Standard Visitor Visa UK

Page Contents

• What is Visitor Visa?
• Eligibility requirements
• Why Do You Need a UK Visitor Visa?
• How to Apply for UK Visitor Visa?
• Supporting documentation
• Processing times
• Stay length
• Visitor Visa cost
• Visas replaced by this visa
• Visa extension
• Permitted activities
• Activities not permitted
• What If My Application Is Rejected?
• Frequently Asked Questions

A Visitor visa for the UK is intended for people who want to visit the UK for a short period (up to 6 months) for purposes such as tourism, visiting family/friends, business, or short-term study.

The Standard Visitor Visa has replaced a number of different types of visitor visa and amalgamated them into one.

An individual can only enter the UK on a Visitor Visa for a reason deemed permissible. Such reasons include:

• To take part in business-related activities or sporting/arts activities
• To take part in leisure activities such as tourism or visiting friends and family
• To receive private medical treatment
• To turn a civil partnership into a marriage

If the reasons for which you intend to come to the UK are different to these, it may be that this visa is not appropriate and that an alternative type of visa needs to be applied for.

A fitting example would be if a UK-based organisation was paying you to visit on account of your business expertise. If this was the case, a Permitted Paid Engagement Visa would be appropriate, as any paid work is prohibited on a Standard Visitor Visa.

There are a number of requirements that must be satisfied in order to demonstrate eligibility for Standard visitor visa.

• You must demonstrate that intend to leave the UK either prior to or on the expiry date of your visa.
• You must prove that you are able to support yourself (and any dependants you intend to bring with you) financially during your time in the UK.
• You must demonstrate that you are able to pay for your onward journey once your time in the UK comes to an end.
• You must have proof of the business activities or other activities you intend to participate in during your time in the UK.

It is hugely important that you understand which activities are permitted under the terms of the visa. Taking part in activities that are not permitted will mean that you are in breach of these terms.

The Standard Visitor visa is essential for many nationalities wanting to visit the UK for up to six months. Rare circumstances will allow you to remain in the UK for longer. Please note that although six months is a fairly long time to be in the UK, you will not be allowed to work, marry, or claim benefits while on this visa. There are several types of visits that are covered by this visa, as detailed in the following sections:

Visit the UK for Tourism

If you’re planning to visit the UK for tourism, you will typically need to apply for a Standard Visitor visa. This visa allows you to enter the UK for leisure, to see family and friends, or to explore its historic sites, cities, and countryside.

The Standard Visitor visa is usually valid for up to 6 months, during which you can travel around the country but are not allowed to work or study (except for short recreational courses). To apply, you’ll need to show that you intend to leave the UK at the end of your visit, can financially support yourself during your stay, and have suitable accommodation.

Visit the UK on Business

It is common for businesspeople whose employer does business in the UK to utilise the Standard Visitor visa. While in the UK on this visa, you can conduct the following business activities:

• Attend conferences, seminars, meetings, and interviews.
• Negotiate and sign deals.
• Attend, but not sell at, trade fairs.
• Embark on work-related training not available in your home country.
• Complete a site visit or inspection.
• Oversee the delivery of goods or services to your business from a UK-based company.
• Train UK-based employees.
• Complete IT work if your overseas business has a contract with a UK company.

You will also be allowed to do activities in the UK as part of your overseas job for certain roles. This includes archaeologists, performance artists, drivers, journalists, lawyers, expert witnesses, and personal assistants.

Visit the UK for Short Study

To successfully apply for the Standard Visitor visa for study in the UK, you will need to prove that you have a place on the course with an accredited UK institution. The course will need to be six months or shorter unless it is a distance learning course. Such students can come to the UK for induction weeks, exams, and more.

Most courses in the UK will be longer than six months. You will need to obtain a longer-term visa if you would like to embark on a longer course.

Visit the UK as an Academic

Scientists, researchers, and academics can come to the UK on a Standard Visitor visa for foreign exchange agreements or to carry out research (independently or in your job). This also covers senior doctors and dentists for research and temporary teaching and clinical practice.

In some circumstances, you can apply to remain in the UK for up to 12 months as an academic on a Standard Visitor visa. However, you will need to show that you are highly qualified with a PhD, currently working in your field of experience, and not filling a permanent teaching post.

Academics will need to show a letter from their employer outlining the dates of the research exchange or sabbatical and the research that will be undertaken. The UK host organisation will also need to provide a letter confirming that all arrangements are in place.

Visit the UK for a Paid Engagement or Event

Business people, experts, and academics can give one-off or short series of talks on the Standard Visitor visa. However, these cannot be at for-profit or commercial events. You can be paid for your appearance, but only at permitted paid events.

To apply for this type of Standard Visit visa, you will need to show a written invitation from a UK-based organisation for a pre-arranged event. You must also be over 18 and an expert in your profession. The event must be within your first month in the UK, but you can remain in the country for up to six months. The following types of people can be invited to speak at such events:

• Visual or performance artists.
• Professional sportspeople.
• A qualified lawyer.
• An academic

The bodies that can invite you and the ways in which you prove that you have been invited will vary depending on which one of these categories you fit into. For example, professional sports people can be invited by an organisation that hosts sporting events, a broadcast, or an agency. To show you are an established sportsperson in your country, you can show proof of recent performances, media coverage, and received awards.

Visit the UK for Medical Reasons

The final main circumstance when a Standard Visitor visa is needed is to visit the UK for medical purposes. You can remain in the UK for up to six months to receive private medical treatment, NHS treatment (paid for by your government under a reciprocal healthcare agreement), or donate an organ to a family member or close friend. Organ donors will need to show that they are a match with the recipient and the nature of your relationship.

The main requirement for this type of Standard Visitor visa is to prove that you have a medical condition that needs treatment in the UK, usually through a letter from a doctor or consultant. This letter must contain details of the treatment, the estimated cost and duration, and where the treatment will take place. You must also prove that you have made full arrangements for your care. If you have an infectious disease, such as leprosy, you must also show that you won’t be a danger to public health.

You can begin your application three months before you plan to travel to the UK. Follow the steps below to complete your application:

1. Work out which purpose of visit applies and ensure you are eligible with the requirements for that purpose.
2. Gather the required documents. This includes standard documentation for all circumstances and those specific to the reason for your visit.
3. Go to the UK Government website and complete the online application form.
4. Pay the visa fee and decide if you would like to opt into priority processing for an additional fee.
5. Book a biometric appointment at a Visa Application Centre (VAC).
6. Attend the appointment. Here, you will provide your biometric information and provide officials with your supporting documentation.

Once this process is complete, you will need to wait for a decision. This decision will be given to you by email or SMS. You can collect your documents from the VAC or have them mailed to you.

To apply for UK standard visitor visa, you must be able to provide a number of documents to the Home Office.

Upon applying, you’ll need to provide a valid passport or other permissible travel identification. You will require a blank page within your passport for your visa. It is imperative that the passport you provide is valid for the duration of your stay in the UK. For documents that are not in either English or Welsh, you will need to provide a certified translation. This is the bare minimum you will need to apply. The exact documentation you require will depend on your specific circumstances. However, you will also be expected to provide:

• Your planned travel dates to the UK and the details of where you will be staying during your time in the country
• The estimated cost of the trip
• Your current home address and the length of time you’ve spent there
• Personal information such as the names and dates of birth of your parents
• Contact information of the people you will be visiting in the UK
• Proof that you have a genuine relationship with those you will be visiting
• Details of any previous criminal convictions
• Proof that you intend to leave the UK either before or once your allocated time comes to an end. This can take the form of proof of employment of educational commitments in your home country, or proof that you have a family.
• Proof that you are able to support yourself financially for the duration of your trip. This can take the form of payslips and recent bank statements.

If you need any help with your portfolio of documents, please do not hesitate to get in touch with our London immigration lawyers. Call us now on 0204 502 8582.

The earliest you can apply for UK visitor visa is 3 months before you are due to travel to the UK.

You should receive a decision on your UK visitor visa application within three weeks.

In some visa application centres, fast tracked processing is available, which aims to process your application within 5 working days.

However, there is a premium fee involved with this service.

Normally you will be able to stay in the UK for up to 6 months on standard visitor visa. There are some circumstances in which you may be able to stay longer:

• If you’re travelling to the UK for private medical treatment, you can stay for up to 11 months
• If you’re an academic travelling to the UK for research purposes, you and your partner may be able to stay for up to 12 months

There is an increased fee in both of these circumstances (£234). Additionally, you will need to apply for a Biometric in these circumstances.

As it stands, a UK Standard Visitor Visa costs £135.

This is the price for a standard six-month version.

As mentioned, it is possible to apply for a long-term visitor visa, however there is a higher cost associated with these.

The prices for long-term visitor visas are as follows:

• £506 for a 2-year (6 months per visit)
• £903 for a 5-year (6 months per visit)
• £1,128 for a 10-year (6 months per visit)

As touched upon, a number of different Visitor Visa types have now been amalgamated into the Standard Visitor Visa. These are:

• Family
• Child
• Business (this includes visas for academics and medical professionals)
• General
• Sports
• Entertainer
• Prospective Entrepreneur
• Private Medical Treatment
• Approved Destination Status (ADS)

The only circumstances in which you are able to apply for the visitor visa extension is if the visa was initially granted for less than six months. If this is the case, you can apply to extend it to the full six months. In all other circumstances, you will not be able to apply for an extension in-country.

Six months is the maximum amount of time that a Visitor Visa enables you to stay in the UK for.  Even though it is possible to obtain Visitor Visas that last for up to ten years- if your circumstances are such that you need to make repeat visits- each individual visit must not exceed the maximum six-month limit.

If you hold a standard visitor visa (as opposed to long-term) you will need to re-apply in your home country if you need to spend more time in the UK.

However, there are some circumstances where you can apply to stay in the UK for longer than 6 months if you’re:

• Receiving medical treatment
• An academic and you still meet the eligibility requirements
• Retaking the Professional and Linguistic Assessment Board (PLAB) test

You must apply and pay the £1,172 fee regardless of your nationality to extend your visitor visa.

Standard visitor visa permits the following activities:

• Business-related activities such as those deemed appropriate under a Business Visitor Visa
• Studying or tak part in an exam
• Recreational course of up to 30 days
• Volunteer for up to 30 days with a registered charity
• Converting a civil partnership into a marriage
• Travelling through the UK whilst in transit to a different destination
• Participating in an exchange programme of educational trip- this activity is only valid for those under the age of 18

The following activities are prohibited for holders of the UK Standard Visitor Visa:

• Taking part in paid or unpaid work
• Receiving any form of public fund or benefit
• Becoming married or registered a civil partnership
• Residing in the UK in the form of frequent, prolonged visits

Your Standard Visitor visa application may be rejected if you fail to prove that you are a genuine short-stay visitor, visa authorities are suspicious you will undertake prohibited activities, or you don’t have the finances to support yourself in the UK.

The Standard Visitor visa does not usually have a right of appeal or administrative review unless you can demonstrate that the refusal breaches the European Convention on Human Rights. You can theoretically write to the visa application centre, UKVI or Home Office to request they take a second look at your application, but they are under no obligation to do so.

Without an obvious appeals process to use, the most sensible course of action will usually be to submit a fresh application that takes account of the reasons for your application’s original refusal. Alternatively, you can look for alternative visas that could also be suitable for your travel to the UK.

Applying for a UK Visitor Visa is often a difficult and complex process if attempted alone. As a result, our team of expert immigration lawyers are here to guide you through each step, ensuring that every stage is as easy as possible. If you choose our lawyers, you will receive:

• A Letter of Representation that outlines the strengths of your case to the Home Office, drawing attention to any laws that substantiate your application
• The completion of your application to the highest possible standard
• A thorough document check to ensure that you have everything in place to receive approval
• Continuous correspondence with the Home Office throughout the application process