If you visit the UK regularly and are looking to spend several months at a time in the country going forward, you may be interested in applying for a Standard Visitor visa. Today’s blog will provide an overview of the UK Standard Visitor visa, which is available to eligible applicants who meet its specific requirements. Learn how to apply for a Standard Visitor visa, what you can do with a visitor visa, and other essential information such as how long you can stay with one, and how long a visitor visa takes (in terms of processing times). This—and more—below!
Apply for a Standard Visitor visa
- 1. Decide when you want to travel
- When planning your trip, you will want to keep in mind how long a visitor visa takes to be processed so that you give yourself enough time to prepare your application. However, applicants should take care not to apply too early (i.e. no earlier than three months prior to their trip).
- You should also keep in mind the fact that you will have to travel to a visa application center in order to have your biometric information (photo and fingerprints) collected. Depending on where you are located, you may have to leave your country in order to find an available center.
- The majority of applicants receive their UK Standard Visitor in three weeks or less, so at the minimum, you should apply at least three weeks prior to traveling.
- 2. Check your eligibility requirements
- In order to be eligible for a Standard Visitor visa, an applicant needs to demonstrate that they:
- Can financially afford their time in the country.
- Can financially afford to travel out of the country.
- Will exit the country before their visa expires.
- Have evidence of what they want to do in the country on their visitor visa.
- Please note that the above requirements apply generally to those seeking a visitor’s visa. Those who are visiting the UK to receive private medical care, participate in certain study programs, participate in academia, or be an organ donor, are subject to additional, category-specific eligibility requirements (this also applies to those who are 17 years old and younger as well as those seeking Long-Term Standard visitor’s visas.
- 3. Learn what you can do with a visitor visa (and what you can’t)
- Before you apply, you should learn about the terms and conditions of your visa so that you don’t violate them once you are over there (or apply for a visa category that does not serve your needs). When it comes to the Standard Visitor visa, you can enter the country on that visa for the purpose of tourism, business, private medical care, for education, as a scholar/professor, and as a transiting passenger. See what you can specifically do within each category, below:
- If your reason for travel is tourism, you may do the following with your standard visa:
- Go on vacation.
- Socialize with relatives and friends.
- Volunteer (for no longer than 30 days) for a non-profit that is officially registered.
- Participate in a study abroad program.
- Take a class (for no longer than 30 days)—such as a painting class.
- If your reason for travel is business, you may do the following:
- Attend business gatherings/conferences, etc.
- For a full list of what specific business things you can do with a Standard visitor visa, contact us here.
- If your reason for travel is medical, you may do the following:
- Donate an organ to a relative or someone you know very well.
- Receive medical care at a private facility.
- If your reason for travel is education, you may do the following:
- Stay for half a year to take classes at an educational facility.
- Conduct research related to what you are studying in your country of residence.
- Take an elective (relevant for those studying to be doctors, dentists and veterinarians).
- If you are traveling because you are a professor/scholar who is affiliated with an educational facility abroad, you may do the following:
- Conduct research (in the event that you are on sabbatical).
- Participate in academic exchange programs in parallel with Britain-based academics affiliated with your institution.
- If you are a dentist or doctor of senior standing, you may teach, conduct research, and perform clinical practice while in a short term position.
- If you are traveling to the UK simply to transit through an airport there, you can do that with a Standard visitor visa so long as your onward destination is abroad (however, most people in this position would simply apply for a Transit visa rather than a Standard Visitor visa).
- You are banned from doing the following on a Standard Visitor visa:
- Being employed in the country (either working for yourself or for a British company).
- While you can visit the UK regularly, you cannot reside in the country by effectively traveling there so often.
- Studying for more than half a year.
- Getting married or registered as a civil partner—or revealing that you intend to do this. (If you want to come to the UK for the purpose of marriage, you should apply for a Marriage visitor visa).
- Receiving UK welfare.
- 4. Gather your required materials
- All applicants for the Standard Visitor visa must submit a passport, as well as additional documents and materials that reflect the below information (the specific documents you need to submit will be revealed to you once you begin your online application process):
- When you intend to go on your trip to Britain.
- An estimation of the financial cost of your trip.
- The location you will be living at throughout your time there.
- Where you live currently (as well as specific details about the length of time you have stayed there).
- Your annual salary (in the event you are employed).
- The names and birthdates of both your mother and father.
- Criminal history and background (if relevant).
- 5. Apply online
- The application process for the Standard Visitor visa is almost entirely online. Using the online system, you will submit your required documents, pay your Standard Visitor visa fees and make an appointment at a visa application center to have your biometric information collected.
- Please note that Standard Visitor visa fees vary based on how long you want to stay. The fee for a basic Standard Visitor visa is £95—the cost for a two, five and ten year Long Term Standard Visitor visa is £361, is £655, and £822, respectively.
- Please note that you must physically be abroad (i.e. not in Britain) when you apply for your Standard Visitor visa.
- When you are ready to apply, contact us here.
- 6. Attend your visa appointment
- The in-person component of the UK Standard Visitor visa involves the above-mentioned biometric data collection, which is essentially evidence of your identity. You will need to travel to an application center in order to fulfill this requirement. These sites are located in countries around the world.
- 7. Await your decision
- As mentioned above, the majority of applicants receive their UK Standard Visitor in three weeks or fewer. If your application is successful, you will be informed of this via email.
- If you go forward with your trip, you should be aware of how long you can stay in the country, which depends both on your reason for travel and how much you pay.
- Most Standard Visitor visa holders are able to remain in the country for a maximum period of half a year (6 months), at a cost of £95. However, those who are traveling to receive medical care may be eligible to remain in the country for 11 months, if they pay £190. Finally, certain categories of eligible scholars can remain in the country for up to a year.
Asaad