How Long Can I Stay in the UK with a Visitor Visa?

Visiting the UK: How long can I stay with my Visitor Visa?

If you’re planning on visiting the UK, there is a high chance that you will need help in obtaining a visitor visa for your trip. With increasingly tight regulations on entering the UK, even entering the country for a holiday can involve a complicated application process to get the right documentation.

Our expert immigration help can make this process as simple as possible and ensure that your trip to the UK goes smoothly.

Do I need to apply for a visitor visa?

Whether or not you need to apply for a visitor visa depends on a number of different factors. These include:

• If you have any previous criminal convictions
• If you have been known to have overstayed a previous visa
• If you are regarded to be a visa national

What will a visitor visa allow me to do?

Once you have successfully obtained a UK Visitor Visa, you are able to do a number of things in the UK, such as:

• Visit your family or friends
• Take a holiday in the UK
• Receive private medical treatment
• Study for up to 30 days, provided that this is not the main purpose of your visit

On a visitor visa, you cannot:

• Gain access to any UK public funds
• Undertake paid or unpaid work in the UK
• Get married, register a civil partnership or give notice of a marriage or a civil partnership. You can only do this if you have applied for the Marriage Visitor Visa.

Read more about Marriage Visas

How long can I stay in the UK on a UK Visitor Visa?

Once you have a visitor visa, you can generally stay for up to six months in the UK. However, if you travel to the UK regularly, you may also be able to apply for a long-term visit visa. These visas are valid for 2, 5 or 10 years, but you are still only allowed to stay the maximum of 6 months during any given year.

There are some exceptions to this rule, such as academic visitors and parents of children at school in the UK who are allowed to stay for an extended period of up to 12 months. We can help you assess your case and see what your allowance would be. Get in touch for help.

Documents and requirements

You will need to apply for the UK Visitor Visa 3 months before the date that you are planning to travel.

In order to be granted this visa, you will need to prove that:

• You have an end date for your visit to the UK
• You are fully able to support yourself and anyone who is dependent on you during your trip
• You are able to pay for all your expenses, including your return ticket

It is also important that you apply for the correct category of visa, as this is a statement of your intentions while in the UK. If you were to later change your purpose for coming into the country, this could be viewed as a breach of your visa conditions and could cause issues with any further visa applications or attempted visa extensions.

Let us simplify your travels

Obtaining a visitor visa UK can sometimes become more complicated than you would expect, and minor mistakes can unfortunately lead to your visa being rejected. Our expert solicitors can help simplify the process as much as possible and ensure that you can focus on enjoying your trip to the UK.

Contact us today for a chat about how we can help you.