in Bank of England notes, before you go home. For cards, cash and tipping in the UK itself, see money in the UK.

Healthcare

The UK has a reciprocal healthcare agreement with each island. GOV.UK lists what UK residents are covered for:⁷

If you do not live in the UK, these agreements do not cover you: arrange travel insurance that names the islands. Our health and safety page covers the NHS for visitors to the UK.

Shopping and customs

The Ministry of Justice’s 2020 fact sheet says the Crown Dependencies stay in a customs union with the UK.¹ Tax is a different matter: each island sets its own, and the islands are outside the UK. GOV.UK’s personal allowances apply to goods brought into Great Britain from outside the UK, and its Northern Ireland guidance tells travellers bringing goods from the Channel Islands to follow the rules for countries outside the EU.⁸ If you are carrying more than a few bottles or a carton of cigarettes home from Jersey or Guernsey, check the allowances on GOV.UK first.

Come arrivare

• Isle of Man: the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company sails from Heysham, and from Liverpool.⁹ See Heysham and Liverpool in our ports guide.
• Jersey and Guernsey: ferries leave from Poole and Portsmouth, and the operators on these routes have been changing. Our Poole and Portsmouth entries say what we could confirm.
• Flights: see domestic flights for the UK airports that list Jersey, Guernsey and Isle of Man routes.

For where to stay and what to see, use the islands’ own tourism sites: Visit Jersey (opens in new tab), Visit Guernsey (opens in new tab) and Visit Isle of Man (opens in new tab).^10,11,12

Questions

Are the Channel Islands part of the UK?

No. Jersey and the Bailiwick of Guernsey (Guernsey, Alderney and Sark, with Herm) are Crown Dependencies, as is the Isle of Man. The Ministry of Justice says they are not part of the UK but self-governing dependencies of the Crown, with their own parliaments, laws and courts.

Do I need a passport to go from the UK to Jersey, Guernsey or the Isle of Man?

There is no immigration control between the UK and the islands, which are part of the Common Travel Area. GOV.UK says you do not need a passport travelling from the Crown Dependencies to the UK, but you may be asked for a document that confirms your identity. Check what ID your airline or ferry accepts.

Does a UK visa or ETA cover the Crown Dependencies?

Yes. GOV.UK says permission to enter or stay in the UK, and its conditions, also apply in the Isle of Man, Guernsey and Jersey, and that an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) lets you travel to the UK, Jersey, Guernsey or the Isle of Man.

Can I use Jersey, Guernsey or Manx pounds in England?

They are local issues of sterling at par with the pound, but they are not Bank of England notes, and Wikipedia notes that UK shops accept Jersey notes with varying degrees of difficulty. Spend or swap them before you leave the islands.

Other islands that are part of the UK: see the four nations pages, the Isles of Scilly, Lundy and Lindisfarne (Holy Island).