VISA > UK
DO I NEED A VISA | VISITOR VISA INFORMATION | REQUIREMENTS
DO I NEED A VISA
If you do not know whether you need a visa to come to the UK, or
which immigration category is most suitable for you, click on the link
below:
http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/visas-immigration/do-you-need-a-visa/
VISITOR VISA INFORMATION
Visiting the UK
Visiting the UK
This section describes the different types of
visitor visa, and helps you to choose the right one for your
circumstances. It also explains what you are allowed to do while you are
in the UK as a visitor.
If you come to the UK as a visitor, you are normally
allowed to stay here for a maximum of 6 months. If you want to stay
here for longer than 6 months, read the other categories in the section to see if you qualify for another type of visa.
See the Travel and customs section for general information about visas and travelling to the UK.
If someone in the UK will 'sponsor' you during your visit, they should read the Sponsoring a visitor pages.
Our service standards for visitor visas are that we
will decide 90 per cent of applications within 3 weeks, 98 per cent
within 6 weeks and 100 per cent within 12 weeks.
Tourism and visiting friends
If you want to visit the UK as a tourist or to stay
with friends in the UK, you should apply to come here as a general
visitor (or as a child visitor if you are under 18).
If you are a Chinese national and you will be coming
to the UK as part of a group for a maximum of 30 days, you can apply for
a visa as an ADS visitor.
There are restrictions on what you can do in the UK in these visitor categories. For example, you cannot get married.
Visiting family
If you want to visit members of your family in the
UK, you can apply to come here as a family visitor (or as a child
visitor if you are under 18).
If you want to stay longer than 6 months, you cannot come as a visitor. See the Partners and families section for information about other types of family visa.
Visiting to do business
If you want to do business in the UK, you should
apply to come here as a business visitor (or as achild visitor if you
are under 18). This includes academic visitors, and doctors undertaking
clinical attachments or the PLAB test.
If you want to come to the UK as a Tier 1
(Entrepreneur), and you need to spend time here first in order to hold
discussions and secure funding, you can apply for a visa as a
prospective entrepreneur.
If you want to come to the UK as a visitor to do
short-term, fee-paid activity you can apply for a visa as a permitted
paid engagement visitor.
Visiting to study
If you want to study in the UK for up to 6 months (or
up to 11 months if you will be studying an English Language course),
and you will not work while you are here, you can come here as a student
visitor(or as a child visitor if you are under 18).
If you have a child aged under 12 who will be
studying in the UK under Tier 4 (Child) of the points-based system, you
can apply to accompany them as a parent of a child at school.
Visiting as a sportsperson
If you want to take part in any sporting events in
the UK, you might be able to come here as a sports visitor or a visitor
undertaking permitted paid engagements (or as a child visitor if you are
under 18). If you do not meet the requirements to be a visitor, you
will need to apply under Tier 5 (Temporary workers - Creative and sporting) of the points-based system.
Visiting as an entertainer
If you want to perform or audition in the UK as an
entertainer, you might be able to come here as anentertainer visitor or a
visitor undertaking permitted paid engagements (or as a child visitor
if you are under 18). If you do not meet the requirements to be a
visitor, you will need to apply under Tier 5 (Temporary workers - Creative and sporting) of the points-based system.
Visiting for other reasons
If you want to get married or register a civil
partnership in the UK, and you intend to leave the UK soon after the
ceremony, you should apply to come here as a visitor for marriage or
civil partnership. If you want to live in the UK after you get married,
see the Partners and families section.
If you want to receive private medical treatment in
the UK, you should apply to come here as a visitor for private medical
treatment.
Transiting the UK
If you want to come to the UK for up to 48 hours on your way to another country, you can come here as a visitor in transit.
REQUIREMENTS
Download the complete checklist of the supporting documents you need to prepare through this website:
