UK Visit Visa

The UK Visit visa or the Standard Visitor Visa allows foreign nationals to visit the UK temporarily. Individuals can apply for a UK visit visa for reasons including visiting family or friends, attending business meetings or other activities, taking short study courses, undergoing medical treatments, or tourism. With a UK Tourist visa, you can stay in the UK for up to 6 months. Standard UK visitor visas are usually granted for a short period, giving you legal access to enter the country and stay throughout the visa duration.

You can apply for a UK visit visa for any of the below reasons:

Tourism or Holiday: As a foreign national looking to visit the UK for leisure or tourism purposes, the UK tourist visa would be the right choice for you. You can apply for a UK Standard visit visa to visit your family in the UK or travel through the country.

Study: The Study visit visa allows you to live and study in the UK for up to 6 months. To be eligible for the UK student visitor visa, you must fulfill the application criteria and have evidence of acceptance into a study course with a validity of 3 months or less.

Business: If you are looking to travel to the UK for business-related activities such as attending conferences, meetings, events, or other appointments, you can apply for a Business visitor UK visa. With this visa, you can reside in the UK and conduct business proceedings for up to 6 months. However, the visit visa does not allow you to work in the UK.

Other purposes: Medical treatment at a private healthcare facility is another reason to apply for a UK visit visa.  

Benefits of a Great Britain Tourist Visa

Some of the benefits of applying for a Great Britain Tourist Visa are as follows:

• Travel to the UK multiple times without requiring a new visa every time.
• Take up short study courses
• Attend business conferences, meetings, seminars, or other events
• Get medical treatments at private hospitals in the UK
• Travel and explore the historic landmarks and vibrant cities in the UK
• Get streamlined visa processing for each trip with a reduced wait time

Who needs a tourist visa to visit Great Britain?

Foreign nationals or non-EU/EEA nationals visiting the UK for a short period for reasons including business, studies, tourism, visiting family, or getting medical treatment etc. will need a Tourist visa to visit Great Britain. Travelers worldwide will soon be required to have an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) or a digital travel permit linked to the individual’s passport. The ETA is set to be effective starting early April and will become mandatory for those traveling to the UK.

Types of UK Tourist Visitor Visas

The UK Visit visa or the Standard visitor visa is of six types, which are listed below:

UK Business Visitor Visa

The UK Business visitor visa allows you to engage in business activities, such as attending conferences, meetings, events, etc., in the UK for up to 6 months. However, you cannot work in the UK with a Business visit visa.

Some of the things you can do with a Business visit visa are as follows:

• Sign business deals, contracts, or agreements
• Finish any academic work
• Participate in business fairs or exhibits
• Supervise or conduct on-site inspections
• Conduct training sessions with employers in the UK

UK Student Visitor Visa

You can apply for a UK Student visitor visa to take up short-term study courses in the UK. To qualify for the student visitor visa, you must fulfill the UK Standard visit visa requirements.

Some of the things you can do with a Student visitor visa are as follows:

• Study at any of the accredited universities in the UK
• Take the Professional and Linguistic Assessment Board (PLAB) or Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) test.
• Take up research work that is related to overseas education.

Academic Visitor Visa

The Academic visitor visa is for scientists or researchers. With an academic visitor visa, you can:

• Participate in exchange agreements with UK equivalents
• Conduct research work independently or as a part of your job role

Permitted paid engagement

The Permitted Paid Engagement is for individuals who have received an official paid invitation to participate in events to exhibit their expertise or skills.

• To qualify for Permitted paid engagement under the UK Standard visitor visa, you must:
• Submit evidence that you are a specialist in your profession.
• Are above 18 years of age
• You must have a written invitation letter from a UK-based client or organization to participate in events or other permitted engagement activities.

You can be invited under this visa type as a:

• Professional sportsperson
• An air pilot examiner
• Professional performer, artist, musician or entertainer
• An academic (to be a student assessor or examiner)
• Present a lecture
• A qualified and experienced lawyer (to represent a client)
• Speaker at a conference

Visit the UK for medical reasons

Under this visa category, you can enter and visit the UK for a maximum of 6 months if you are:

• Looking to undergo private medical treatment at a medical facility or hospital
• Donating an organ to a family member living in the UK
• Getting a treatment done at an NHS hospital

Family Visitor Visa

With the family visitor visa, you can visit your family in the UK for a maximum of 6 months. With a family visit visa, you cannot bring your dependents or take up employment in the UK.

British Tourist Visa Requirements

The requirements for a British Tourist Visa may vary based on the purpose of your visit. However, the general list of requirements is as follows:

• An original passport or a valid travel document
• Evidence that you will exit the UK after the visa expires
• Proof of funds to support yourself and your family
• Evidence that you can pay for your return journey
• Proof that you will not remain in the UK for an extended period

Eligibility criteria for a British tourist visa

To be eligible for a British Tourist visa, you must fulfill the below criteria:

• Intent to leave the UK after the visa expires
• Submit proof that explains your purpose of visiting the UK
• Have enough funds to cover your travel journey, including flight charges
• Have sufficient funds to support yourself and your family

Documents Required for a British Tourist Visa

The list of documents required to apply for a British Tourist visa is as follows:

• Travel documents that include your travel dates   
• Your immigration record and international travel history 
• Proof of funds (Bank statements)
• Proof of accommodation in the UK (Address and contact details)
• UK Employer or company details (If you are visiting for business or a permitted activity)
• Criminal clearance certificate

Note: The exact list of documents may vary based on your purpose of visiting the UK and the country you are applying from.

Tourist Visa Application for UK: Step-by-Step Guide

You can follow the below steps to apply for a UK tourist Visa:

Step 1: Choose the UK visit visa type that aligns with your purpose of visiting the UK

Step 2: Arrange the checklist of requirements

Step 3: Complete the UK visa fee payment

Step 4: Submit your application

Step 5: Wait for the visa status

UK Tourist Visa Requirements for International Travelers

The UK tourist visa requirements for international travelers differ based on their nationality and the country they are applying from:

UK Visit Visa Requirements for Indians

The UK tourist visa requirements for Indians are as follows:

• A valid passport
• Two copies of the latest passport-sized photographs
• The visit visa application form
• Visa fee payment receipt
• Purpose of visit
• Proof of accommodation in the UK
• Proof of funds (Bank statements)

UK Visit Visa Requirements for Canadians

The UK tourist visa requirements for Canadians are as follows:

• A passport with a minimum validity of 3 months
• Two copies of the latest passport-sized photographs
• Proof of accommodation
• Visa fee payment receipt  
• Criminal clearance record
• Academic transcripts (if required)
• Proof of accommodation
• Evidence of funds (Bank statements)
• Criminal clearance certificate

UK Visit Visa Requirements for Americans

The UK tourist visa requirements for Americans are as follows:

• An original and valid passport
• ETA (Electronic Travel Authorization)
• Sufficient funds to cover the expenses of your trip (Bank statements)
• Purpose of visiting the UK
• Proof of intent to exit the country after the expiry of your visa

England Tourist Visa Fees

The table below has the UK Visa types and the application fees:

Type of UK visit visa	Visa fee
Standard Visitor visa	£115
Standard Visitor visa for medical reasons	£200
Standard Visitor visa for academics	£200
2 year long-term Standard Visitor visa	£432
5 year long-term Standard Visitor visa	£771
10 year long-term Standard Visitor visa	£963

 

The maximum length of stay allowed with an England Tourist Visa

The table below has the types of UK visit visas and the length of stay allowed:

Type of UK visit visa	Validity
Standard Visitor visa	6 months
Standard Visitor visa for medical reasons	11 months
Standard Visitor visa for academics	12 months
2 year long-term Standard Visitor visa	6 months per visit
5 year long-term Standard Visitor visa	6 months per visit
10 year long-term Standard Visitor visa	6 months per visit

How can Y-Axis help you?

Y-Axis, one of the leading immigration and visa consultants in the UK, has been offering dedicated and customized visa solutions that meet your requirements for more than 25 years. Our team of visa experts will guide you through the complete UK Visit visa application process, giving you a hassle-free experience.

Sign up with Y-Axis to avail the following services:

• Analyzing your profile and suggesting the best UK Visit visa as per your requirement
• Gathering the visa documents as per the checklist for a successful visa application
• Guidance with the complete visa processing of the UK Visit Visa application
• Dedicated experts to give you timely follow-ups and updates on your visa application