Visit the UK as a Standard Visitor

Contents

1. Overview
2. Visit on business
3. Visit to study
4. Visit as an academic
5. Visit for medical reasons
6. If you’re under 18
7. Apply for a Standard Visitor visa
8. When you can extend your stay

Overview

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.

What you need to do

1. Check if what you plan to do in the UK is allowed as a Standard Visitor.
2. Check you meet the eligibility requirements.
3. Check if you need to apply for a visa to visit the UK.
4. Apply for a Standard Visitor visa online – if you need one.

What you can and cannot do (‘permitted activities’)

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
• to take part in a school exchange programme
• 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

You cannot:

• do paid or unpaid work for a UK company or as a self-employed person
• 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

Check you meet the 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 dependants 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 if you’re visiting the UK:

• to study, do a placement or take an exam
• as an academic, senior doctor or dentist
• for medical reasons

The rules on what you’ll need to enter the UK may be different if you’re travelling from Ireland, Jersey, Guernsey or the Isle of Man.

Check if you need a visa to visit 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

You can check if you need a visa before you apply.

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.

If you’ve previously been refused entry to the UK or have a criminal record, you may want to apply for a Standard Visitor visa (even if you do not need one).

If you have to apply for a Standard Visitor visa

You must apply for a Standard Visitor visa online before you travel to the UK.

A Standard Visitor visa costs £95 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.

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 instead for £64.

Visit on business

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 must not be paid)
• carry out site visits and inspections
• oversee the delivery of goods and services provided by a UK company to your overseas company or organisation
• 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 organisation

You should:

• check you meet the basic eligibility requirements for a Standard Visitor
• check if you need a visa to visit the UK
• apply for a Standard Visitor visaonline – if you need one

Doing activities as part of an overseas job role

You can do certain additional activities in the UK as a Standard Visitor, if you’re employed overseas as:

• an archaeologist
• an artist, entertainer or musician
• a bodyguard
• a camera operator
• a driver
• an internal auditor
• a journalist or correspondent
• a lawyer or expert witness
• a market researcher or analyst
• a personal assistant
• a professor from an overseas academic institution
• a religious worker
• a scientist or researcher
• a sports person or sports official
• a tour group courier
• a translator or interpreter
• a member of a film crew, including actors, producers, directors or technicians
• a member of the production team supporting an artist, entertainer or musician
• a member of technical staff supporting an artist, entertainer, musician or sports person

Check the Visitor Rules for details of what you can do as a Standard Visitor in these job roles.

If you want to work in the UK

You cannot do paid or unpaid work for a UK company or as a self-employed person as a visitor. You’ll need to apply for a work visa.

If you’re being paid by a UK organisation as an expert in your profession, you may get permission to visit the UK for a Permitted Paid Engagement.

Visit to study

You can visit the UK for up to 6 months to:

• study at an accredited institution (this includes English language courses)
• do a short piece of research that’s relevant to your course overseas
• do an ‘elective’ – an optional additional placement, if you’re studying medicine, veterinary medicine and science, nursing or dentistry
• sit an entrance exam, retake an exam or course module, or do a PhD oral exam (a viva)
• do an unpaid clinical attachment if you’re a graduate from a medical, dental or nursing school
• take the Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) test or the Professional and Linguistic Assessment Board (PLAB) test

You should:

• check you meet the basic eligibility requirements for a Standard Visitorand any relevant extra eligibility requirements listed below
• prepare any required documents that prove your eligibility
• check if you need a visa to visit the UK
• apply for a Standard Visitor visaonline – if you need one

To study or research certain subjects at postgraduate level or above, you may need to get an Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS) certificate before you start your course or research.

If you’re visiting to study at an accredited institution

You must prove that:

• you’ve been accepted onto a course provided by an accredited UK institution
• the course is no more than 6 months long (unless it’s a distance learning course)

The accredited UK institution cannot be an academy or state-funded school.

Distance learning courses

If you’re doing a distance learning course, your course can last longer than 6 months. This is because most of your study will happen outside of the UK.

You can visit the UK to do certain activities as part of your course, for example:

• attend induction weeks
• do face-to-face intensive learning
• have progress checks
• sit exams or assessments

If you want to study for more than 6 months

You’ll need to apply for either a:

• Short-term study visa- for English Language courses up to 11 months
• Student visa- for courses run by licensed student sponsors
• Child Student visa- to study at an independent school if you’re between 4 and 17 years old

If you’re visiting to do a short piece of research

You must prove that:

• you’re at least 16 years old
• you’re already enrolled on a course overseas that is the equivalent of a UK degree
• you’ve been accepted by a UK higher education institution to take part in research that’s relevant to the course you’re studying overseas

You can visit for up to 6 months to do your research.

Documents you must provide

You’ll need to provide confirmation from your overseas course provider that the research or research tuition is part of, or relevant to, the course you’re doing overseas.

If you’re visiting to do an elective

You must prove that you’re:

• at least 16 years old
• already enrolled on a course overseas that is the equivalent of a UK degree
• doing an elective (an optional additional placement) as part of an overseas medicine, veterinary medicine and science, nursing or dentistry course

You can visit for up to 6 months to do your elective.

Documents you must provide

Your UK higher education provider will need to give written confirmation that you will not be treating patients or being paid for the elective.

If you’re visiting to do an unpaid clinical attachment or dental observer post

If you’re an overseas graduate from a medical, dental or nursing school you can do an unpaid clinical attachment or dental observer post for up to 6 months.

If you want to stay longer than 6 months, you will need to pass the PLAB test and apply to stay in the UK.

You must not treat patients.

Documents you must provide

You must provide written confirmation:

• of your clinical attachment or dental observer post offer
• that you’ve not done a clinical attachment or dental observer post in the UK before

If you’re taking the OSCE or PLAB test

You can visit for up to 6 months to take the OSCE or PLAB test.

If you do not pass the PLAB test, you can apply to stay in the UK for a further 6 months to retake the test.

If you pass the PLAB test, you can apply to stay in the UK to do an unpaid clinical attachment or dental observer post. You can stay in the UK for up to 18 months in total.

Documents you must provide

You must provide a letter from the Nursing and Midwifery Council confirming your OSCE test registration.

You’ll need a letter from the General Medical Council confirming your PLAB test registration.

Visit as an academic

If you’re from an academic institution overseas, you can:

• take part in formal exchange arrangements with UK counterparts
• carry out your own research during a sabbatical

If you’re a senior doctor or dentist you can also:

• take part in research
• teach (as long as it’s not a permanent teaching post)
• undertake clinical practice (as long as it’s not a permanent position)

To research certain subjects at postgraduate level or above, you may need to get an Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS) certificate before you start your research.

If you want to visit for up to 6 months

You should:

• check you meet the basic eligibility requirements for a Standard Visitor
• check if you need a visa to visit the UK
• apply for a Standard Visitor visaonline – if you need one

If you want to visit for more than 6 months

All academic visits lasting longer than 6 months require a Standard Visitor visa regardless of your nationality.

You can:

• apply for a Standard Visitor visa before you travel to the UK that lasts for up to 12 months and costs £190
• visit for up to 6 months and apply to stay longer when you’re in the UKfor a fee of £993 (you can stay up to 12 months in total)

You must meet the basic eligibility requirements for a Standard Visitor and the additional eligibility requirements for academics. You must provide any required documents that show your eligibility.

Your partner and children can apply to stay with you for up to 12 months. They can apply for a Standard Visitor visa in advance or visit for 6 months and extend their stay once in the UK.

Eligibility requirements if you want to stay longer than 6 months

You must prove you’re:

• highly qualified in your field of expertise – this will usually mean you have a PhD or higher
• currently working in that field of expertise at an academic institution overseas
• not filling a permanent teaching post

If you’re an academic, but not a senior doctor or dentist, you must also prove you’re visiting to do research or a formal exchange.

If you’re a senior doctor or dentist, you must also prove you’re visiting to do research, clinical practice, a formal exchange or to teach.

Documents you may need

You need to show you meet the eligibility requirements, for example by providing a letter from:

• your employer outlining the dates of your sabbatical or exchange
• your employer outlining the research to be undertaken
• the UK host organisation confirming the arrangements for your research, exchange or clinical practice

Depending on where you come from, you may need a certificate that proves you do not have tuberculosis (TB). Check if you’ll need to take a TB test.

Visit for medical reasons

You can visit the UK for up to 6 months to:

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

You should:

• check you meet the basic eligibility requirements for a Standard Visitorand any relevant extra eligibility requirements listed below
• prepare any required documents that prove your eligibility
• check if you need a visa to visit the UK
• apply for a Standard Visitor visaonline – if you need one

If you’re visiting for private medical treatment

You must prove that you:

• have a medical condition that needs private consultation or treatment in the UK
• have made arrangements for consultations or treatment
• have enough money or funding to pay for your treatment
• will leave the UK once your treatment is completed, or when your visa expires
• are not a danger to public health if you have an infectious disease, such as leprosy

Documents you must provide

You’ll need a letter written by a doctor or consultant, that confirms:

• the condition you have that needs consultation or treatment
• the estimated cost and likely duration of any treatment
• where the consultation and treatment will take place

If you’re visiting for treatment at an NHS hospital

You can visit the UK for treatment at an NHS hospital. Your treatment must be paid for by your own government under a reciprocal healthcare arrangement.

Documents you must provide

You must provide an authorisation form, issued by the government of your country, saying they will pay for your treatment.

If you’re visiting as an organ donor

You can only visit the UK to donate organs to:

• a family member who you’re genetically related to (for example your sibling or parent)
• someone you have a close personal relationship with (for example your partner or friend)

You must prove that the person you’re donating an organ to is legally allowed to be in the UK.

Documents you must provide

You’ll need a letter from the lead nurse of the transplant team, a General Medical Council registered specialist or a registered NHS consultant that confirms:

• you’re a donor match to the recipient, or you’re being tested to see if you’re a potential donor
• the recipient is genetically related to you, or in a close personal relationship with you
• when and where the transplant or tests will take place

The letter should be dated no more than 3 months before you intend to arrive in the UK.

If the recipient is not legally resident in the UK, you must provide their name, nationality and date of birth in your application.

The recipient should check if they need to apply for a Standard Visitor visa and that they meet the eligibility requirements for medical treatment.

If your treatment will last longer than 6 months

All visits for medical treatment lasting longer than 6 months require a Standard Visitor visa regardless of your nationality.

You can:

• apply for a Standard Visitor visabefore you come to the UK – this lasts for up to 11 months and costs £190
• visit for up to 6 months and apply to stay for a further 6 months when you’re in the UK for a fee of £993

There is no limit on how many times you can extend your stay. It costs £993 each time you do.

Depending on where you come from, you may also need a certificate that proves you do not have tuberculosis (TB). Check if you’ll need to take a TB test.

If you’re under 18

You may visit the UK if you’re under 18 and:

• you’ve made suitable arrangements for your travel and stay in the UK
• you have written consent from your parent or guardian to travel to the UK (if travelling alone)
• you’re able to pay for your return or onward journey
• you have enough money to support yourself without working or getting help from public funds, or you have family and friends that can support you

Travelling alone

You can travel to the UK without an adult (someone over the age of 18).

Your parent or guardian will need to provide their:

• written consent for you to travel to the UK
• full contact details

They’ll also need to provide proof that you have somewhere suitable to live during your stay in the UK, including:

• the name and date of birth of the person that you will be staying with
• an address where you will be living
• details of your relationship to the person who’ll be looking after you
• their written consent for you to stay with that person while you’re in the UK

If you’re not staying with a close relative

Your parent, guardian or school must tell the relevant local authority about your visit if you’re both of the following:

• under 16 (or under 18 if you have a disability)
• going to be looked after for more than 28 days by someone who is not a close relative (called ‘private foster care’)

You should provide a reply from the local authority if you have one.

The same rules apply to education exchange visits that last for more than 28 days, unless:

• you’re part of a group that is travelling and staying together, for example a school group
• you’re accompanied by an adult, for example a teacher

There are different rules in Scotland and Northern Ireland. Read the guidance for more information.

Travelling with an adult

You’ll need to show that your parent or guardian consents to your travel and accommodation arrangements. If you do not need a visa to travel, you’ll need to prove this at the border.

If you do have to apply for a Standard Visitor visa, you’ll need to identify the adult travelling with you in your visa application.

If the person you’re travelling with is not your parent, you’ll need to provide specific information about them in your application.

You can identify up to 2 adults in your visa application. Their names will appear on your visa. The adult can apply for a visa at the same time, but you must each complete separate applications.

If you arrive in the UK without the person named in your visa, you’ll need to show that your parent or guardian consents to your travel and accommodation arrangements.

Apply for a Standard Visitor visa

If you need a Standard Visitor visa, you must apply online before you travel to the UK and attend an appointment at a visa application centre.

The earliest you can apply is 3 months before you travel.

You must meet the eligibility requirements and only do permitted activities.

Depending on your nationality, you may not need a visa to visit the UK. You can check if you need a visa before you apply.

Visa fees

You can apply for a Standard Visitor visa, or if you visit the UK regularly you can choose to apply for a long-term Standard Visitor visa instead.

Long-term Standard Visitor visas

You can choose to apply for a long-term Standard Visitor visa if you visit the UK regularly. This visa lasts 2, 5 or 10 years. You can stay for a maximum of 6 months on each visit.

If you’re under 18 years old when you apply, your long-term Standard Visitor visa will only be valid for up to 6 months after you turn 18. You cannot get a refund on the fee.

You may be given a shorter visa than requested if UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) believe you cannot meet the eligibility requirements for the duration of the visa you applied for.

You will not get a refund of the application fee if you get a shorter visa or if your application is refused.

Your visa may be cancelled if your travel history shows you are repeatedly living in the UK for extended periods.

Documents and information you’ll need to apply

You must have a passport or travel document that is valid for the whole of your stay in the UK. There must be a blank page in your passport for your Standard Visitor visa.

You’ll need to provide the following information in your online application:

• the dates you’re planning to travel to the UK
• where you’ll be staying during your visit
• how much you think your trip will cost
• your current home address and how long you’ve lived there
• your parents’ names and dates of birth (if known)
• how much you earn in a year (if you have an income)
• details of any criminal, civil or immigration offences you may have committed

Depending on your circumstances, you might also need to provide:

• details of your travel history for the past 10 years
• your employer’s address and telephone number
• your partner’s name, date of birth and passport number
• the name and address of anyone paying for your trip
• the name, address and passport number of any family members you have in the UK
• a certificate proving that you’ve had a tuberculosis (TB) test if you’re visiting for more than 6 months

You need to provide additional documents if you’re visiting the UK:

• to study
• as an academic
• for medical reasons

You must provide certified translations of any documents that are not in English or Welsh.

Proving your identity and providing your documents

As part of your online application, you need to book an appointment at a visa application centre. Allow time to attend your appointment, as the visa application centre could be in another country.

At your appointment, you’ll need to:

• prove your identity with your passport or travel document
• have your fingerprints and photograph (known as ‘biometric information’) taken
• provide the required documents that show you’re eligible for a Standard Visitor visa

The visa application centre may keep your passport and documents while processing your application.

How long it takes to get a decision

Once you’ve applied online, proved your identity and provided your documents, you’ll usually get a decision on your visa within 3 weeks.

You can check to see if you can get your visa decision faster – this depends on what country you’re in.

It’s currently taking longer to get a decision on Standard Visitor visas because of high demand.

You’ll get an email or a letter containing the decision on your application. This will explain what you need to do next.

If you need to change or cancel your application

If you need to change something in your application after you’ve sent it, contact UKVI.

You can ask to cancel your application. You’ll only get your fee refunded if the application has not been processed yet.

When you can extend your stay

You may be able to extend your stay if you have permission to be in the UK for less than 6 months. You can extend your stay up to a total of 6 months.

You can only apply to stay in the UK for longer than 6 months if you’re:

• a patient receiving medical treatment
• an academic and you still meet the eligibility requirements
• a graduate retaking the Professional and Linguistic Assessment Board (PLAB) test or doing a clinical attachment

You must apply to extend your stay and pay the £993 fee regardless of your nationality.

You need to apply while you’re still in the UK and before your current visa or permission expires.

Fees

It costs:

• £993 to extend your stay as a Standard Visitor
• an extra £800 if you use the super priority service

You must also pay £19.20 to have your biometric information (fingerprints and a photo) taken.

If you have permission to be in the UK for less than 6 months

You may be able to extend your stay as long as the total time you spend in the UK is no more than 6 months. You must meet the eligibility requirements and pay the £993 fee.

For example, if you have been in the UK for 3 months, you can apply to extend your stay for 3 more months. This applies if you needed a visa to visit the UK and also if you did not need one.

If you need to stay longer for medical treatment

If you’re already in the UK, you can apply to stay for a further 6 months if you:

• have paid for any treatment you’ve already had in the UK
• can and will pay the further costs of your treatment
• continue to meet the medical treatment eligibility requirements

There is no limit on how many times you can extend your stay. It costs £993 each time you extend.

Documents you must provide

You must get a medical practitioner or NHS consultant who’s registered in the UK to provide details of your medical condition that needs further treatment.

If you’re having treatment at an NHS hospital under a reciprocal healthcare arrangement, you will need to provide another authorisation form from your country’s government saying they will pay for your treatment.

If you need to stay longer as an academic

If you’re already in the UK and have permission to visit for less than 12 months, you can apply to stay for up to 12 months in total.

Your partner and children can apply to stay for up to 12 months too. They must have their own application and each pay the £993 fee.

You must prove you:

• are highly qualified in your field of expertise, for example you have a PhD or higher
• were working in that field of expertise at an academic institution overseas prior to your arrival in the UK
• are not filling a permanent teaching post

If you’re an academic, but not a senior doctor or dentist, you must also prove you’re visiting to do research or a formal exchange.

If you’re a senior doctor or dentist, you must also prove you’re visiting to do research, clinical practice, a formal exchange or to teach.

Before you extend your stay, check if you need an Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS) certificate. You may need one if you’re researching certain subjects at postgraduate level or above.

If you need to stay longer to retake the PLAB test

If you’re already in the UK, you can apply to extend your stay for up to 6 months to retake the PLAB test.

You must provide written confirmation from the General Medical Council that you’re retaking the test.

If you want to do a clinical attachment or dental observer post

If you pass the PLAB test, you can apply to stay longer to do an unpaid clinical attachment or dental observer post.

You can stay in the UK for up to 18 months in total.

You must provide written confirmation:

• of your clinical attachment offer
• that you’ve not done a clinical attachment in the UK before

You must not treat patients.

Proving your identity and providing your documents

When you apply, you’ll be asked to make an appointment at a UK Visa and Citizenship Application Services (UKVCAS) service point to provide your biometric information (your fingerprints and a photo).

You’ll also need to submit the supporting documents that prove your eligibility. You can:

• upload your documents into the online service
• have them scanned at your UKVCAS appointment

You must not travel outside of the UK, Ireland, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man until you get a decision. Your application will be withdrawn if you do.

How long it takes to get a decision

If you use the standard service, a decision will usually be made within 8 weeks of providing your supporting documents and proving your identity.

If you use the super priority service a decision will be made:

• by the end of the next working day after your UKVCAS appointmentif your appointment is on a weekday
• 2 working days after your UKVCAS appointment if your appointment is at the weekend

Working days are Monday to Friday, not including bank holidays.

Once you’ve got your decision letter, your biometric residence permit will take up to 10 working days to arrive.

You’ll be contacted if your application is complex and will take longer, for example:

• if your supporting documents need to be verified
• if you need to attend an interview
• because of your personal circumstances (for example if you have a criminal conviction)

Once you’ve applied you can stay in the UK until you’ve been given a decision, as long as you applied before your permission to be in the UK ended.

 Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.