To come to the United Kingdom as a visitor you must be able to show that you
- Only want to visit the United Kingdom for up to six months;
- Plan to leave the United Kingdom at the end of your visit;
- Have enough money to support and accommodate yourself without working, help from public funds or you will be supported and accommodated by relatives or friends
- Do not intend to charge members of the public for services provided or goods received;
- Do not intend to study; and
- Can meet the cost of the return or onward journey.
If you want to do business during your visit you also have to show that you: - Normally live and work abroad and you have no plans to base yourself in the United Kingdom; and
- Do not plan to work, produce goods or provide services in the United Kingdom.
What documents do I need to enter the United Kingdom as a visitor?
You need - A letter from your employer granting leave of absence from your job for a specified period. The letter should also say how long you have been employed by that employer, in what job(s) and should indicate when you are expected back at work;
- If you are self-employed, evidence of your business activities and financial standing;
- Evidence of any property you own in your home country;
- If you are a student, a letter from your school or college stating which course you are on, its start and finish dates and the dates of the holiday period which you intend to visit the United Kingdom;
- It will also help if you can show that you have family or social ties and responsibilities to return to;
- Evidence of any firm travel plans you have made;
- Bank statements going back over a period of several months; and
- Evidence of savings available to you.
Can I study in the UK?
You can study in the UK as a visitor but you will only be allowed to stay in the UK for a maximum of six months. If the purpose of your visit is to study, either full-time or for more than six months then you should apply for a student visa.
Can I receive medical treatment in the UK?
You can apply for a visit visa to travel to the UK to receive private medical treatment.
You must be able to show that: - Satisfactory arrangements for the necessary consultation or treatment have been made
- Sufficient funds are available to meet the cost of the treatment
- You have enough money to support and accommodate yourself adequately without working or help from public funds
- You intend to leave the UK when you have completed your treatment
You may also be required to produce: - A doctor's letter which provides details of the medical condition which requires treatment
- Confirmation that satisfactory arrangements have been made for the consultation or treatment and how long the treatment will take.
- Evidence that there are sufficient funds available to meet the cost of the consultation and/or treatment. You may also be asked to give an undertaking that you will meet those costs.
- You may have to attend an interview and you may be asked to provide further documentation.
Can I stay more than six months for medical treatment?
If you need to stay longer than six months to complete your medical treatment you can apply to the Home Office by post or in person to one of their public enquiry offices. The contact address is at the end of this guidance.
Visitors are not allowed to enter or remain in the UK to receive treatment on the National Health Service.
Does the UK have any reciprocal health care arrangements with my country?
The UK has reciprocal arrangements with a number of foreign governments whereby their nationals can be referred to the UK for the purpose of receiving free hospital treatment under the National Health Service. Information about these arrangements is available on the Department of Health website (www.dh.gov.uk).
Do I need a visa if I am transiting the UK on the way to another country?
If you are a visa national you will require a visa to enter the UK in transit (see Do I need a visa to visit the UK?).
If you are entering the UK in transit to another country and will remain in the UK for no longer than 48 hours, you will need to obtain a "visitor in transit " visa. If you wish to stay in the UK for more than 48 hours you will need to apply for a visit visa.
You may be able to transit the UK, at the discretion of the Immigration Officer, without holding a "visitor in transit visa". This is known as the Transit without Visa concession (TWOV).
Do I qualify for the TWOV concession?
To qualify you must: - Arrive on a cruise ship and depart on the same ship within 24 hours
- Arrive and depart by air within 24 hours with no intention of remaining in the UK. (You may travel by rail or road between two airports)
- Arrive and depart by air within 24 hours with no intention of remaining in the UK. (You may travel by rail or road between two airports)
- Have the documents you will need to be allowed to enter the country you are travelling to
- Have the documents you will need for any other country that you may pass through on your journey
Are there any nationalities excluded from the TWOV concession?
This concession does not apply to certain visa nationals, who must hold a visa to pass through the UK on the way to another country, even if they are not entering the UK or changing airports. This is known as a "direct airside transit" visa (DATV). If you are a national of certain countries you will need to have a valid UK direct airside transit visa.
Passengers holding a direct airside transit visa will not be able to pass through immigration control. You will not normally be allowed to remain overnight to await an onward connection.
Can I use my visitor in transit visa more than once?
Your visitor in transit visa will usually be valid for six months and may be used to transit the UK throughout its validity, provided that both your passport and visa for the country that you are travelling to remain valid beyond the expiry of the transit visa. The visa will only be valid for entry to the UK if these conditions are met on each journey through the UK.