What is a UK Standard Visitor Visa?
The Standard Visitor Visa or the UK Tourist Visa is a short-stay visa allowing an intending candidate to stay for up to 6 months in the UK.
It is mainly given to the people who travel to the United Kingdom on the purpose of tourism, visiting family friends, professional reasons, and medical treatments.
As per the UK government, the Standard Visitor visa has replaced these visas:
- Family Visitor visa
- General Visitor visa
- Child Visitor visa
- Business Visitor visa, including visas for academics, doctors and dentists
- Sports Visitor visa
- Entertainer Visitor visa
- Prospective Entrepreneur visa
- Private Medical Treatment Visitor visa
- Approved Destination Status (ADS) visa
What is the Eligibility for a UK Visitor Visa?
You should be able to prove the following to the UK Visa and Immigration Officer while applying for the following:
Convince the immigration officer about these –
- That you will be leaving the UK at the end of the trip.
- That you are capable of supporting yourself and dependents for the duration of the visit.
- You can pay for your onward or return journey and any such other costs during the trip.
- You are having proof of any business or other activities that you plan to do in the UK as permitted by the Visitor Rules.
- You will only need this to come to the UK for a visit like on holiday, attend a meeting or see family.
- You will leave the UK at the end of each visit.
Failing to convince on these aspects can give you a visa for a shorter period than requested. The application fee is not refundable when you get a shorter visa.
Your visa may also get cancelled and get a long-term ban if you have repeatedly been living in the UK for extended periods.
You will have to prove that you are highly qualified within your field of expertise.
While on sabbatical leave from the home institution and visiting the UK on a letter of invitation –
- You should take part in a formal exchange with a UK counterpart.
- You should carry out your research.
- Or, you should take part in someone else’s research, teaching, or clinical practice. This should however not involve filling a permanent teaching post.
You should be able to prove that –
- You are having a medical condition that requires private treatment or consultation in the UK.
- You have made or paid for treatment or consultation.
- You have enough money to pay and can support yourself without using public funds.
- You can pay for your onward or return journey.
- You will leave the UK after the treatment is completed or when your visa expires.
You are not having any infectious disease nor are you a danger to public health.
You will have to fulfil these visa requirements to come to the UK as an organ donor –
- You are a family member and genetically related to the recipient (a parent or sibling).
- You have a close personal relationship with the recipient (a friend or spouse).
It is also required to be proved that the organ receiving UK passport holder is legally allowed to live in the UK.
You can apply for a visitor in Transit Visa if you are not a national from EEA or Switzerland and will leave the UK within 48 hours.
- You can apply for the Direct Airside Transit Visa if you are not going through UK Immigration Control.
- You will however have to differentiate between whether you plan to go through UK Border Control.
You can also apply for a long-term multiple entry Transit Visa if you can prove that you frequently need to pass through the UK over long periods.
This type of visitor visa allows you to get married in the United Kingdom.
You will have to apply for this type of visa if you plan to:
- Register a civil partnership or get married in the UK.
- Give notice of a civil partnership or marriage in the UK.
- Not stay or settle in the UK after marriage or civil partnership.
You can directly apply for a Standard UK Visitor Visa if you wish to convert your civil partnership into a marriage.
What Documents are Required for the UK Visitor Visa?
The documents needed to support the UK Visit Visa process are:
- The online form of UK Tourist Visa Application Form VAF1A.
- 2 recent photographs as per the guidelines of the UK government.
- Valid passport.
- Proof of funds to support the stay in the UK.
- Your last 10 years of travel history.
- Bio metric information.
- Letter of Invitation.
- Fee receipts.
- Your language skills certificate.
- Medical certificates, stating that you are fit to travel to the UK.
How to Apply for a UK Standard Visitor Visa?
Plan your UK Visitor Visa process by taking the following steps.
A visa is needed for people belonging to specific nationalities. If you are an EEA citizen, a Swiss Citizen, or a Commonwealth citizen, then you are excluded for obtaining the visa type.
According to your purpose of visit, you need to choose the right type of visiting visa.
After choosing the right visa path, you need to start your application process by entering your information.
You must submit every document that will be useful to support your process. Failure in providing the required documents can sometimes lead to a slow visa process or even rejection.
Now you need to make an appointment online and get a print of the email confirmation. And, this has to be taken with you to the visa application centre along with the supporting documents.
You will be asked various questions regarding your journey as a visa applicant. You will also be asked to provide your biometric information. This will include your photograph and fingerprints.
Note: Ensure that you are providing the documents similar to the information given in the application form. Any mismatch between them can create a problem for obtaining the visa.
Related FAQS
You can usually stay in the UK for up to 6 months.
You might be able to stay for longer if:
- You’re coming to the UK for private medical treatment - up to 11 months (£190 fee)
- You’re an academic on sabbatical and coming to the UK for research - you, your spouse or civil partner may be able to stay for up to 12 months (£190 fee)
If you’re staying in the UK as an academic or to receive private medical treatment for longer than 6 months, you must apply for a biometric residence permit.
You might be able to get a visit visa for up to 30 days if you’re a Chinese citizen visiting under the Approved Destination Status (ADS) Agreement.
What Fee is Charged for a UK Standard Visitor Visa?
A Standard Visitor visa costs £95.
The fee for a long-term Standard Visitor visa depends on its length of your stay:
The most used among all the visas is the 6 months stay visa. The following table shows the fees structure in a detailed manner.
UK Standard Visitor Visa Application Fees
Visa Type | Duration | Costs |
Standard Visitor Visa | 6 Months | £95 |
Long-Term Standard Visitor Visa | 2 Years | £361 |
Long-Term Standard Visitor Visa | 5 Years | £655 |
Long-Term Standard Visitor Visa | 10 Years | £822 |
What is the Processing Time for a UK Standard Visitor Visa?
The decision on your UK Standard Visitor Visa should come within 3 weeks of attending the appointment at the Visa Application Centre. One week here is equal to 5 working days.
How can Austin Help you?
Austin Overseas Careers is the best immigration consultant in Nepal. Don’t take our word for it, we have the numbers to prove it. Served 20K+ customers and over 3K+ active cases.
We are the best immigration agents because,
- Dedicated Case Officer: We offer personal assistance and a single point of contact between the company and you, throughout the process.
- Decade-long Expertise: We have an experienced team with a proven track of success
- Guided documentation: Right from evaluation to Visa application and documentation, followed by post-landing services.
- Highlighting opportunities: Highlighting high-potential opportunities across global industries
- Helping you succeed: Be it providing you interview training, French/English courses or working samples for resumes, cover letters or assisting with application forms, medical or police clearance certificates – we will always be there for you.
You can expect a one-stop solution for all your visa needs from profile evaluation, documentation, application drafting to post-visa services with Austin.
Other Important FAQs
Before entering into the UK, there would be a background verification performed by the entry clearance officers. The officers consider many factors to accept your application. If you fail the verification, then you are bound to get refused.
Below are a few general grounds of refusal:
- False Representation
- Fraud and Forgery
- Failure to Cooperate
- Non-Disclosure of Material Facts
- Criminal History
- Medical Grounds
- A Threat to National Security
- Exclusion for the Public Good
- Travel Ban
- Bad Immigration History, etc.
You can be involved in any business activities in the UK as per the visa rules. There are a few cases where the UK Standard Visitor Visa can also be extended to some extent.
Yes, they do. An individual from India with a plan to visit the United Kingdom on a short-term basis such as holidays, visiting families, medical treatment, etc., will need a UK Tourist Visa. Without a valid visa in hand, you cannot enter the UK.
The UK Visitor Visa for Indians is not difficult to get. The UK encourages visitors to make the most of their travel to the country. With more people from India travelling to the UK every year, the Government of the UK continues to make improvements to the visa services.
You can:
- take part in any of the business-related activities mentioned in the Visitor Rules
- study for up to 30 days, as long as it’s not the main reason for your visit
- take part in an exchange programme or educational visit (if you’re under 18)
- convert your civil partnership into a marriage
- pass through the UK in transit (on your way to another country)
You cannot:
- do paid or unpaid work
- live in the UK for long periods of time through frequent visits
- get public funds
- marry or register a civil partnership, or give notice of marriage or civil partnership
Read the guidance for more information about what you can and cannot do with a Standard Visitor visa.