The UK immigration rules for visitors allow people from most countries to visit the UK for up to 6 months without a visa. This is known as the Standard Visitor visa. You can visit the UK for tourism, business, study (courses up to 6 months), and other permitted activities.
To be eligible for a Standard Visitor visa, you must:
- Have a passport or travel document that is valid for the whole of your stay.
- Be able to show that you will leave the UK at the end of your visit.
- Be able to support yourself and your dependents during your trip (or have funding from someone else to support you).
- Be able to pay for your return or onward journey (or have funding from someone else to pay for the journey).
- Not live in the UK for extended periods through frequent or successive visits, or make the UK your main home.
If you are applying for a Standard Visitor visa, you will need to provide the following documents:
- Your passport or travel document.
- A completed application form.
- A recent passport-style photograph.
- Evidence of your financial support (such as bank statements, payslips, or a letter from a sponsor).
- Evidence of your travel arrangements (such as a flight or train ticket).
- Evidence of your purpose of visit (such as a letter from your employer or a hotel booking).
Related:
- UK Immigration Rules For Workers
- UK Immigration Rules For Business
- UK Immigration Rules For Students
- UK Immigration Rules For Family
You can apply for a Standard Visitor visa online or at a visa application centre. The application fee is £100 for up to 6 months.
If you are granted a Standard Visitor visa, you will be able to stay in the UK for up to 6 months. You can extend your stay for up to a total of 6 months, but you can only apply to stay for longer than 6 months if you are:
- A patient receiving medical treatment.
- A student taking a course that is longer than 6 months.
- A businessperson who is coming to the UK to work on a specific project.
If you overstay your visa, you may be fined or deported.
Here are some other things to keep in mind about the UK immigration rules for visitors:
- You may need to apply for a visa if you are from a visa required country.
- You may need to get an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) if you are from a country that requires one.
- You may need to provide additional documents if you are applying for a visa for a specific purpose, such as business or study.