1/18/2017 StandardVisitorvisaGOV.

UK

GOV.UK

StandardVisitorvisa NOTES

1.Overview

YoucanapplyforaStandardVisitorvisaifyouwanttovisittheUK:

forleisure,egonholidayortoseeyourfamilyandfriends
forbusiness,ortotakepartinsportsorcreativeevents
foranotherreason,egtoreceiveprivatemedicaltreatment

Checkifyouneedthisvisa(https://www.gov.uk/checkukvisa)ifyourefromoutsidetheEuropean
EconomicArea(EEA)(https://www.gov.uk/eueea)orSwitzerland.

! Yourapplicationwontbeacceptedandyouwontgetarefundifyouhavetherightofabodein
theUK(https://www.gov.uk/rightofabode)(egyoureaBritishcitizen).Youneedtoapplyfora
certificateofentitlement(https://www.gov.uk/rightofabode/applyforacertificateofentitlement)
instead.

TheStandardVisitorvisahasreplacedthe:

FamilyVisitorvisa
GeneralVisitorvisa
ChildVisitorvisa
BusinessVisitorvisa,includingvisasforacademics,doctorsanddentists
SportsVisitorvisa
EntertainerVisitorvisa
ProspectiveEntrepreneurvisa
PrivateMedicalTreatmentVisitorvisa
ApprovedDestinationStatus(ADS)visa

IfyouvisittheUKonbusiness

YoucanapplyforaStandardVisitorvisaifyouwanttovisittheUKforbusinessrelatedactivities,eg:

yourecomingtotheUKforaconference,meetingortraining
youwanttotakepartinaspecificsportsrelatedevent
youreanartist,entertainerormusicianandcomingtotheUKtoperform
youreanacademicandaredoingresearchoraccompanyingstudentsonastudyabroad
programme
youreadoctorordentistandarecomingtotheUKtotakeaclinicalattachmentorobserverpost
youwanttotaketheProfessionalandLinguisticAssessmentBoard(PLAB)testorsittheObjective
StructuredClinicalExamination(OSCE)
youwanttogetfundingtostart,takeover,joinorrunabusinessintheUK

ChecktheVisitorRules(https://www.gov.uk/guidance/immigrationrules/immigrationrulesappendixv
visitorrules)tofindthefulllistofbusinessrelatedactivitiesyoucandowithaStandardVisitorvisa.

Whatyoucanandcantdo

Youcan:

takepartinanyofthebusinessrelatedactivitiesmentionedintheVisitorRules
(https://www.gov.uk/guidance/immigrationrules/immigrationrulesappendixvvisitorrules)

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studyforupto30days(https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/permittedstudywhenvisiting
theuk),aslongasitsnotthemainreasonforyourvisit
takepartinanexchangeprogrammeoreducationalvisit(ifyoureunder18)
convertyourcivilpartnershipintoamarriage(https://www.gov.uk/convertcivilpartnership)

Youcant:

dopaidorunpaidwork
liveintheUKforlongperiodsoftimethroughfrequentvisits
getpublicfunds(https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/publicfunds2)
marryorregisteracivilpartnership,orgivenoticeofmarriageorcivilpartnership

Readtheguidance(https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/visitguidance)formoreinformation
aboutwhatyoucanandcantdowithaStandardVisitorvisa.

Howlongitwilltake

Theearliestyoucanapplyis3monthsbeforeyoutravel.

ExampleYoucanapplyfrom16Marchifyouplantotravelon15June.

Youshouldgetadecisiononyourvisawithin3weeks.

Checktheguideprocessingtimes(https://www.gov.uk/visaprocessingtimes)tofindouthowlong
gettingavisamighttakeinthecountryyoureapplyingfrom.

Howlongyoucanstay

YoucanusuallystayintheUKforupto6months.

Youmightbeabletostayforlongerif:

yourecomingtotheUKforprivatemedicaltreatmentupto11months
youreanacademiconsabbaticalandcomingtotheUKforresearchyou,yourspouseorcivil
partnermaybeabletostayforupto12months

! IfyourestayingintheUKasanacademicortoreceiveprivatemedicaltreatmentforlongerthan
6months,youmustapplyforabiometricresidencepermit(https://www.gov.uk/biometric
residencepermits).

Youmightbeabletogetavisitvisaforupto30daysifyoureavisitorundertheApprovedDestination
Status(ADS)Agreement(https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/visitguidance).

Longtermvisitvisas

IfyoucanproveyouneedtovisittheUKregularlyoveralongerperiod,youcanapplyforavisathat
lasts2,5or10years.Youcanstayforamaximumof6monthsoneachvisit.

Ifyoureunder18yearsoldwhenyouapply(https://www.gov.uk/standardvisitorvisa/ifyoureunder
18),yourlongtermvisitvisawillonlybevalidforupto6monthsafteryouturn18.

Fees

AStandardVisitorvisacosts87.

Thefeeforalongtermvisitvisadependsonitslength:

2years330
5years600
10years752

2.Eligibility

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Youmustalwaysshowthat:

youllleavetheUKattheendofyourvisit
youreabletosupportyourselfandanydependentsforthedurationofyourtrip
youreabletopayforyourreturnoronwardjourneyandanyothercostsrelatingtoyourvisit
youhaveproofofanybusinessorotheractivitiesyouwanttodointheUK,asallowedbytheVisitor
Rules(https://www.gov.uk/guidance/immigrationrules/immigrationrulesappendixvvisitorrules)

Ifyoureapplyingforalongtermvisitvisa

Youmustprovethat:

youhaveafrequentandongoingneedtocometotheUK
thereasonwhyyouneedtocometotheUKisunlikelytochangewhileyourvisitorvisaisvalid
youplantoleavetheUKattheendofeachvisit

Youmaybegivenavisaforashorterperiodthanrequestedifyoudontdothis.Youwontgetarefund
oftheapplicationfeeifyougetashortervisaoryourapplicationisrefused.

! Yourvisamaybecancelledandyoumaygetalongtermbanonvisitingifyourtravelhistory
showsyourerepeatedlylivingintheUKforextendedperiods.

Ifyoureapplyingasanacademic

YoucanstayintheUKfor12monthsifyoureapplyingasanacademic.Youmustproveyourehighly
qualifiedwithinyourfieldofexpertise,onsabbaticalleavefromyourhomeinstitutionandvisitingto
either:

takepartinaformalexchangewithaUKcounterpart
carryoutyourownresearch
takepartinsomeoneelsesresearch,teachingorclinicalpracticeaslongasthisdoesntinvolve
fillingapermanentteachingpost

Ifyoureapplyingtovisitforprivatemedicaltreatment

Youmustprovethatyou:

haveamedicalconditionthatneedsprivateconsultationortreatmentintheUK
havemadeorpaidforarrangementsforconsultationsortreatment
haveenoughmoneytopayforyourtreatment,supportyourselfwithoutusingpublicfundsandpay
foryourreturnoronwardjourney
willleavetheUKonceyourtreatmentiscompleted,orwhenyourvisaexpires
arenotadangertopublichealthifyouresufferingfromaninfectiousdisease,egleprosy

Ifyoureapplyingasanorgandonor

YoucanonlyvisittheUKtodonateorgansto:

afamilymemberwhoyouregeneticallyrelatedto(egyoursiblingorparent)
someoneyouhaveaclosepersonalrelationshipwith(egyourspouseorfriend)

YoumustprovethatthepersonyouredonatinganorgantoislegallyallowedtobeintheUK.

3.Documentsyoumustprovide

Whenyouapplyyoullneedtoprovide:

acurrentpassportorothervalidtravelidentification

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evidencethatyoucansupportyourselfduringyourtrip,egbankstatementsorpayslipsfromthelast
6months

Youneedapageinyourpassportthatsblankonbothsidesforyourvisa.Yourpassportmustbevalid
forthewholeofyourstayintheUK.

YoullalsoneedtoprovideacertifiedtranslationofanydocumentsthatarentinEnglishorWelsh.

Readthefulllistofsupportingdocuments(https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/visitorvisa
guidetosupportingdocuments)youcanprovide.

YoumightneedtoprovideadditionaldocumentsifyourevisitingtheUK:

forprivatemedicaltreatment
toapplyasanorgandonor
asanacademiconsabbaticalandwanttostayfor12months
asaprospectiveentrepreneur
totaketheProfessionalandLinguisticAssessmentBoard(PLAB)testorsittheObjectiveStructured
ClinicalExamination(OSCE)

Wheretosendyourdocuments

Youllbetoldwheretosendyourdocumentswhenyouapply(https://www.gov.uk/standardvisitor
visa/apply).

Anyoriginaldocumentsyousubmitaspartofyourapplicationwillbesentbacktoyou.

Otherinformationyoullneed

Youllneedtoprovidethefollowing:

thedatesyoureplanningtotraveltotheUK
detailsofwhereyoullbestayingduringyourvisit
howmuchyouthinkyourtripwillcost
yourcurrenthomeaddressandhowlongyouvelivedthere
yourparentsnamesanddatesofbirth
howmuchyouearninayear

Youmightalsoneed:

detailsofyourtravelhistoryforthepast10years(asshowninyourpassport)
youremployersaddressandtelephonenumber
yourpartnersname,dateofbirth,andpassportnumber
thenameandaddressofanyonepayingforyourtrip
thename,addressandpassportnumberofanyfamilymembersyouhaveintheUK
detailsofanycriminal,civilorimmigrationoffencesyouhavecommitted

4.Ifyou'reunder18

Youcanapplyforastandardvisitorvisaifyoureunder18and:

youvemadesuitablearrangementsforyourtravelandstayintheUK
youhaveconsentfromyourparentorguardiantotraveltotheUK
youreabletopayforyourreturnoronwardjourney
youhaveenoughmoneytosupportyourselfwithoutworkingorgettinghelpfrompublicfunds,oryou
havefamilyandfriendsthatcansupportyou

Travellingalone

YoucantraveltotheUKwithoutanadult(someoneovertheageof18).

Yourparentorguardianwillneedtoprovidetheir:

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writtenconsentforyoutotraveltotheUK
fullcontactdetails

TheyllalsoneedtoprovideproofthatyouhavesomewheresuitabletoliveduringyourstayintheUK,
including:

thenameanddateofbirthofthepersonthatyouwillbestayingwith
anaddresswhereyouwillbeliving
detailsofyourrelationshiptothepersonwhollbelookingafteryou
consentinwritingsotheycanlookafteryouduringyourstayintheUK

Travellingwithanadult

WhentravellingtotheUKwithanadult(someoneovertheageof18),youllneedtoidentifythemin
yourvisaapplication.

Ifthepersonyouretravellingwithisntyourparent,youllneedtoprovidespecificinformationabout
theminyourapplication.

Theirnamewillappearonyourvisa,andyoullberefusedentrytotheUKifyouarriveintheUKwithout
them.

Youcanidentifyupto2adultsinyourvisaapplication,andyourvisawillonlybevalidifyoutravelwith
atleastoneofthem.

Theadultcanapplyforavisaatthesametime,butyoumusteachcompleteseparateapplications.

5.Apply

ApplyfromoutsidetheUKonline

Fillinthevisaapplicationformonline.

Youllneedtohaveyourfingerprintsandphotograph(knownasbiometricinformation)takenatavisa
applicationcentre(https://www.gov.uk/findavisaapplicationcentre)aspartofyourapplication.

Youmaybeabletogetyourvisafasterorotherservicesdependingonwhatcountryyoureincheck
withyourvisaapplicationcentre.

ApplyfromwithintheUK

Youmightbeabletoextendyourvisa(https://www.gov.uk/standardvisitorvisa/extendyourvisa)if
yourealreadyintheUK.

ApplyfromNorthKorea

YoucantapplyonlineifyourefromNorthKorea.Youmustinstead:

downloadtheform(https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/applicationforukvisatovisitor
forshorttermstayformvaf1a)andguidance
(https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidanceonapplyingforukvisatovisitorforshort
termstay)
readtheinstructions(https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/democraticpeoplesrepublicof
koreaapplyforaukvisa)onhowtoapply

6.Extendyourvisa

YoumaybeabletoextendyourvisaaslongasthetotaltimeyouspendintheUKislessthan6months
egifyouapplyfora3monthvisa,youcanapplytoextenditfor3moremonths.

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Readtheguidance(https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/visitguidance)tofindoutifyoucan
extendyourvisa.

! Youshouldapplybeforeyourcurrentvisaexpires.

IfyourereceivingprivatemedicaltreatmentintheUK

Youcanapplytoextendyourvisaforafurther6monthsifyou:

havepaidforanytreatmentyouvealreadyhadintheUK
canandwillpaythefurthercostsofyourtreatment
continuetomeettheeligibilityrequirements(https://www.gov.uk/standardvisitorvisa/eligibility)

YoumustalsogetamedicalpractitionerorNHSconsultantwhosregisteredintheUKtoprovide:

proofofarrangementsforyourprivatemedicalconsultationortreatment
alettersayinghowlongyourtreatmentislikelytotake
detailsoftheprogressofyourtreatment,ifitsalreadystarted

Eligibility

YoumustapplywhileyourestillintheUK.

Howtoextendyourvisa

Youcan:

downloadtheformandguidance(https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/applicationto
extendstayintheukformflro)andapplybyposttheaddressisontheform
downloadtheformandapplyinpersonatapremiumservicecentre(https://www.gov.uk/ukvi
premiumservicecentres)

Fees

Youmustpay:

811ifyouapplytoextendyourvisabypost
1,311ifyouapplyinperson

Howlongittakes

Adecisionwillbemade:

within8weeksforpostalapplications
usuallyonthesamedayifyouusethepremiumservice

Youllbecontactedifyourapplicationiscomplexandwilltakelonger,eg:

ifyoursupportingdocumentsneedtobeverified
ifyouneedtoattendaninterview
becauseofyourpersonalcircumstances(forexampleifyouhaveacriminalconviction)

! OnceyouveappliedyoucanstayintheUKuntilyouvebeengivenadecision,aslongasyou
appliedbeforeyourlastvisaexpired.

Lastupdated:3August2016 CrownCopyright

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