UK Visitor Visa

This route is for foreign nationals who want to visit the UK temporarily for tourism, to visit friends or family, to carry out a business activity, or to undertake a short course of study.

UK Visitor Visa

This route is for foreign nationals who want to visit the UK temporarily for tourism, friends or family, to carry out a business activity, or to undertake a short course of study.

Categories - UK Visitor Visa

There are four main categories of a UK Visit Visa, some of which have subcategories with periods of leave:

  • ★ Standard:

    • ★ Normal Visitor - up to 6 months;

    • ★ Child Visitor - up to 12 months:

    • ★ Private medical Visitor - up to 11 months;

    • ★ ADS Agreement - up to 30 days;

    • ★ Academic 12 months visa.

  • ★ Marriage or Civil Partnership - up to 6 months;

  • ★ Permitted Paid Engagement - up to 1 month;

  • ★ Transit - up to 48 hours:

    • ★ Normal Transit;

    • ★ Direct Airside.

Requirements - UK Visitor Visa

Genuine requirements for a UK Visitors Visa:

  • ★ Proof that you are going to leave the UK at the end of your visit;

  • ★ Able to support yourself and pay for your journey, return or onward travel;

  • ★ No intention to reside for an extended period or make the UK your main home;

  • ★ That they have sufficient funds to maintain and accommodate themselves in the UK;

  • ★ They should be allowed under the grounds for refusal for visitors.

Additional Requirements

UK Child Visa:

  • ★ Demonstration of adequate arrangements for their travel, reception and care in the UK;

  • ★ Have a parent or guardian in their home country who is responsible for their care;

  • ★ Consent from parent or guardian with confirmation arrangements for the child’s travel and care in the UK.

UK Medical Treatment Visa :

  • ★ Letter from their doctor detailing the medical condition with estimated costs, duration of the treatment and place of treatment;

  • ★ Proof from their medical practitioner in the UK about exceeding proposed treatment but not more than 11 months;

  • ★ TB test certificate (if required).

UK ADS Agreement Visa:

  • ★ Chinese Citizenship;

  • ★ intention to enter, leave and travel within the UK as a member of a tourist group (under the ADS agreement).

UK Academic Visa:

  • ★ Carrying out one of the permitted activities for up to 12 months;

  • ★ Be highly qualified within their field of expertise;

  • ★ Currently working in that field at an academic institution or higher education overseas;

  • ★ TB test certificate (if required).

UK Marriage Visa:

  • ★ Intention to marry or a civil partnership;

  • ★ No intention for a sham civil partnership or sham marriage within the validity period of the Visa.

Permitted Paid Engagement (PPE) Visa:

Intention to do one or more of the permitted paid engagements, arranged before travel and declared as part of the application evidenced by a formal invitation and related to their area of expertise and occupation overseas.

Permitted activities - UK Visitors

  • ★ Tourism;

  • ★ Family or friends meetings;

  • ★ Volunteer activity (with a registered charity for up to 30 days);

  • ★ Transit through the UK to another country;

  • ★ Attending a meeting or interview;

  • ★ School exchange programme;

  • ★ A recreational course (up to 30 days);

  • ★ Medical reasons.

Unpermitted activities - UK Visitors

  • ★ Self-employed, any paid or unpaid work for a UK company;

  • ★ Claim public funds (benefits);

  • ★ To Live in the UK for extended periods;

  • ★ To marry or register a civil partnership if not a Marriage and civil partnership visitor visa type.

Documents - UK Visitor Visa

You will need to provide certain information as part of the application process:

  • ★ Passports;

  • ★ Financial proof of sufficient funds to travel within the UK;

  • ★ Confirmation of legal residence if you are applying from a country in which you are not a national;

  • ★ Sufficient details of your employment or studies;

  • ★ Documents for potential business activities (e.g. a letter from any inviting organisations).

Additional Documents:

  • ★ Travel documents with exact dates of your travel;

  • ★ History of international travel;

  • ★ Proof of sufficient funds;

  • ★ Overseas contact details and address;

  • ★ Details of any overseas employer company for which you travel to the UK.

Application procedure - UK Visitors

It is required to complete the following steps for a UK Visitor Visa application:

  • ★ Find out if you need this type of Visa before proceeding;

    • ★ Complete and submit the online application form;

  • ★ Collect the required documents;

  • ★ Schedule an appointment at a local Visa Application Centre;

    • ★ Attend the UK visa interview and have fingerprints scanned

  • ★ Pay the application fee.

In most cases, you can receive a decision on your Visitor Visa application within three weeks.

Risk factors for refusal

Visitor Visa may be rejected for many reasons, including the following:

  • ★ Young or old age;

  • ★ Absence of close family in their own country;

  • ★ Use this type of Visa as a scheme to live in the UK;

  • ★ A threat to national security;

  • ★ Breach the immigration rules in the past;

  • ★ Unspent criminal convictions;

  • ★ No one appears to be a genuine visitor;

  • ★ Insufficient funds to support yourself in the UK;

  • ★ A recent payment of money into the account or large unexplained bank statement transactions.

Fees - UK Visitor Visa

  • ★ 6 months - £115

  • ★ 2-year - 6 months per visit - £432

  • ★ 5-year - 6 months per visit - £771

  • ★ 10-year - 6 months per visit - £963

Extension - UK Visitor Visa

You can extend your Visa for longer than six months due to:

  • ★ Medical treatment;

  • ★ Eligibility requirements which still in force;

  • ★ Clinical attachment or graduate retaking the Professional and Linguistic Assessment Board (PLAB).