Standard Visitor Visa

A visitor is someone who wishes to visit the UK for a temporary duration. Although this duration is normally for a period of six months, a 'Standard Visitor' can also apply for a Visitor visa with a two, five or 10 year validity period. Whilst such visas will allow for multiple entry, the maximum duration of each visit will be restricted to six months.   

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 will leave the UK at the end of your visit
  • you are able to support yourself and your dependants during your trip (or have funding from someone else to support you)
  • you are able to pay for your return or onward journey (or have funding from someone else to pay for the journey)
  • you will not live in the UK for extended periods through frequent or successive visits, or make the UK your main home

You must also prove that:

  • you have been accepted onto a course provided by an accredited UK institution – you will receive this from our Admissions Team once an offer of a place on the course has been made
  • the course is no more than 6 months long

Visa nationals

If you are a visa national then you must apply for, and be granted, entry clearance as a Visitor before you travel to the UK.  You must apply online and the earliest you can apply is 3 months before you travel.

While your passport and eVisa are the primary documents checked at the border, officers have discretion to ask for additional supporting documentation to verify eligibility. This is in line with general entry clearance guidelines where final admission to the UK is always at the discretion of the Border Officer.

If you are a child visa national (below the age of 18), your entry clearance must clearly state either that you will be accompanied and travelling with an adult identified in the entry clearance, or confirm that you will be travelling unaccompanied.

As a Standard Visitor, you are permitted to undertake a short course of study for 6 months or less. 

All visitors to the UK must satisfy the genuine visitor requirements. This means that:

  • You will leave the UK at the end of your visit;
  • You must not intend to live in the UK for extended periods through frequent or successive visits. You must also not intend to make the UK your main home. The visitor guidance lists factors such as the number of visits that you have made over the last twelve months, including the length of stay on each occasion in assessing whether or not your visits to the UK are frequent and successive;
  • You must be genuinely seeking to enter the UK for a purpose and activity permitted as a visitor;
  • You must not undertake any of the prohibited activities for a visitor.
  • You must have enough money to support yourself whilst you are in the UK. This includes the cost of your return or onward journey and any permitted activities that you have planned. You will not be able to work or access public funds in order to support yourself. In assessing this requirement, the visitor guidance states that your income and savings will be looked at minus any financial commitments that you have. The remaining sum must be sufficient to meet the likely costs that you will incur in the UK and also your reasonable expenditure. You can rely on another person to help you demonstrate that you have sufficient funds to cover your travel, maintenance and accommodation whilst in the UK. You must have a genuine professional or personal relationship with this person however, and they cannot be in breach of any immigration laws at the time the decision on your application is made or by the time you wish to enter the UK as a visitor. This person must also be able to support you for the duration of your visit; 
  • Any funds that you wish to rely upon must be held in a financial institution permitted under FIN 2.1 in Appendix Finance

What is not allowed on a Standard Visitor Visa

There are some restrictions to what activities you can do while in the UK on this visa.

You may not:

  • Study on a course of longer than six months
  • Work, either paid or unpaid
  • Undertake a work placement
  • Claim public funds (benefits)
  • Live in the UK for long periods of time through frequent or successive visits
  • Extend or switch immigration permission
  • Be permitted to access medical treatment in the UK other than private medical treatment

Dependants

The immigration rules do not allow visitors to bring family members to the UK.  If you are applying for this route and you have a spouse, partner or child, they must apply to come to the UK individually as a Standard Visitor.

How to apply

As advised above, you are required to apply for this visa online

Once you have started your application, you can save your form and complete it later.

The application will ask you to select your language and country where you will provide your biometric data.  You will be required to register an email address and telephone number which you will use with your application.

You will be required to provide:

  • personal information
  • financial details
  • course details
  • information regarding your accommodation in the UK
  • previous travel history
  • immigration history
  • convictions and other penalties
  • employment history

Once you permission is granted, you will receive an eVisa.  This is a digital record of your identity and immigration status.  This will also confirm the conditions attached to your status.  You can view your eVisa and get a share code to prove your immigration status online.

Before travelling to the UK, you must ensure:

  • Your UKVI account has your current passport and personal details
  • Your eVisa is correct. If there are any errors, you can report this online
  • Your details exactly match the passenger information you give to your carrier (for example your airline)

When you travel

You must travel with a valid passport or travel document that you have added to your UKVI account.

Your eVisa will be checked when you:

  • Leave and enter the UK, either by a border control office or when you use the eGates
  • Check in with your carrier to return to the UK

Non-visa nationals

Non-visa nationals can get their visa issued on arrival to the UK avoiding the need for prior visa application but must apply for Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) before travelling to the UK.

Helpful links

Visit the UK as a Standard Visitor: Overview - GOV.UK

Visiting the UK: guide to supporting documents - GOV.UK

What is an eVisa: video - GOV.UK

How to create a UKVI account and access your eVisa: video - GOV.UK

How to check your UKVI account is working: video - GOV.UK