United Kingdom (UK) Visit Visa
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 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:
United Kingdom (UK) Study Visa
- You can apply for a Student visa to study in the UK if you’re 16 or over and you:
- have been offered a place on a course by a licensed student sponsor
- have enough money to support yourself and pay for your course– the amount will vary depending on your circumstances
- can speak, read, write and understand English
- have consent from your parents if you’re 16 or 17 – you’ll need evidence of this when you apply
If you’re 16 or 17 and you want to study at an independent school in the UK, you may be eligible for a Child Student visa instead.
This visa has replaced the Tier 4 (General) student visa.
If you or your family are from the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein
If you or your family member started living in the UK by 31 December 2020, you may be able to apply to the free EU Settlement Scheme.
The deadline to apply was 30 June 2021 for most people. You can still apply if either:
- you have a later deadline – for example, you’re joining a family member in the UK
- you have ‘reasonable grounds’ for being unable to apply by 30 June 2021 – for example, you had an illness or were the victim of domestic abuse
When to apply
When you can apply depends on whether you’re applying from inside or outside the UK.
Applying from outside the UK
The earliest you can apply for a visa is 6 months before you start your course.
You’ll usually get a decision on your visa within 3 weeks.
Applying from inside the UK
The earliest you can apply is 3 months before your course starts.
You must apply before your current visa expires. Your new course must begin within 28 days of your current visa expiring.
You’ll usually get a decision within 8 weeks.
How long you can stay
How long you can stay depends on the length of your course and what study you’ve already completed in the UK.
If you’re 18 or over and your course is at degree level, you can usually stay in the UK for up to 5 years. If it’s below degree level, you can usually stay in the UK for up to 2 years.
Staying longer in the UK
You may be able to:
- extend your visaif you’re eligible, for example to continue your studies in the UK
- switch to a Student visafrom another visa if you’re already in the UK
- switch to a Graduate visato stay in the UK for at least 2 years after successfully completing your course
When you can travel to the UK
You can arrive before your course starts. This can be either:
- up to 1 week before, if your course lasts 6 months or less
- up to 1 month before, if your course lasts more than 6 months
You must not travel to the UK before the start date given on your visa, no matter when your course starts.
United Kingdom (UK) 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
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.
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