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UK Standard Visitor Visa

Home / United Kingdom / United Kingdom Standard Visitor Visa

About the UK Visitor Visa

General Information

The UK Standard Visitor Visa allows non-EEA and non-Swiss nationals to visit the UK for up to six months for purposes such as tourism, business, or short study.

This visa is available as either single entry for up to six months or multiple entry, allowing stays of up to six months per visit over a period of two, five, or 10 years, depending on your circumstances.

Regardless of validity, this visa is designed for short term visits and does not allow extended or frequent living in the UK

The UK Visitor Visa fees depend on several factors such as:

1 Visa agent fees:For example, Visa First charges €500 for assistance with a UK Visitor Visa application

2 Requested visa duration:The fees vary depending on the visa's length. For instance:

* €140 for a 6-month visa

* €540 for a 2-year visa

3 Local visa office fees:Some visa application centers charge an additional service fee (around €90) for accepting your application and forwarding it to the relevant processing office

4 Additional services: Extra services may incur additional fees, such as:

* Priority Processing: approximately €620

* Convenient appointments (e.g., Prime Time or Flexi appointments): around €130

* "Keep My Passport" service, return courier options, and other add-ons

Eligibility

To be eligible for a UK Standard Visitor Visa, some general requirements include:

  • Your purpose of visit should be for activities such as tourism, business, short-term study, academic research, private medical treatment, or visiting family/friends
  • You cannot work, take up long-term study, or engage in employment
Required documents

The general UK Visitor Visa requirements include:

  • A passport valid for the duration of your stay with least one blank page for the visa
  • Completed UK Visitor Visa application form
  • Information on your accommodation arrangements, such as hotel reservations, or an invitation letter from a friend or family member if staying with them or invitation letter from business with information about planned address of stay
  • Proof of intention to leave the UK at the end of your visit. This includes evidence of ties to your home country (e.g., family, employment, property ownership, or other commitments)
  • Proof of adequate funds to support your stay in the UK for example, pay slips, bank statements, or sponsorship letters
UK Visitor Visa Processing Time

You should get a decision on your visa within 3 weeks when you apply from outside the UK.

Cost

€
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FAQ

You can stay for a maximum of six months on a Standard UK Visitor Visa but the actual allowed period of stay is determined by the border officer upon entry

To be eligible for a UK visitor visa, you must:

  • Be travelling for some of the following activities including tourism, visiting family, or business
  • Be able to pay for your trip yourself (or have a sponsor)
  • Plan to leave the UK after your visit
  • Have no long-term plans to stay, work, or study in the UK

Note that not all nationalities need to apply for a UK Visitor Visa in advance for short stays. For example, visitors from the US, Canada, Australia, and EU countries can usually enter without a visa for up to six months. 

However, many others, especially in Asia, Africa, and South America, need to apply in advance.

If you are granted a multiple entry visa, there’s no strict limit on how many times you can visit the UK on a visitor visa, as long as you don’t plan on living in the UK long term and you don’t exceed the six month limit per visit.

 It is generally not recommended to overstay your tourist visa in the UK. However, if you overstay more than 30 days, you may not be granted future visits to the UK.

The UK visitor visa can be valid for 6-months, two, five, or 10 years, depending on what you are granted. This means that you can enter the UK within that time frame for a maximum of six months on each visit.

The processing time can vary depending on various factors, however, it generally takes around three weeks to get a decision once your application has been submitted at the visa office.

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