Choose a visa
You may need a visa to come to the UK to study, work, visit or join family. There are different visas depending on: where you come from why you wan...
Prepare your application
You can apply and pay for most visas online. If you have dependants who want to come to the UK with you, each person will need to apply and pay sep...
Prove your identity
When you apply, you’ll need to prove your identity and provide documents to show your eligibility. How you do this depends on where you’re from and...
Getting a decision on your application
You’ll get a letter or an email with the result of your application. It will explain what you need to do next. If your application is successful Yo...
What is an ADS visa?
a valid Schengen Approved Destination Scheme (ADS) group tourism visa where the holder is travelling to the country that issued it
Where is the decision to allow a passenger to transit without a visa made?
The decision to allow a passenger to transit without a visa (TWOV) under the scheme is decided by an immigration officer at the UK border.
Do diplomatic passport holders need a visa?
(2): Holders of diplomatic passports do not require a visa. Service passport holders may transit without a visa. Holders of a public affairs passport may not transit without a visa.
Do non-nationals need a visa?
Whether holders of non-national and refugee travel documents require a direct airside transit visa (DATV) depends on their original nationality, and whether they qualify for one of the exemptions listed above. Persons recognised as stateless under the 1954 UN Convention relating to the Status of Stateless Persons are not required to hold a DATV and may transit airside without a visa.
How long do you have to be on a visa to visit the UK?
Apply for a Standard Visitor visa to visit the UK for up to 6 months. For example:
How long do you have to stay in the UK to come back?
If you had indefinite leave to remain ( ILR) and left the UK for more than 2 years you’ll need to apply for a Returning Resident visa to come back.
What affects which visa to apply for?
Your course length, type and place of study affect which visa to apply for.
How long can a family permit last in the UK?
A family permit lets you live, work and study in the UK for up to 6 months. Close family members include your spouse or civil partner, child, grandchild, parent or grandparent. You can apply to the EU Settlement Scheme after your family permit expires.
What is a student visa?
A Student visa is usually for a longer course. You must be sponsored by a licensed college or university and have a confirmed place. You may be able to do some work on this visa. A Child Student visa is for 4 to 17 year olds who want to study at an independent school.
Do you have to be approved before you travel?
Your application must be approved before you travel.
What you need to do
Check if what you plan to do in the UK is allowed as a Standard Visitor.
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.
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.
When will the EU change visa requirements?
There will not be any changes to visa requirements for EU nationals until at least December 31, 2020, when the Brexit transitional period is due to end. Until then, EU nationals can continue to travel to the UK without a visa for short trips and holidays.
What is a visitor in transit visa?
Visitor in Transit Visa. This type of visa is needed if you will pass through British border control but you intend to depart the country within 48 hours. You need a Visitor in Transit Visa if you are from a country that typically requires UK visitor visas (see above).
Do I Need a Transit Visa for the UK?
If you typically need a visa to enter the UK as a tourist, you will also need a transit visa. However, there are two types of transit visas for the UK, and the requirements change depending on what country you are from:
Do I Need a Visa for the UK?
If you are from the US , an EU Member State, or certain Commonwealth countries, you do not need a visa for the UK for up to six months.
How long does it take to get a UK visa?
The UK tourist visa processing takes up to 3 weeks. There have been incidents where UKVI has taken over 2 months to process, especially when the visa applications are “not straightforward”.
How long is a UK visa valid?
UK tourist visas are valid for 6 months and you can stay up to 180 days in the UK. The UK tourist visa application process is long and there is no status tracking. Make sure to start your UK visa process at least two months from your intended date of the travel to the UK.
How long does it take to get a UK passport back?
The UK visa application center keeps the passport for the entirety of the visa process, which could be 3 weeks or more. There may be emergencies where you need to have your passport with you. The only way to request your passport back is by formally withdrawing your visa application.
What do you bring to a passport appointment?
On the day of the appointment, you will give your biometrics (fingerprints and photo) and submit your original documents. You must bring all your original documents along with one photocopy of each including your passport.
Where to send biometrics to UK?
You must give your biometrics at your nearest Biometric Enrollment Center and later send/post your documents to the nearest UK Visa Application Center.
How long do passports have to be valid in the UK?
Passport must be valid for the entire stay in the UK
Does UKVI ask for flight tickets?
UKVI has stopped asking for flight tickets and hotel bookings for UK visa applications. But some nationalities are still being asked to submit flight tickets and hotel bookings.
Where to apply for a UK visa?
UK visa application form. According to the UK visa type you are applying for, you may have to complete the form online at the website of the Visa4UK website, or the manual application form.
How long is a passport valid in the UK?
Your Valid Passport. It must be valid for three more months beyond the date you plan to leave the UK after your trip. It must also have at least one blank page for the visa. Proof you have the financial means to cover the living costs while in the UK.
How long do you have to stay in the UK to visit?
The visitor must adhere to the rules of entry, including not intending to undertake any of the prohibited activities and leaving the UK within the six-month visitor period.
How long does it take to leave the UK?
Leave to enter as a visitor is on the basis that the individual leaves the UK within the six month period and does not participate in specified prohibited activities such as employment, studying, marriage, medical treatment or accessing public funds.
What is the difference between a tourist visa and a business visa?
In the UK, the standard visitor visa applies to both tourists and business travellers .
What can visitors ask about their immigration history?
Visitors can also be asked about their immigration history and previous travel and visits to the UK, to determine if the traveller is a genuine short-stay visitor or if they are using the visit route for ‘under the radar’ residency.
What happens if a traveller is refused entry to the UK?
If a traveller is refused entry, this will be noted on their UK immigration record, which can impact future Home Office applications. As such, travellers and their employers should take steps to reduce the risk of border issues.
What are permissible visitor activities?
Permissible visitor activities include leisure and tourism, visiting friends and family, undertaking a short course of study, school exchanges and visits. volunteering for up to 30 days with a registered charity or carrying out a business activity. ‘Business activity’ can include:
What are the EU nationals?
Post-Brexit rules for EU nationals. ‘EU nationals’ refer to citizens of the 26 European Union member states, as well as Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland. Following the end of EU free movement, EU nationals who do not hold valid UK immigration status such as EU settled status or pre-settled status, ...
Airside Transit
Landside Transit
Transit Without Visa (TWOV) - Airside
Transit Without Visa (TWOV) - Landside
UK Permanent Residents
- If a visa national is permanently resident in the UK they do not need a visa, as long as they return to the UK within 2 years of their last departure.
Passengers with The Right of Abode in The UK
Holders of Non-National and Refugee Travel Documents
Seamen
Contact Details
Footnotes