UK Visitor Visa

Visitor Visa UK Overview

If you want to stay in the UK, you will likely need to apply for a Standard Visitor Visa (UK). Visitor visas in the UK allow you to travel for stays of up to six months and can be used for leisure and business, among other purposes.

There are several types of visitor visas depending on the purpose of your visit. Subcategories include a business visit visa, a tourist visa for UK holidays, an academic visit visa, a marriage visitor visa to get married or enter a civil partnership, and more. 

What Is The UK Standard Visitor Visa And Who Is It For?

As a general rule, all Standard UK Visitor Visas are short-term visas, limiting the holder to a maximum stay of six months. When your visa is valid, you can enter and leave the UK at will. 

• Leisure – If you’re a non-EEA national looking for a holiday visa, the standard visiting visa to UK territories will cover you for up to six months for leisure. If you are coming for a family visit, sightseeing, or general travel, your needs fall under the UK standard visa category (otherwise known as a UK tourist visa). When considering UK visas for international travellers from non-EEA regions, a standard visitor visa is normally the path to take.

• Business – If you need to enter the UK for short-term business requirements such as conferences, events, meetings or business appointments, the business visitor visa UK will allow you to travel to the UK to conduct your business for up to six months. It will not allow you to conduct paid engagements with UK companies. For more extensive business activity, you may be required to apply for another visa type, such as a UK Business Visa.
• Study – You can study for up to six months on a Student Visitor Visa. You must have evidence of your acceptance on a course or module that lasts less than 3 months and meet the criteria for the application.
• Other reasons – The standard visitor visa allows you to travel to the UK for private medical treatment, for instance.

If you’re not a citizen of an EEA country or Switzerland, you must complete the online application form on the gov.uk website to get a standard visa.

However, UK visa eligibility requirements can be confusing, and there may be further exceptions depending on your country of residence. We advise contacting a legal expert or checking the Home Office website if you’re unsure whether you need a visitor visa for UK travel.

What Documentation Do I Need To Prove My Eligibility For The Visitor Visa?

To prove your eligibility for the UK visitor visa, it’s essential to provide the Home Office with evidence as part of your UK visit visa application. As a non-EEA visa national, you’ll need to prove that:

• You intend to leave the UK at the end of your visit and do not plan to stay for more than six months.
• You have evidence of any activities you intend to perform in the UK, including business and other activities.
• You can afford your inward and outward journeys, including flights.
• You will have sufficient funds to support and house yourself and any dependents throughout your stay without accessing public funds.

To have your visa approved, you’ll need to give details of your current and previous passport numbers or an alternative valid travel identification. 

Any documentation must be accompanied by a certified translation if it isn’t in English or Welsh. 

Additional documents required might include:

• Travel documents that detail the dates on which you plan to travel.
• An immigration record and history of international travel. Visa UK laws require a lot of information to be provided.
• An estimate for the cost of your visit as well proof of sufficient funds such as bank statements.
• Your overseas contact details and address.
• Details of any overseas employer or company for whom you are travelling to the UK.
• Where you’ll be staying during your visit in the UK.
• Details of any criminal, civil or immigration offences.

Immigration rules are strict, and the Home Office refuses many visas due to a lack of supporting evidence. Here at IAS, it’s our job to help you understand what you need to do to submit a successful application. 

You can get support in organising and submitting supporting documents and evidence that can help prove your eligibility, and support your case. If you are seeking assurance and assistance, contact the team here at IAS. Alternatively, you can call +44 (0)333 414 9244.

Our immigration lawyers are experienced and fully qualified – giving you the best chance of visa approval.

How Long Does a UK Visitor Visa Take to Process?

You can submit your visit visa application to the Home Office three months before you plan to travel. Applications more than three months before your arrival won’t be accepted. Applications are typically processed within three weeks. You will be able to check your visa status after you submit it. 

Processing can take closer to three weeks and occasionally more, particularly for those outside the EEA and Switzerland. If you’re travelling long-distance from North America, South America, Asia, Oceania, the Middle East, or Africa, it’s important to leave plenty of time while you await permission to travel. 

If you’re travelling for an urgent appointment you can’t afford to miss, you might choose one of the Home Office’s priority services: the Priority Service and the Super Priority Service. 

• Priority Service – Processed within 5 working days – £500
• Super Priority Service – Processed in a single working day – £1000

The priority services come at an extra cost but are reliable for ensuring your visa decision is delivered quickly. However, not all countries offer these services, so it’s worth checking at a local visa application centre or embassy where you apply first.

If you need to visit the UK for business or tourism as soon as possible and are struggling to compile your UK business or tourist visa application, the team at IAS is here to help out.

Our qualified immigration lawyers can offer you a fast-track application package ensuring your urgent application is submitted to tight deadlines, and with the best chance of success. 

This includes booking a Home Office Same-Day Premium slot for you, checking your required documentation, writing a Letter of Representation to the Home Office, and more. Contact us today to find out more about how we can help.

Can I Stay In The UK For Longer Than Six Months?

Visitors from many countries, including the United States, China, Pakistan, India, and other non-EEA countries, can apply for a long-term visit visa for UK travel. These are available at an extra cost and can be held for two, five, or ten years.

Long-term visitor visas still restrict you to a maximum single visit of six months or less. However, you can enter and leave the UK multiple times within the allotted time period. A long-term visitor visa to the UK is a great route if you know you’ll need to return multiple times over the years.

Non-EEA academic visitors and those receiving private medical treatment in the UK can access another solution for a longer-term stay. This is called the Biometric Residence Permit (BRP). This will mean submitting biometric information about yourself, such as your personal details, fingerprints,  a photo, immigration status, and more.

Still, it will not allow you to stay in the UK for longer than six months. This process is known as biometric enrolment and still requires you to prove evidence of sufficient financial support for your stay. 

How Much Does A Visitor Visa UK Cost?

Visitor Visa fees can vary for UK travellers from non-EEA countries. However, the standard UK visitor visa fees are the same – £127. If you’re planning to visit the UK regularly you can choose to apply for a long-term Standard Visitor visa instead, in which case there are different costs involved:

• 2-Year Visa – £475
• 5-Year Visa – £848
• 10-Year Visa – £1059

International travelling can be costly as it is – you don’t want to overlook planning for the correct visa fee. Here at the Immigration Advice Service, we often see applicants frustrated by visa costs. If you’re visiting the UK for a family wedding, holiday, or other short-term stay, then costs can pile up. 

The gov.uk website has a tool for checking the correct visa fees for your journey before applying, and we always recommend that applicants use this.

Appealing UK Visitor Visa refusal

There are several available options when faced with a Visitor Visa refusal. These options are outlined below:

1. Re-apply for your visa with a new application if refused entry
2. Submit a request for an appeal (only possible on human rights grounds)
3. Apply for a judicial review

The advantages of each option is explained in this table:

Every immigration case is different, and it is recommended that you work with an immigration adviser to ensure that your case is given the appropriate attention, and all your circumstances considered.

For expert support and advice with your UK Visitor Visa refusal case, contact our specialist immigration advisers today.

Standard Visitor Visa Category – Visa Types

The visitor visa allows foreign nationals subject to UK immigration laws to enter the country for a short period for various reasons. This is because the standard UK visit visa covers a range of visas for UK travel and various sub-categories of visas, including:

Family Visit Visa

• Family Visit Visa – For non-EEA nationals wanting to travel to the UK for a family visit, applying for the UK family visitor visa category is necessary. As standard, this visa allows you to stay in the UK for up to six months to see family. When visiting the UK under the family visit visa, you cannot work or claim public funds while here. You also can’t bring dependents with you, meaning that if you plan on travelling with other family members, you’ll need to ensure that each family member has a valid UK family visit visa.

It’s also the case that UK family visit visas are difficult to obtain compared to other types of UK visas. For foreign nationals subject to UK immigration laws, family visas have stringent requirements and a challenging application process.

You’ll need to prove that you have sufficient funds to support yourself throughout your stay and provide proof that you fully intend to return home at the end of your maximum six-month stay. The family visitor visa (UK) requirements are difficult to meet, but our IAA-regulated immigration lawyers can help you understand the process.

Child Visitor Visa

• Child Visitor Visa – Any non-EEA national under the age of 18 needs to apply for a child visitor visa before travelling to the UK. This visa falls under the standard visitor visa category and is required for anyone under 18 with UK travel plans. Whether travelling to visit family or friends, as part of an exchange programme, or for education, the child visitor visa covers you for up to six months of UK travel. Visa applications for child visas need to be thorough.

Whether the child or the parent is making the application, it’s necessary to prove that the under-18 will have suitable accommodation and care during their stay. This might include proving they have sufficient funds and travel plans as part of the application. You also need to confirm that the minor has a recognised parent or guardian responsible for their care in their home country.

Business Visitor Visa

• Business Visitor Visa – It’s important not to confuse the business visitor visa with other UK work and business visas, such as the investor visa, the skilled worker visa, or the tier 1 entrepreneur visa. The Business Visitor Visa allows you to visit the UK for up to six months, and there’s a limited list of specific business activities you can perform here.

For example, some permitted activities on a business visitor visa include:

• attending conferences and training
• complete academic work
• participate in some sporting events
• negotiate and sign deals and contracts
• carry out inspections

However, you can’t do paid work, work for a UK company or access public funds in the UK. You’re eligible for the business visitor visa regardless of whether you work for an employer or are a self-employed person.

Student Visitor Visa

• Student Visitor Visa—If you’re a visiting UK visa national hoping to study on a short-term basis, you’ll need to apply for a student visitor visa. The student visa allows foreign nationals to study in the UK for more than six months. It is measured on a points-based system. A short-term study visa allows you to travel to the UK to study for longer, but it must be an English language course.

Essentially, if you or the applicant plans to travel and study at a UK institution for an undergraduate degree or other long-term course, the student visitor visa won’t cover your needs.

If, however, you’re an international student planning on studying for a maximum period of six months for a short-term qualification, then this is the visa you need to apply for.

Visitor In Transit Visa

• Visitor In Transit Visa—If you’re travelling to the UK on a ‘stopover flight,’ we recommend checking your visa requirements by visiting the UK Home Office website. Visitor visas for travellers in transit work a little differently.
• If you’re stopping off in the UK and plan to leave the airport while waiting for your next flight, you’ll likely need a visitor-in-transit visa.

If you’re stopping in the UK for up to 48 hours before flying somewhere else, you’ll need to prove to immigration authorities both your right to stay in the UK for this time and your intention to leave. For this type of visa, UK immigration laws require you to provide travel documents and proof of your inward and onward journey plans.

This kind of travel is known as ‘transiting landside’ and falls under the UK transit visa category of the standard visitor visa. You’ll need this visa if you plan on passing through immigration control before leaving the UK within 48 hours.

When it comes to transit visas, UK immigration laws take into account a range of different factors. Your UK visa requirements can vary depending on your nationality, your airline, and the nature of your stay (whether airside or landside transit). If you arrive in the UK for transit without permission, you risk being denied entry by an immigration officer.

Our UK Visitor Visa Services

Advice Package

Need some help to decide how to proceed with your visa application? UK’s immigration control is strict, and understanding which visa is right for you and how to apply can be a confusing process. Here at Immigration Advice Service, our qualified and experienced immigration lawyers can provide you with the information and advice you need to add clarity to your decision. We’ll support you in making an informed decision about your visa and help you to better understand your immigration status.

When you choose our advice package, you’ll be invited for a one-on-one Advice Session. This can take place either via Skype, phone or in person – we have immigration law offices across the nation. Our immigration lawyers are fully qualified and IAA-regulated, so you can rest assured that you’re in good hands when you choose IAS. During your Advice Session, your assigned immigration lawyer will listen in detail to all the different aspects of your situation. They’ll ask plenty of questions until they have a comprehensive picture of your immigration matter. Then, they’ll be in a position to offer you the advice you need.

Our immigration lawyers will help you to understand the various specific visa categories and can provide you with a path of further steps to take in your visa application. It may be that for your UK visitor visa application to be successful, you need to provide supporting documents such as travel documents, birth certificates, employment contracts, and even bank statements. Applications are often about being able to prove your intent and ability to abide by UK immigration laws. Our lawyers will advise you on which additional documents can help increase your application’s chances of success.

You’ll benefit from an untimed Advice Session that addresses all of your visa needs. Want a chance to talk in detail about your case and receive detailed information in return about how to proceed? Our advice package is the service for you:

• Discuss your case in detail with a qualified professional who will explore the different paths and opportunities to fulfil your visa requirements.
• Get a clear picture of which specific visa categories are applicable to you, your eligibility requirements, and what requirements you need to meet for a successful visitor visa application.
• Receive comprehensive advice about the right supplementary evidence and other supporting documents you’ll need to give your application an improved chance of approval.
• Find out what kind of time frame you can expect moving forward.
• Benefit from support that lasts beyond the session itself. For a week after your consultation, your immigration lawyer will be free to answer any follow-up questions you might have. We’re here to support you – that’s why we offer this at no extra cost to you.

Application Package

Having a visa successfully approved is rarely as easy as just filling in a short online application form or even visiting a local visa application centre. Applying to the UK Home Office can be a long and complicated process. You don’t want to spend a lot of time putting together an application, only to find that you’ve been unsuccessful – especially if it could have been easily avoided. That’s why so many people end up having to seek professional advice and help when attempting to travel to the UK from a non-EEA nation.

If you want to relieve some of the burden of the extensive process that a UK visitor visa application entails, we offer a package that’s specially tailored to offer you the assistance you need. We can help you to complete and strengthen your application by making sure that you’ve got all the supporting documents and evidence that you might need. For foreign nationality citizens travelling to the UK for tourism and business, it can be easy to overlook something and find yourself refused entry.

When you choose our application package, you’ll benefit from comprehensive assistance in completing your visitor visa application. We’ll assign you a dedicated caseworker for advice and assistance throughout the process.

You’ll benefit from a thorough consultation and further guidance regarding visa application fees, eligibility requirements, evidence collation, and more. Your caseworker will then assist you in preparing and submitting your application. They’ll support you throughout the entire process, monitoring and keeping you informed as things progress.

Our expert immigration lawyers will help to:

• Evaluate your individual case and eligibility before proceeding with the visa application. There are a lot of categories of the standard visitor visa – you don’t want to waste your time applying for a visa that doesn’t apply to you.
• Put together a plan of action for a successful application. Our immigration lawyers are fully-qualified and experienced professionals – no-one is better placed to accurately identify everything you’ll need to qualify for your visa.
• Assist you in compiling a comprehensive portfolio of supporting documents and evidence that proves your intent and eligibility. The vast majority of unsuccessful visa applications are at fault for a lack of evidence. We’ll make your case as watertight as possible.
• Support your application with a Letter of Representation to the Home Office. Your dedicated caseworker will write a thorough letter that emphasises your eligibility and strengthens your application
• Complete the paperwork. Visa applications can be complicated to put together. Fortunately, your dedicated caseworker has done all this before. They know exactly what needs to be done and will help you finish and submit all the necessary forms to the Home Office.

Fast Track Package

You might be applying for a UK visitor visa for a number of different reasons. You may be travelling to the UK to attend a family wedding, a graduation ceremony, an important business conference, a private medical appointment, or something else that you can’t afford to miss. The fact is that visa applications can sometimes take a long time to put together and submit, only for you to have to wait even longer for a decision after the visa processing time. Here at the Immigration Advice Service, we understand that you might not have that time to spare.

That’s why our immigration lawyers are here to help you get your application submitted and approved as quickly as possible. If you can’t afford to spend months waiting for your visa because of a deadline or important fixed appointment in the UK, you might be understandably anxious about getting things done as quickly as possible. That’s what our premium fast track application package service is for – we’ll work tirelessly to make sure urgent applications get over the line so that you can have one less thing to worry about. We’re here to help you meet your deadline.

Using our fast track application package means you can rest easy knowing that your visa application is at the top of our immigration lawyers’ priorities. We have a fantastic track record of processing and pushing through applications – sometimes in as little as 24 hours when people use the service. Visa processing time can be lengthy, but we’ll make sure that you get fast and effective service. We’ll get any general visitor visa UK applications submitted in as few working days as possible.

When you choose our fast track package, we’ll work to get things moving for you as quickly as possible. One of our expert immigration lawyers will get in touch and arrange a one-on-one advice session as soon as is convenient to you. We’ll also help to:

• Put together your application as fast as possible. We’ll make sure that your application is as thorough and complete as it can be before being submitted. All of your supporting documents will be checked and compiled quickly and efficiently.
• Book one of the Home Office’s Same-Day Premium Service slots. Our fast track package means that we’ll go above and beyond to get your application submitted and checked. Booking a Same-Day Premium slot with the Home Office ensures that you’ll get a decision on your visa in fewer working days than normal.
• Assist you in the completion of your visa application. Doing things quickly doesn’t mean we’re going to compromise on quality. The fact is that it doesn’t matter how fast you put together and submit your UK visitor visa application if it’s not going to get approved. If you’re applying for a UK visitor visa because you need to travel to the UK from a non-EEA country for something important and time-sensitive, the last thing you need is for your visa to be denied. We’ll make sure your application meets the highest standards.
• Write a Letter of Representation to support your case and boost your application’s chances of success. Our immigration lawyers are experts with plenty of experience under their belt. They know exactly how to write a supporting letter that emphasises the merits of urgent applications to the Home Office.

Appeal Package

As frustrating as it may be, the fact is that rejections for UK general visitor visas are very common. UK immigration laws are strict and getting stricter, and the Home Office will often deny travel to the UK for weak applications that lack the right supporting documents and evidence. UK visitor visa applications require a lot of evidence, and it’s easy to slip up and leave important information either absent or incorrect. However, if you’re intending on travelling to the UK either for business, leisure, or anything else, the Immigration Advice Service team can help you to appeal a visa rejection.

The key to successfully appealing a denied visitor visa application is to act quickly. When the Home Office sends you your refusal letter, it will state your eligibility for appeal and advise you on the required timeframe. If you subsequently choose to appeal and want the best chance of success possible, you’ll need to work in this timeframe and be able to comprehensively amend your application to meet the standards necessary. Fortunately, our immigration lawyers are well experienced in dealing with appeals.

When you choose to appeal your rejected visa application with the Immigration Advice Service, our dedicated experts can draw from a wealth of experience, insight, and knowledge to assess what may have been the reason for your denial of an entry visa. Then, they’ll set about resolving any issues, help you to strengthen your case and assist with your appeal. Our appeal package allows you to benefit from the support of our experts in UK immigration laws. There’s the possibility that may have to go to a hearing or tribunal – we know that this can be intimidating and overwhelming, which is why our lawyers will offer to represent you and your case if necessary.

Receiving a visa refusal letter from the Home Office doesn’t necessarily mean the end of your hopes for travel to the UK. Visa appeals are commonplace and our immigration lawyers have a fantastic track record of successfully reversing visa decisions – they’ll offer you thorough guidance throughout the appeal process. With our appeal package, we’ll help to:

• Investigate and assess your visit UK visa refusal. In most cases, visa applications for short term stay in the UK are denied because of a lack of supporting documents or mistakes in the paperwork. Our immigration lawyers will go through the reasons for your refusal and evaluate the potential for appeal.
• Support and improve your case. When going to appeal, it’s important that you’ve got all possible supporting evidence ready and available alongside you. We can help boost your chances of appeal success by assisting you in putting together a supporting portfolio.
• Complete your appeal application. When going for a visa rejection appeal, you need to make sure that you avoid any careless mistakes. The IAS lawyers have a lot of experience with appeals and they’ll help you to put together everything you need to submit your appeal.
• Maintain communication with the Home Office. Visa appeals need to run to a strict time frame so it’s important to keep on top of things. We’ll liaise with the Home Office from the moment your appeal begins until it ends. No stone will be left unturned and no opportunities will be missed.
• Represent you in person whenever necessary. Sometimes, visa appeals can go the distance. If you need to attend a hearing or a tribunal over your appeal, our expert immigration lawyers will be there to represent you should you wish it. We understand that these events can be a lot to take on – that’s why we’re happy to take on this burden for you.