Standard Visitor Visa

If you wish to visit the UK, but you are a national of a country that appears on the Home Office’s Visa National List, you must first make a UK visitor visa application.

A Standard Visitor visa will allow you to enter and stay in the UK for up to 6 months, for permitted purposes such as tourism, visiting friends or family, carrying out a permitted business activity, or undertaking a short course of study.

If you have a good UK immigration history and you wish to make regular short trips to the UK in the future, you may wish to consider applying for a 2, 5 or 10 year visitor visa. These longer visitor visas still limit you to spending up to 6 months in the UK at a time, but if granted, will remain valid for that extended period, saving you the time and expense of making multiple Visitor visa applications.

To apply a Visitor visa of any length, you will need to demonstrate that you are a genuine visitor, meaning you will be required to provide evidence of your intention to leave the UK at the end of your visit. This will include the need to evidence any ties you have to your home country. In addition, you will also need to evidence how you intend to financially support yourself throughout the duration of your stay.

Unless you have been granted a Visitor visa as an academic or to undertake certain specific business activities, with some limited exceptions, you will be prohibited from working during your visit to the UK. You will also be prohibited from giving notice of your intention to marry or marrying in the UK whilst on a standard visitor visa.

We can advise you on the range of Visitor visas available, the activities that you are permitted and prohibited from doing as a Visitor and we can you assist you in preparing your application.

Marriage Visitor Visa

If you are a non-UK national and you wish to enter the UK to marry, you will first need to apply for a Marriage Visitor visa. If granted, a Marriage Visitor visa will give you 6 months leave to enter the UK, during which time you are expected to marry / enter into a civil partnership and before the expiry of this visa, you will be required to leave the UK.

To apply for a Marriage visitor visa, you will need to evidence you are in a genuine relationship and are free to marry, that you will not stay in the UK for longer than 6 months and that you will be able to financially support yourself during your stay.

With some very limited exceptions, you will be prohibited from working during your visit to the UK. You will also be prohibited from studying.

If you wish to live, work or study in the UK following your marriage, you may wish to consider applying for another type of visa.  

We can advise you of the Marriage Visitor visa requirements and assist you in preparing the application. 

Permitted Paid Engagements Visa

If you are a non-UK national and you have been invited by a UK based client or organisation to come to the UK to work, you may be eligible to apply for a Permitted Paid Engagements visa.

To be eligible to apply for this visa, you must have been invited to work in the UK in one of the following fields:

• as a professional artist, entertainer or musician;
• as a professional sportsperson;
• as a qualified lawyer - to represent a client;
• to give a lecture or series of lectures;
• as an academic - to be a student examiner or assessor; or
• as an air pilot examiner

You must also be over 18 years old, provide evidence that you will leave the UK at the end of the visit and demonstrate you are able to financially support yourself for the duration of your visit.

A Permitted Paid Engagements visa will allow you to undertake the paid work specified in your application for up to one month, but you will not be permitted to study during your time in the UK.

We can advise you of the requirements for a Permitted Paid Engagements visa and assist you in preparing the application. 

Private Medical Treatment Visitor Visa

If you are a non-UK national and wish to come to the UK to receive private medical treatment, you may apply for a Private Medical Treatment Visitor visa. This type of visit visa is granted for up to 6 months and covers the following types of treatment:

• private medical treatment at a hospital or other medical facility;
• treatment at an NHS hospital, as long as the care is paid for by your own government under a reciprocal healthcare arrangement; and/or
• the donation of an organ to a family member or close friend - this includes being assessed for suitability as a donor match.

You will need to meet the general requirements for a Standard Visitor visa, in addition to further specific requirements.

We can advise you of the requirements for a Private Medical Treatment visa and assist you in preparing the visa application.