There are different ways to visit the UK, however some are:
- Visit the UK as a Standard Visitor
- Marriage Visitor visa
Visit the UK as a Standard Visitor:
- Visit on business
- Visit to study
- Visit as an academic
- Visit for a paid engagement or event
- Visit for medical reasons
You can visit the UK as a Standard Visitor for tourism, business, study (courses up to 6 months) and other permitted activities.
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.
You can visit the UK as a Standard Visitor:
- for tourism, for example on a holiday or vacation
- to see your family or friends
- to volunteer for up to 30 days with a registered charity
- to pass through the UK to another country (‘in transit’)
- for certain business activities, for example attending a meeting or interview
- for certain paid engagements or events (a ‘permitted paid engagement’) as an expert in your profession, for example to give lectures or perform
- to take part in a school exchange program
- to do a recreational course of up to 30 days, for example a dance course
- to study, do a placement or take an exam
- as an academic, senior doctor or dentist
- for medical reasons
Business Visit Visa:
You can visit the UK for up to 6 months to do the following business activities:
- attend interviews, meetings, conferences and seminars
- negotiate and sign deals and contracts
- attend trade fairs to promote your business (you cannot sell things)
- get work-related training if you’re employed overseas and the training is not available in your home country
- give a one-off or short series of talks as long as they’re not for profit or a commercial event – you can only be paid for speaking at certain engagements or events (a ‘permitted paid engagement’)
- carry out site visits and inspections
- oversee the delivery of goods and services provided by a UK company to your overseas company or organization
- deliver training or share knowledge on internal projects with UK employees of the company you work for overseas
- install, dismantle, repair, service or advise on equipment, computer software and hardware, if your overseas company has a contract with a UK company or organization
You cannot do (‘permitted activities’) on visit visa:
- do paid or unpaid work for a UK company or as a self-employed person, unless you’re doing a permitted paid engagement or event
- claim public funds (benefits)
- live in the UK for long periods of time through frequent or successive visits
- marry or register a civil partnership, or give notice of marriage or civil partnership – you’ll need to apply for a Marriage Visitor visa
Eligibility requirements:
You must have a passport or travel document to enter the UK. It should be valid for the whole of your stay.
You must be able to show that:
- you’ll leave the UK at the end of your visit
- you’re able to support yourself and your dependents during your trip (or have funding from someone else to support you)
- you’re able to pay for your return or onward journey (or have funding from someone else to pay for the journey)
- you’ll not live in the UK for extended periods through frequent or successive visits, or make the UK your main home
You may need to meet extra eligibility requirements depending on your circumstances and nature of ties with home country, if you’re visiting the UK.
A Visitor visa costs £115 for up to 6 months. The earliest you can apply is 3 months before you travel.
If you visit the UK regularly, you can choose to apply for a long-term Standard Visitor visa instead but whether it would be in your best favor to apply for long term visa in prevailing circumstances.
