Visitor Visas
General and family visitor visa services
Visitor visas for family visitors are not the same, anyone can visit the UK if they meet certain conditions. Such visas are usually granted for 6 months. However family visitors have certain additional very important rights. Let us advise you who is defined as a family visitor and what their additional rights are.
All visitors or tourists from visa national countries are required to obtain a visitor’s visa before they embark on their journey to the UK.
The requirements to be met and the different types of visitor’s visa have changed almost beyond recognition in the last five years, and certainly in the years that this firm has been providing visa advice and service to clients.
Typically there are two main criteria to be satisfied when a person wishes to visit the UK, and they are:
1. Intentions, and
2. Incentives
There are a number of categories of visitor’s visas, examples of the most commonly used ones are:
General visitor visas
This is the most common type of visitor’s visa, and is design for people who wish to come to the UK for holidays, to visit friends and relatives sight-seeing etc. People wishing to come to the UK under this category must be 18 years of age or over, and be able to satisfy the requirements below:-
- The visitor is genuinely seeking entry as a general visitor for a limited period as stated by him/her, not exceeding 6 months or not exceeding 12 months in the case of a person seeking entry to accompany an academic visitor (as their child, spouse or partner), provided in the latter case the visitor accompanying the academic visitor has entry clearance;
- intends to leave the United Kingdom at the end of the period of the visit as stated by him/her; and does not intend to live for extended periods in the United Kingdom through frequent or successive visits;
- Does not intend to engage in employment.
- does not intend to produce goods or provide services including the selling of goods or services direct to members of the public
- Does not intend to undertake a course of study unless the duration of that course of study is less than 30 days.
- will maintain and accommodate him/herself and any dependants adequately out of resources available to him/her without recourse to public funds or taking employment; or will, with any dependants, be maintained and/or accommodated adequately by relatives or friends who can demonstrate they are able and intend to do so, and are legally present in the United Kingdom, or will be at the time of their visit;
- can meet the cost of the return or onward journey;
A child visitor’s visa
- The child must be under 18 years old.
- Is genuinely seeking entry as a child visitor for a limited period as stated, not exceeding 6 months.
- Can demonstrate that suitable arrangements have been made for their travel to, and reception and care in the United Kingdom.
- has a parent or guardian in their home country or country of habitual residence who is responsible for their care and who confirms that they consent to the arrangements for the applicant’s travel, reception and care in the United Kingdom, and if a visa national:
- Holds a valid United Kingdom entry clearance for entry as an accompanied child visitor and is travelling in the company of the adult identified on the entry clearance, who is on the same occasion being admitted to the United Kingdom.
- Can maintain and accommodate him/herself adequately out of resources available to him/her without recourse to public funds or taking employment or will be maintained and/or accommodated adequately by relatives or friends who can demonstrate they are able and intend to do so, and are legally present in the United Kingdom, or will be at the time of their visit.
- Can meet the cost of the return or onward journey.
Visitor visas for Private Medical Treatment
A person seeking leave to enter the UK as a visitor for private medical treatment must meet these requirements;
- Is genuinely seeking entry in roder to receive private medical treatment in the UK for an initial period as stated by him/her.
- Not exceeding six months; or not exceeding 11 months, where the visitor’s medical practitioner has confirmed that the period of treatment is likely to exceed six months and provided the person has entry clearance as a visitor.
- Meets the requirements set out in the Immigration Rules paragraph 41(iii)–(vii), (ix)-(x) and (xii) (except that the requirement in paragraph 41(v) is to be read as if it were not qualified by paragraph 43A for entry as a general visitor).
- In the case of a person suffering from a communicable disease, has satisfied the Medical Inspector that there is no danger to public health.
- Can show that any proposed course of treatment is of finite duration.
- Intends to leave the UK at the end of the treatment.
- Can produce satisfactory evidence that the medical condition requiring consultation or treatment.
- The estimated costs of such consultation or treatment.
- Satisfactory arrangements for the necessary consultation or treatment at his/her own expense are in place.
- The likely duration of the treatment.
- Sufficient funds available to the person in the UK to meet the estimated costs and the person’s undertaking to meet such costs.
Visitors Visa for the purposes of marriage or to enter a civil partnership
A person seeking leave to enter the United Kingdom as a visitor for marriage or civil partnership must:
- Meet the requirements set out in Immigration Rules paragraph 41 (i) – (ix) and (xi) – (xii) (except that the requirement in paragraph 41(v) is to be read as if it were not qualified by paragraph 43A)
- Show that he/she intends to give notice of marriage or civil partnership, or marry or form a civil partnership, in the United Kingdom within the period for which entry is sought.
- Produce satisfactory evidence of the arrangements for giving notice of marriage or civil partnership, or for his/her wedding or civil partnership to take place, in the United Kingdom during the period for which entry is sought.
- Demonstrate they do not intend to enter into a sham marriage or sham civil partnership.
- Hold a valid UK entry clearance for entry in this capacity.
A person seeking leave to enter the United Kingdom as a visitor for marriage or civil partnership may be admitted for a period not exceeding 6 months. This is subject to a condition prohibiting employment, study and recourse to public funds. The Immigration Officer must be satisfied that these requirements are met.