The Standard Visitor visa is preferred for an individual who wishes to visit the UK for tourism, business, study (short courses) or other permitted activities like private medical treatment etc. for up till 6 months. It is the replacement of the former purpose specific visas like family visitor, sports visitor etc. and has encompassed all of them into one single route that of standard visitor. While you may travel individually, with family or in group, each person needs to apply for this visa separately. The permitted activities under this visa are explained below.
You must not fall under general grounds for refusal, and you must have:
Please see all requirements in detail below to fully understand the eligibility criteria. If you do not meet any of the requirements from below, you may also check for the exceptions mentioned therein, in case it is applicable to you.
Outlined below is the full description of the specific activities permitted by the Home Office for designated purposes.
You must be able to prove that you have enough funds to support yourself and Dependant(s), if any, along with you for the trip inside UK as well as the return journey and not be a burden to the state by accessing public funds.
If you are not able to do this personally, you may even prove someone else is funding your trip, however this necessitates more supporting documentation.
Social ties to home country: You need to satisfy the Home Office, that you are bonded to your home country through social mediums that you look up to until your return from the UK. This could be any family, friends or social connections you might have at your home, conveying that you will not abandon this by overstaying in the UK.
Financial ties to home country: You need to satisfy the Home Office, that you are also bonded to your home country by way of financial means which you will definitely return to after your trip from the UK. This could be any business, property, job commitments or other commercial activities that you might have at your home, conveying that you will not abandon this by overstaying in the UK.
Documentary evidence needed to prove this shall be discussed below in the documents section.
Following is the brief guide on all the documentary evidence you will need to prove the abovementioned requirements:
Our associates will help you collate all these documents and make sure these are submitted to UKVI on your behalf when you apply. Sign up through our enquiry form now to receive a free consultation on your matter.
You do not need to apply for Visitor visa if you are a national of EEA, Switzerland, USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan (or a few more places) you can visit the UK without applying for a visa, however you must still satisfy the all the requirements explained above since you will be questioned about it by the UK Border Control.
You might still need an Electronic Travel Authorisation before travelling to the UK. Even if you are not a national of the above-mentioned countries you might still be able to transit the UK without visa under certain circumstances. Reach out to us if you wish to check if you need a visa to visit the UK.
You can stay in the UK for up to 6 months per visit. The validity of your visa depends on which visa you have applied for
Following are the Home Office fees & expected time for Standard Visitor visa decision that varies depending on the following routes & factors:
Even if you have long-term visitor visa, you can only stay up to 6 months maximum per visit. The earliest you can apply is 3 months before your intended date of travel.
Please note: since this visa allows visitor to stay for a maximum of 6 months only, there is no Immigration Health Surcharge requirement unlike other family or work immigration routes.
Urgent procedure
If you wish to skip the queue and get a faster decision from the Home Office, you can also choose from the following services:
*The timeline & fees abovementioned does not include or specify our processing time for your application and legal services fee at any point, and it shall be conveyed to you after consultation.
Please note:
A decision may take longer if the Home Office needs to request additional information from you or verify your details with other government departments. You will be informed if this occurs.
Route to Citizenship
The Visitor visa does not lead to settlement, but you may apply for any other visa like Skilled Worker if you find work in the UK or Graduate visa if you are looking for work and so on. Your time on Visitor visa in the UK does not count towards the qualifying period to be eligible for settlement.
The activities that you can do while your time in the UK is explained above in section A as ‘permitted activities’. Nonetheless, mentioned herein is the list of the things you can strictly not do: (performing so will affect your future applications/visits to the UK)
Moreover, following your 6 months route where there is no IHS applicable, you will also not be having Healthcare and hence shall be required to pay for your medical treatment during this time in the UK.
Take the first step towards your journey to the UK by starting your application with us. We understand that Visitor visa requirements are complex, meaning it requires proper documentation, letters as well as strong legal representations to support the application. Therefore, we highly recommend you leave that to experts and relax! Our expert lawyers will guide you through the process, ensuring all documents are checked and the necessary evidence is provided to UKVI while addressing any potential issues.
Reach out to us at info@visamerch.com or fill out our short form for a prompt response and a free 15-minute consultation with our appointed immigration lawyer!
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