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Visit the UK as a Standard Visitor

You can apply for a UK Visitor Visa if you are a foreign person who wants to go to the UK for a short while to see friends and relatives. You can usually stay in the UK for up to 6 months. You might be able to apply to stay for longer in certain circumstances, for example, to get medical treatment. As a Standard Visitor, you are allowed to travel to the UK for approved purposes such as business, tourism, study (for up to six months), and education.

1. Who is the UK Standard Visitor Visa for?

  • Leisure:
    Are you a non-EEA citizen in need of a vacation visa? Although foreign visitors to the UK may find it difficult at times, a basic visiting visa allows you to stay for up to six months for leisure travel. Your demands are met by the standard visa since it serves as both a UK general visitor visa and a UK tourist visa, regardless of whether you are travelling for business, sightseeing, or family time. The regular visitor visa is the recommended option for tourists from non-EEA regions travelling to the UK.
  • Business:
    The general visitor visa for the UK enables you to travel to the UK for a maximum of six months in order to conduct business here if you need to enter the country for brief business obligations such as conferences, events, or business appointments.
  • Other reason:
    The standard visitor visa can also allow you to travel to the UK for instance if you are receiving private medical treatment.

2. What you can and cannot do

You can visit the UK as a Standard Visitor:

  • to see your family or friends;
  • for tourism, for example on a holiday or vacation;
  • to volunteer for up to 30 days with a registered charity;
  • to pass through the UK to another country (in transit);
  • to study, do a placement or take an exam;
  • as an academic, senior doctor or dentist;
  • to do a recreational course of up to 30 days, for example, a singing course;
  • for certain business activities, for example attending a meeting or interview;
  • to take part in a school exchange programme.

You cannot:

  • do paid or unpaid work for a UK company or as a self-employed person;
  • marry or register a civil partnership, or give notice of marriage or civil partnership;
  • claim public funds (benefits);
  • live in the UK for long periods through frequent or successive visits.

3. Marriage Visitor Visa

If you are coming to the UK from any country including overseas countries in order to get married, for registration of marriage you need to apply for a Marriage Visitor visa. Our company can help to get the right visa for you.  

4. Prove the eligibility for the Visitor Visa

To prove your eligibility for the UK visitor visa, it’s important to provide the Home Office with evidence of the general requirements for eligibility as part of your UK visit visa requirements and application. As a non-EEA visa national, you will have to prove that:

  • you do not intend to stay in the UK for more than six months, and you fully intend to depart at the end of your visit;
  • you have documentation for all planned activities—business and otherwise—that you plan to carry out while in the UK;
  • you can afford your inward and outward journey including flights;
  • you have enough money available to you to sustain and lodge yourself and any dependents for the duration of your visit without using any public funding. 

Any documentation needs to be accompanied by a certified translation if it isn’t in English or Welsh. Additional documents you might need to provide include:

  • an immigration record and history of international travel. Visa UK laws require a lot of information to be provided;
  • travel documents that detail the dates on which you plan to travel;
  • 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 company for which you are travelling to the UK.

Depending on your nationality, you’ll either:

  • have to apply for a Standard Visitor visa before you travel to the UK;
  • be able to visit the UK for up to 6 months without needing a visa.

If you do not need a visa, you must still meet the Standard Visitor eligibility requirements to visit the UK. You may be asked questions at the UK border about your eligibility and the activities you plan to do.

5. If you have to apply for a Standard Visitor visa

Before departing for the UK, you must apply online for a Standard Visitor visa. A Standard Visitor visa costs £115 for up to 6 months. The earliest you can apply is 3 months before you travel.

You can pass through the UK to another country on a Standard Visitor visa. If transiting is your only reason for coming to the UK, you can apply for a Visitor in Transit visa for £64.

For applicants from outside the EEA and Switzerland, the processing period for visas can frequently take up to three weeks. You can follow any changes to your UK visa processing status and take action to keep tabs on the application processing time. Being able to check the status of your visa regularly might be a very comfortable thing for any applicant. 

6. Can I stay in the UK for longer than six months?

Generally speaking, all Standard UK visitor visas are short-term permits with a six-month maximum stay cap. You cannot get around this restriction by utilizing a visiting visa or making several or consecutive trips, according to immigration regulations. However, you are free to enter and exit the UK whenever you choose while your visa is in effect.

However, citizens of China, Pakistan, India, and other non-EEA nations may apply for a long-term stay visa in order to enter the UK. This applies to tourists from the United States. These can be held for two, five, or 10 years and are available for an additional fee.

Note that you can only stay for a maximum of six months on a single visit with these visas. You are, however, permitted to enter and exit the UK as many times as you choose throughout the designated term. If you anticipate needing to visit the UK several times in a short amount of time, getting a long-term tourist visa is an excellent option.

There is an additional option available for longer stays for academic visitors from outside the European Economic Area and those undergoing private medical care in the UK. The Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) is what is known as this. This will enable you to remain in the UK for longer than six months, but it will require you to provide biometric information about yourself, such as your fingerprints, picture, immigration status, and other facts. This procedure, called biometric enrolment, nevertheless necessitates that you provide proof of adequate funds to cover your stay. 

7. Challenging UK Visitor Visa refusal

There are several available options when it comes to a Visitor Visa refusal. These options are outlined in detail below:

  1. re-apply for your visa with a new application
  2. submit a request for an appeal (only possible on human rights grounds)

Every immigration case is different, and it is recommended that you work with BS Immigration advocates to ensure that your case is given the appropriate attention.

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

8. How our company will help?

You can get a full package of visa and citizenship services from us.

Our company “BS Immigration” has experienced advocates who have the latest information on all visa and citizenship issues. What we will do for you:

  • Consult on all issues of UK Standard Visitor Visas
  • Evaluate your possibilities of obtaining a visa in your case
  • Help you collect the necessary documents
  • Fill out application forms and other documents
  • Apply for a visa
  • Inform you when and where you should submit biometric data
  • Inform you about the decision of the Home Office
  • In case of refusal, we can appeal and achieve a positive result
  • Help you and your family to obtain a UK Standard Visitor Visa

Book a consultation in the form below and we will discuss all the necessary details of your visit to the UK.