Visit Visas

Tourist visa

A Tourist visa is also known as a Standard Visitor visa and enables an applicant to visit the UK for a short period of time for leisure and tourism purposes.

Tourist visa application: Main requirements

In order to qualify for a Tourist visa the applicant must be able to demonstrate that:

·         they intend to leave the UK at the end of their visit;

·         whilst they are in the UK they can support themselves and any dependants; and

·         they have sufficient funds for their return journey.

Length and conditions of stay in the UK

Applicants who hold a Tourist visa are able to stay in the UK for up to six months. It is not possible to apply for or extend a Tourist visa for longer than six months. If an applicant has applied for leave of less than six months and wants to extend this, they should ensure they apply to do so before their current leave expires.

Applicants who need to visit the UK more regularly can apply for a multi-entry visit visa that lasts either two, five or ten years. They must be able to prove that over a long period of time there is a reason as to why they regularly need to travel to the UK. Holders of multi-entry visit visas should remain in the UK for no more than six months in any 12 month period.

Evidence needs to be shown when applying for a multi-entry visit visa that at the end of each visit the applicant will leave the UK and that the applicant’s reason for coming to the UK remains the same whilst their visa is valid.

Tourist visa application: How we can help
It is essential that an application for a Tourist visa is prepared thoroughly and carefully. If the Home Office is not satisfied that an applicant will leave the UK at the end of their visit or if it considers that any of the other requirements have not been met, the application will fall for refusal.

Business Visitor

The Business Visitor sub-category of the Standard Visitor route allows applicants to come to the UK to carry out business activities.

Business Visitor visa application:

Main requirements

In order to enter the UK as a Business Visitor, an applicant must demonstrate that:

·         they intend to leave the UK at the end of their visit;

·         they have sufficient funds for their visit;

·         the activities which they intend to carry out in the UK are permitted activities as defined in the Immigration Rules; and

·         they do not intend to take employment in the UK.

Length and conditions of stay in the UK

Applicants can apply to come to the UK for a period of up to six months. There is no option to extend this visa from within the UK.

Applicants should not intend to live in the UK for extended periods through frequent or successive visits under this route or make the UK their main home. Applications can be refused if an immigration officer believes that this is the case.

The general activities which a Business Visitor can carry out during their stay in the UK include the following:

·         attend meetings, conferences, seminars and interviews;

·         negotiate and sign deals and contracts;

·         attend trade fairs to carry out promotional work providing they are not selling directly to the public;

·         gather information for their employment overseas; and

·         be briefed on the requirements of a UK based customer, provided any work for the customer is done outside of the UK.

Applicants who are employees of an overseas business can also come to the UK under this route to advise and consult, troubleshoot, provide training and share skills and knowledge on a specific project and with UK employees of the same organisation.

This route can also be used by prospective entrepreneurs, employees of foreign manufacturers looking to install, repair or service equipment and clients of UK export companies coming to the UK to oversee that their requirements for goods or services are being carried out correctly.

Academic Visitor

The Academic Visitor sub-category of the Standard Visitor route allows applicants to come to the UK to carry out academic activities.

Academic Visitor visa:

Main requirements

In order to enter the UK as an Academic Visitor, an applicant must demonstrate that:

·         they intend to leave the UK at the end of their visit;

·         they have sufficient funds for their visit;

·         the activities which they intend to carry out in the UK are permitted activities as defined in the Immigration Rules;

·         they do not intend to take employment in the UK;

·         they are highly qualified within their own field of expertise; and

·         they are currently working in that field at an academic or higher education institution overseas.

Length and conditions of stay in the UK

Applicants can apply to come to the UK for a period of up to 12 months. There is no option to extend this visa from within the UK.

Applicants should not intend to live in the UK for extended periods through frequent or successive visits under this route or make the UK their main home. Applications can be refused if an immigration officer believes that this is the case.

The general activities an Academic Visitor can carry out during their stay in the UK include the following:

·         take part in formal exchange arrangements with UK counterparts;

·         carry out private research for their own purposes if they are on sabbatical leave from their home institution;

·         share knowledge and experience or take part in conferences or seminars providing they are non-profit ventures; and

·         if they are an eminent senior doctor or dentist, take part in research, teaching or clinical practice provided this does not amount to filling a permanent teaching post.

Permitted Paid Engagement Visitor

The Permitted Paid Engagement Visitor sub-category of the Standard Visitor route allows applicants to come to the UK to carry out specific engagements for which they may receive payment.

Permitted Paid Engagement visitor visa:

 Main requirements

In order to enter the UK as a Permitted Paid Engagement Visitor, an applicant must demonstrate that:

·         they intend to leave the UK at the end of their visit;

·         they have sufficient funds for their visit;

·         the activities which they intend to carry out in the UK are permitted activities as defined in the Immigration Rules; and

·         they do not intend to take work in the UK other than in relation to the permitted paid engagement.

Length and conditions of stay in the UK

Applicants can apply to come to the UK for a period of up to 1 month. There is no option to extend this visa from within the UK.

Applicants should not intend to live in the UK for extended periods through frequent or successive visits under this route or to make the UK their main home. Applications can be refused if an immigration officer believes that this is the case.

All permitted paid engagements must be arranged in advance. The engagement must relate to the applicant’s area of expertise and occupation overseas and should be evidenced by a formal letter of invitation.

Permitted Paid Engagements include:

·         highly qualified academics coming to the UK to examine students and take part in chair selection panels within their field if invited to the UK by a Higher Education Institution or a UK based research or arts organisation;

·         experts coming to the UK to give lectures in their subject area provided this does not amount to filling a teaching position;

·         examiners coming to the UK to examine UK based pilots to ensure they meet the aviation requirements of other countries;

·         qualified lawyers coming to the UK to provide advocacy if they have been invited by their client; and

·         professional artists, entertainers, musicians or sports persons coming to the UK to carry out activity directly relating to their profession if they have been invited by a UK based organisation.

Adult Dependant Relative

The Adult Dependant Relative visa is designed to enable adult relatives who need to be cared for to come to the UK to live with a qualifying relative who is living permanently in the UK.

Main requirements

Applicants for Adult Dependant Relative visas must demonstrate that:

• they are dependent on a parent, grandchild, brother, sister, son or daughter who is living in the UK;

• they need long-term care to do everyday personal and household tasks (such as washing and cooking) because of illness, disability or age;

• the care they need is not available or affordable in the country they live in; and

• the person they will be joining in the UK will be able to support, accommodate and care for them without claiming public funds for at least five years.

The applicant must be unable to access the care needed in the country they are living in, even with the relative’s financial and practical help. The care needed can include a nursing home or a housekeeper.

The applicant will need to provide evidence of their relationship with the relative. Evidence will also need to be provided by a doctor or health professional regarding the applicant’s health and needs.

The applicant must provide evidence of why the care is not available in their home country, or provide evidence of their financial circumstances to demonstrate why the care is no longer affordable.

Applications under this category can only be made from outside of the UK. Applicants cannot switch into this category from within the UK.

The UK based relative must demonstrate that:

• they are over 18 years old;

• they own or solely occupy a property in the UK in which the applicant can be cared for;

• they are a British citizen, are settled in the UK or have been granted asylum or humanitarian protection in the UK; and

• they are financially able to support, accommodate and care for the applicant.

Length and conditions of stay in the UK

If the applicant has met the above requirements, and their relative is a British citizen or has settlement in the UK, Indefinite Leave to Remain will be granted. If the relative has asylum or 

humanitarian protection and has limited leave, the applicant will be granted limited leave