Visit Visas

Visitor – Business

This visa is for applicants who intend to make a short-term visit for business purposes.

Basic Rules Overview

The applicant must be able to show that:

1. They are 18 or over.
2. They intend to visit the UK for no more than 6 months (or 12 months if they are an academic visitor).
3.  They intend to leave the UK at the end of their UK visit.
4. They have enough money to support and accommodate themselves without working or help from public funds, or they and any dependents will be supported and accommodated by relatives or friends.
5. They are based abroad and do not intend to transfer their base to the UK, even temporarily.
6. They receive their salary from abroad (although it is acceptable for them to receive reasonable travel and subsistence expenses while they are in the UK).
7. They are not replacing someone in the UK, including for temporary leave periods.
8. They can meet the cost of the return or onward journey.
9. They are not in transit to a country outside the ‘Common Travel Area’ (Ireland, the UK, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands).

They must also be able to show that, during the visit, they do not intend to:

• Take paid or unpaid employment, produce goods or provide services, including the selling of goods or services directly to members of the public.
• Undertake any other activity which would require a different type of visa.

Extension of this visa

• This visa cannot be extended beyond the maximum periods listed above unless the applicant is a doctor taking the PLAB test (in which case they can apply to extend the stay and undertake a clinical attachment if they pass the PLAB test).

Visitor – General

This visa is for applicants who intend to make a short-term visit for tourism or for visiting friends.

Basic Rules Overview

The applicant must provide evidence that they:

1. Are 18 or over.
2. Intend to visit the UK for no more than 6 months (or 12 months if they will be accompanying an academic visitor).
3. Intend to leave the UK at the end of your visit.
4. Have enough money to support and accommodate themselves without working or help from public funds.
5. They and any dependents will be supported and accommodated by relatives or friends.
6. Can meet the cost of the return or onward journey.

They must also be able to show that, during the visit, they do not intend to:

• Take paid or unpaid employment, produce goods or provide services, including the selling of goods or services directly to members of the public,
• Undertake any other activity which would require a different type of visa.

Extension of this visa

This visa cannot be extended beyond the maximum periods listed above.