The UK is one of the world’s biggest tourist destinations and millions of people come for a visit on a yearly basis. You may apply for a standard visitor visa if you want to visit for leisure, for example on a short holiday or to visit friends and family. There are also other reasons why someone might want to apply for a visitor visa, for example those who wish to enter for business purposes or to undergo private medical treatment.
While the visit visa application process can be complex and daunting, at GB Immigration our expert team understand you want to start the next chapter in your family life quickly and with minimal disruption and expense.
Applying for a visit visa
The immigration rules for visitors were changed drastically in April 2015. There is now a single ‘standard visitor visa’ category and applicants are invited to provide valid and plausible reasons for travel as part of their application process. Reasons someone might want to come to the UK include:
- Family visits
- General tourism purposes
- Business purposes, including academics, doctors and dentists
- Sports and entertainment
- Prospective entrepreneurs
- Prospective Entrepreneur visa
- Private Medical Treatment
There are very strict rules on what you can and cannot do whilst on a visit visa. You can’t do paid or unpaid work, study or get married in the UK, nor can you live in the UK for long periods of time through successive and frequent visit.
If your visa is successful, you can usually stay in the UK for up to 6 months, however you might be able to stay here for longer if you are coming to the UK as an academic to do research or undergo private medical treatment.
