If you’re looking to apply and come to the UK on a visit visa to see the UK, visit family members, attend a wedding or a graduation ceremony or other reasons, then the standard visit visa is the right visa to apply for.
Not everyone will require prior entry clearance with a visa to come to the UK. If you are from a visa national country you will be exempt from applying from outside the United Kingdom for entry clearance. However, border officials will still need to be satisfied your reason in visiting the UK, that you have enough money to fund your trip and will return back to your home country. If you are from a non-visa national country you will require prior entry clearance (a visa) and your main reason for entering the UK.
Visitor visas in the UK allow you to travel for short term stays of up to six months and can be used for visiting family, your partner, for UK holidays, for medical reasons, attend a short course business or English language course among other reasons. Tourism and Leisure Visit Visa holders cannot engage in unpaid work, receive payment from a UK source for any activities undertaken in the UK.
You must have sufficient funds to cover all reasonable costs in relation to your visit without working or accessing public funds. This includes the cost of your return or onward journey, any costs relating to dependants, and the cost of planned activities. There are additional requirements or documents that may be required when you apply for a online UK visitor visa. Your application will be considered by an Entry Clearance Officer (ECO).
What are the visa types of UK Standard Visitor Visa And Who Is It For?
Leisure:
Whether coming for a family visit, sightseeing, or general travel, your needs fall under the standard visa.
Business:
If you need to enter the UK for short term business requirements such as conferences, events or business appointments, then the general visitor visa UK will allow you to travel to the UK to do your business here for a period of up to six months.
Other Reason:
The standard visitor route can also allow you to travel to the UK if you are receiving private medical treatment, for instance.
What are the Requirements and What Documents Do I need to apply for a UK Visitor Visa?
To prove your eligibility for the UK visitor visa, it’s important to provide the Home Office with evidence of the general requirements for eligibility as part of your UK visit visa requirements and application. You’ll need to demonstrate that:
- You are a genuine visitor
- You have a valid current passport or travel document
- You have full intention to leave the UK at the end of your visit or whole of your stay and do not plan to stay for longer than six months.
- You have evidence of any activities you intend to perform while in the UK, including business and other activities.
- You can afford your inward and outward journey including flights.
- You have access to sufficient funds in order to support yourself and any dependents throughout your stay without accessing public funds in the UK
- You have adequate travel insurance and have made suitable arrangements
- The application form is online
The exact documents will vary case by case and it is important you get the relevant and correct documents as part of your application. Tourism and Leisure Visit Visa holders are not permitted to work or receive any remuneration for any activities in the UK. As you can see, the Immigration rules are strict and the Home Office refuses a lot of visas on the basis of a lack of supporting original documents or the right evidences not being submitted. It is therefore important you disclose and provide an accurate picture of your personal circumstances as part of the application process. As part of your application, you and your family dependants will need to provide biometric fingerprints and submit their original passport and documents in your home country local visa application centre.
Also Read: 6 Steps to Apply for Spouse Visa UK
Here at My Legal Services it’s our job to support you in understanding what you need to do to submit a successful application and how to go about it. Visit visa requirements for UK travel can be confusing, but we’re always here to help you and guide your with the support and guidance you need. If you require a complete list of documents, get in touch with the team here at My Legal Services. We have a high success rate.
Our immigration lawyers are well-experienced and fully-qualified – no one is better placed to help guide you to visa approval.
How Much Does A Visitors Visa UK Cost?
The following application fees apply depending on a 6 months to a 10 year multi visitor visa.
- 6 months visitor visa £115
- 2-Year Visa – £400
- 5-Year Visa – £771
- 10-Year Visa – £963
It is important to check the home office website www.gov.uk as the fees are regularly changing.
How long does the visa decision process take?
The average visa processing time is 2-3 weeks, sometime longer for applicants outside the EEA and Switzerland. You can take steps to track the application processing period and view your UK visa processing status as it changes. If you’re travelling to the UK for an urgent reason you can choose to pay for the Priority Fast Track services.
Is there a right of appeal against a UK refusal decision?
- Apply for judicial review subject to merits or
- Apply for a fresh new visa application.
The reality is that rejections for UK general standard visitor visa are very common and getting a refusal decision does not mean you cannot re-apply again for a fresh or new application or challenge the decision by way of judicial review proceedings, which is quite costly and expensive. Therefore, it is essential there are sufficient merits for a proposed application for JR. If you wish to re-apply and submit a fresh application, we will ensure the previous refusal points are completely addressed and you have all the correct documents to strength your application for the visa to be granted.
We regularly overturn a vast amount of refusal decisions by way of judicial review proceedings and where a fresh new application is required to ensure your application is successful. The Immigration rules are strict and if your application is not right, the Home Office will often refuse your application for a weak application that lack the right supporting documents and evidence. UK visitor visa applications require a lot of evidence, and it’s easy to forget to leave important information and documents either absent or incorrect. My Legal Services can hep you to appeal a visa rejection.
The key to successfully appealing a denied visitor visa application is to act quickly.
Receiving a visa refusal letter from the Home Office doesn’t necessarily mean the end of your hopes for travel to the UK.
The Standard Visitor Visa Category Covers A Range Of Other Visas:
The visitor visa allows foreign nationals subject to UK immigration laws to enter the country for a short period for a range of different reasons such as a family weeding, a graduation ceremony, an important business conference, a private medical appointment, or something else that you can’t afford to miss. This is because the standard UK visit visa covers a range of other types of visas for UK travel and various sub-categories of visas, including:
Family Visit Visa:
For non-EEA nationals wanting to travel to the UK for a family visit, it’s necessary to apply for the UK family visitor visa category. As standard, this visa allows you to stay in the UK for up to six months to see family. When visiting the UK under the family visit visa, you aren’t permitted to work or claim public funds while here. You can also bring dependents with you, meaning that if you’re planning on travelling with other family members, you’ll need to make sure that each travelling family member has a valid family visit visa UK.
It’s also the case that UK family visit visas are difficult to obtain compared to other types of UK visa.
Child Visitor Visa:
Any non-EEA national under the age of 18 needs to apply for a child visitor visa before travelling to the UK. This is another visa that falls under the standard visitor visa category and is required for any under-18 with UK travel plans. Whether travelling to visit family or friends, as part of an exchange programme, or for education, the child visitor visa covers you for up to six months of UK travel. Visa applications for child visas need to be thorough.
Business Visitor Visa:
This visa will allow you to attend conferences and training, complete academic work, participate in some sporting events, negotiate and sign deals and contracts, and carry out inspections, among other functions. However, you can’t do any paid work or access public funds while in the UK. You’re eligible for the business visitor visa regardless of whether you are working for an employer or self-employed.
Student Visitor Visa:
If you’re a visiting UK visa national hoping to study on a short term basis for a short course of study subject to meet the eligibility requirements. Also known as the short-term study visa, this is a type of UK visa that allows you to travel to the UK to study for no longer than six months.
Get Our Fast Track Package:
Our Immigration lawyers are here to help you get your application submitted and approved as quickly as possible. If you can’t afford to spend months waiting for your visa because of a deadline or important fixed appointment in the UK, then the fast track application package service is for – we’ll work hard to make sure urgent applications get over the line so that you can have one less thing to worry about. We’re here to help you meet your deadline.
When you choose our fast track package, we’ll work to get things moving for you as quickly as possible. One of our expert immigration lawyers will get in touch and arrange a one-on-one untimed advice session as soon as is convenient to you. We’ll also help to put together your application as fast as possible. We’ll make sure that your application is as thorough and complete as it can be before being submitted. All of your supporting documents will be checked and compiled quickly and efficiently.
Assist you in the completion of your visa application. Doing things quickly doesn’t mean we’re going to compromise on quality. The fact is that it doesn’t matter how fast you put together and submit your UK visitor visa application if it’s not going to get approved. If you’re applying for a UK visitor visa because you need to travel to the UK from a non-EEA country for something important and time-sensitive, the last thing you need is for your visa to be denied. We’ll make sure your application meets the highest standards.
Write a Letter of Representation to support your case and boost your application’s chances of success. Our immigration lawyers are experts with plenty of experience. We know what to write in a supporting representation letter that addresses the eligibility requirements and the urgent applications to the Home Office.
If you arrive in the UK for transit without permission, you risk being denied entry by an immigration officer and will be required to leave at the next available flight.
Also Read: Apply for a Ukraine Family Scheme Visa
Conclusion:
We aim to help you through the procedure and, most significantly, to take the pressure and worry off your shoulders. Every case we handle is dealt with competently, and we always make sure we remain delicate to our client’s needs and concerns at all times. We take each case very seriously and are here to listen to our client’s at all times. We believe we are the ‘Voice of our Client’s!
We have a vital status within the local area and standard preference for those seeking representation on aspects linked to the immigration process. Whether you are making an application or need to pursue advice on what to do next – we can help. Our Immigration Solicitors in London are highly qualified to deal with your matter successfully and to get your visa or your pathway to settlement and British citizenship. We pride ourselves on offering an approachable and dependable service and offering a first-class solution at all times.
There is a plethora of My Legal Services packages at your disposal to choose from. Whether you are looking for a simple Advice Session or document checking service or whether you need fully-fledged guidance to fill out your application and representing your case or just legal advice and representation, we have the answer. No matter if you are a business seeking a sponsorship licence or an individual looking to be reunited with your family, wishing to get married etc, we have a package tailored to you.
Our client’s Always Come First and we pride ourselves to become one of the most diverse law firms in London. The firm continues to grow and this is only possible with the efforts and continuing hard work of each member of staff. We recognise the importance of Client Care and have put in place Excellent IT Services in Place. We offer you Advice in a Professional Friendly And Confidential Manner.
All our Lawyers at My Legal Services are well-versed in all aspects of Immigration Law visas and application, EEA law, Asylum Law, Business Law – and many more. From Student Visas to Work Visas; from Indefinite Leave to Remain to British Citizenship,. We also deal with cases regarding overlap of family law and immigration cases.