tourist visa documents uk

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How to apply for a visa to come to the UK

Choose a visa.

You may need a visa to come to the UK to study, work, visit or join family.

There are different visas depending on:

• where you come from
• why you want to come to the UK
• how long you want to stay for
• your personal circumstances and skills

Before you apply, you must check if you need a visa and what type you need. Depending on your nationality, you might not need a visa to visit or transit through the UK.

Your application must be approved before you travel.

You do not need to apply for a visa if you’re an Irish citizen.

If you want to visit the UK

Apply for a Standard Visitor visa to visit the UK for up to 6 months. For example:

• for a holiday or to see family and friends
• for a business trip or meeting
• to do a short course of study

You must apply for a Marriage Visitor visa if you want to visit the UK to get married or register a civil partnership.

If you have a visitor visa you cannot take a job in the UK.

If you’re travelling through the UK

You might need a visa if you’re travelling through the UK on your way to another country, for example if you have a layover between flights.

Apply for a visa to travel through the UK .

If you want to study in the UK

Your course length, type and place of study affect which visa to apply for.

A Standard Visitor visa lets you do a short course of study that lasts no longer than 6 months.

A Short-term study visa lets you come to the UK to study an English language course that is over 6 months and up to 11 months.

A Student visa is usually for a longer course. You must be sponsored by a licensed college or university and have a confirmed place. On this visa, you may be able to do some work.

A Child Student visa is for 4 to 17 year olds who want to study at an independent school. If you’re 16 or over, this visa lets you do some work.

If you want to work in the UK

You can work in the UK on a short or long-term basis with a work visa. There are many types of work visa .

The visa you need depends upon:

• your skills and qualifications
• if you have a job offer and sponsorship
• if you want to bring your family with you
• what you’ll be doing - for example sporting, charitable or religious work

You can set up a business with an Innovator Founder visa .

If you want to join family in the UK

If you’re a spouse, partner or family member of someone who has British citizenship or settlement in the UK, you can apply for a family visa to join them. They may need to show that they can support you financially.

You may be able to apply for indefinite leave to remain ( ILR ) after a set amount of time living in the UK.

If your family member is in the UK on a visa

You may be able to apply for a visa to join a family member who’s in the UK on a visa. They must be either:

• your spouse or partner
• your parent if you’re 18 or under

Check what visa you’ll need to join them.

Family reunion visas for refugees

If you were separated from your partner or child when you were forced to leave your country, they can apply to join you in the UK.

Your family members can apply if you have been given asylum or 5 years’ humanitarian protection, and not have British citizenship.

If your family member is from the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein

You can apply for a free EU Settlement Scheme family permit to come to the UK if you have a close family member who:

• was living in the UK by 31 December 2020
• has pre-settled or settled status
• you had a relationship with by 31 December 2020 (unless you’re applying for a child who was born or adopted after this date)

Close family members include your spouse or civil partner, child, grandchild, parent or grandparent.

A family permit lets you live, work and study in the UK for up to 6 months. You can apply to the EU Settlement Scheme to stay in the UK after your family permit expires. You usually need to apply within 3 months of arriving in the UK.

Other ways to get permission to live in the UK

If you’re from the eu, switzerland, norway, iceland or liechtenstein.

If you started living in the UK by 31 December 2020, you may be able to apply to the free EU Settlement Scheme instead of applying for a visa. The deadline to apply was 30 June 2021, but you can still apply if you can show reasonable grounds for the delay in applying.

Check if you can still apply to the EU Settlement Scheme .

You can only apply from outside the UK if you have a valid passport or national identity card with a biometric chip.

Commonwealth citizens

You can apply for an Ancestry visa to work in the UK if you have a British grandparent and meet other eligibility criteria.

You may have right of abode to live in the UK.

If you’re a Commonwealth citizen and cannot prove your right to be in the UK, read about the Windrush scheme .

Returning residents

You’ll need to apply for a returning resident visa to come back to the UK if one of the following is true:

you had indefinite leave to remain under the EU Settlement Scheme (‘settled status’) and left the UK for more than 5 continuous years (or 4 continuous years if you’re a Swiss citizen or their family member)

you had permanent permission to stay in the UK (‘indefinite leave to remain’) but it was not under the EU Settlement Scheme and you left the UK for more than 2 years

Other visas

There may be another visa that’s right for you based on your circumstances. Check if you need a visa and what other visas you’re eligible for.

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Documents Required for UK Visitor Visa

Anne morris.

• 23 August 2020

IN THIS SECTION

When filing an application for a visitor visa with UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI), there are numerous documents that you will need to submit to evidence your eligibility. Failure to provide adequate or required documentation risks your application being delayed or refused. The following guide for visa applicants examines the eligibility criteria and the documents required for your UK visitor visa application.

What is the UK visitor visa?

If you are national of a non-European Economic Area (EEA) country or Switzerland and you would like to visit the UK for the purposes of business or pleasure you will probably need to apply for a standard visitor visa.

In particular, you will need to apply for a standard visitor visa if you would like to visit the UK for the following reasons:

• For leisure purposes, such as going on holiday or visiting family
• For a business trip, such as attending various meetings
• To take part in a sporting or creative event
• To undergo private medical treatment

If you are granted a UK visitor visa you will usually be permitted to stay in the UK for a period of up to 6 months. However, in the event that you intend to visit the UK regularly over a longer period, you can apply for what’s known as a long-term visitor visa that lasts for either 2, 5 or 10 years. Under a long-term visa you can stay for a maximum of 6 months on each visit.

That said, even where you are granted a long-term visitor visa, you will not be permitted to undertake paid employment in the UK or enrol on a full-time course of study. Further, under any type of standard visitor visa, you must not intend to access medical treatment other than private medical treatment, or to marry or form a civil partnership, or to give notice of this in the UK.

What are the eligibility criteria?

The rules relating to the UK visitor visa are set out under Appendix V of the Immigration Rules. These rules set out, amongst other things, the standard eligibility criteria for all non-EEA visitors.

To be eligible for a visitor visa you must satisfy the following requirements:

• You will leave the UK by the end of your permitted stay
• You have enough money without recourse to public UK funds to support and provide accommodation for yourself
• You can pay for your return or onward journey

You will also need to provide proof of the purpose for your visit, for example, the nature of any business or tourist activities, not least because you will need to satisfy UKVI that you are genuinely seeking entry to the UK for a purpose permitted under the visitor route.

Where you are applying for a long-term visitor visa, you will also need to demonstrate that you will not reside in the UK for extended periods through frequent or successive stays, or try to make the UK your main home.

Which documents are required for the UK visitor visa?

First and foremost, when submitting an application for a UK visitor visa, you will need to provide UKVI with a current passport or other valid travel document. This is a mandatory requirement. You will need a blank page in your passport for your visitor visa, and your passport should remain valid for the entire period of your stay in the UK, ie; for up to six months.

You may also want to provide any expired passports or travel documents to evidence your previous travel history, especially where you are applying for a long-term visitor visa and don’t want to risk being perceived as an applicant who is likely to use a visitor visa in an attempt to set up home in the UK.

You will also need to provide documentary evidence in support of the purpose for your visit, as well as each of the eligibility criteria, namely that you will leave at the end of your visit and you have enough money to support yourself during your stay in the UK, as well as for your return or onward journey.

Purpose of your visit

The nature of your visit to the UK will determine the nature and extent of the documentation that you will need to provide here. As a starting point, you should provide a detailed travel itinerary.

If you are coming to the UK for the purpose of undertaking business activities, you will need to provide documentary evidence of your employment or occupation outside the UK, for example, a letter from your employer that specifies the business reason for your visit. You should also provide any letters from inviting organisations, and so on, to evidence your attendance at any meetings or conferences, etc.

By way of further example, if you are coming to the UK to undergo private medical treatment, you will need to prove that you suffer from a medical condition that requires private consultation or treatment in the UK and that you have made or paid for arrangements for a consultation or treatment.

As such, you will need to provide a letter from your doctor or consultant in the UK that includes details of the condition requiring treatment or consultation, the estimated cost and duration of treatment and details of where that treatment or consultation will take place.

You will also need to demonstrate that you have enough money to pay for all of this, in addition to supporting yourself during your stay in the UK, and for your return or onward journey (see below).

Intention to leave

As part of the criteria for any temporary visa, you must show an intention to leave the UK at the end of your visit. As such, you will need to provide documentation of any personal, professional and economic ties outside the UK, including confirmation of your legal residence, as well as details of any employment or studies where you have stated in your application that you are either employed or in full-time education.

This could include an official letter from your employer, printed on company headed paper, detailing your role, salary and length of employment or a letter from your education provider confirming your enrolment and leave of absence.

Sufficient funds

In respect of proving that you have sufficient funds to support and accommodate yourself while in the UK, you will need to provide proof of earnings or savings by way of wage slips and/or bank statements etc.

You may also rely on evidence that the necessary financial support will be provided by a third party. You can prove this with a written undertaking from your ‘sponsor’ ie relative, friend, business associate. There must however be a genuine personal or professional relationship and the financial support has to be available to you for the duration of your planned stay in the UK.

There is no set threshold or level of funds required to prove you have enough money to live on during your stay in the UK, but it is sensible to calculate and be able to show that the funds you are relying on, such as income and/savings, are sufficient to cover your existing financial commitments as well as the likely costs you will incur while in the UK without undertaking paid employment or accessing public funds.

The evidence of funds must also include the cost of your return or onward travel arrangements and any costs relating to dependants who will be travelling with you to the UK.

Document formats

All documents submitted in support of an application for a UK visitor visa must be originals rather than photocopies. They must also be in English. If any documentation is not in English, you must provide the original and a full translation that has been independently verified.

Each translated document must contain the following:

• confirmation from the translator that it is an accurate translation of the original document
• the date of the translation
• the translator’s full name and signature
• their contact details

It is also important to remember that even where documentation is submitted in the correct format, this does not necessarily guarantee your application for a UK visitor visa will be successful. Much will still depend on whether UKVI is satisfied that you have met all of the eligibility criteria and that the stated purpose for your visit to the UK is legitimate.

UKVI will assess your credibility and intentions to visit the UK based on the information contained within your application and the documentation submitted in support. Needless to say, UKVI must be satisfied that you are a genuine visitor based on all of this evidence in its totality.

If you refuse to give biometric information, your immigration application will be rejected and it could lead to your deportation from the UK.

How to submit the documents required for a UK visitor visa

Having submitted your online application for a visitor visa from outside the UK, you will be given instructions on how to file your documentation in support. Typically, you will be required to make an appointment at a visa application centre in your country of residence to provide your biometric information, ie; a scan of your fingerprints and digital photograph of your face.

At the appointment, you will also need to submit the necessary documents. The document checklist in your application will explain what to provide.

In the event that you fail to provide one of the recommended documents, this is not, of itself, an automatic ground for refusal, but any failure to provide sufficient evidence in support of your application may lead to a finding that you have not met all of the eligibility criteria.

Please note, some visa application centres may need to keep your passport and other documentation while they process your application.

Refused visitor visa application?

In the event that you fail to submit the necessary documentation in support of your application for a UK visitor visa, or the documents that you submit are not in the correct format, you run the risk of your application being delayed or refused by UKVI and your application fee being non-refundable.

Needless to say, in the event that an applicant for a UK visitor visa is caught submitting falsified documents, or you have otherwise provided false or incomplete information to UKVI, this will constitute a ground for refusal.

If the application is refused, there is no right of appeal against a refusal of a visit visa. The notification letter will detail the grounds for refusal. It is possible to make a new application for a visit visa, but applicants should ensure their new submission addresses the reasons for refusal through, for example, additional information, documentation and evidence.

Documents to travel with?

Even if you are successfully granted a UK visitor visa, this does not necessarily guarantee that you will be allowed into the UK. You may still be refused entry by border officials in the event that they are not satisfied that the reason for your visit is genuine, or that you plan to engage in activities that are prohibited under this route.

As such, in addition to the documentation submitted in support of your application for a UK visitor visa, you should always carry with you some documentary proof of the purpose for your trip.

By way of example, a tourist should have proof of where they are staying, with whom and any travel itinerary, whereas a business visitor should provide proof of any meetings or other business-related activities that they plan to undertake.

It is also sensible to carry some documentary evidence that you have sufficient funds to support yourself during your stay in the UK and that you intend to return to your country of residence. Again this should include proof of your earnings and any savings, as well as evidence of any personal, professional and economic ties to your country of residence.

Need assistance?

DavidsonMorris are experienced UK immigration specialists offering guidance and support to individuals in relation to their UK immigration status and making Home Office applications. We can advise on the eligibility criteria you will need to evidence and the process you will need to follow for your application. We can also help where you have dependants applying for permission to join you in the UK.

For specialist UK immigration advice, contact us .

Last updated: 20 August 2020

Founder and Managing Director Anne Morris is a fully qualified solicitor and trusted adviser to large corporates through to SMEs, providing strategic immigration and global mobility advice to support employers with UK operations to meet their workforce needs through corporate immigration.

She is a recognised by Legal 500 and Chambers as a legal expert and delivers Board-level advice on business migration and compliance risk management as well as overseeing the firm’s development of new client propositions and delivery of cost and time efficient processing of applications.

Anne is an active public speaker, immigration commentator , and immigration policy contributor and regularly hosts training sessions for employers and HR professionals

• Anne Morris https://www.davidsonmorris.com/author/anne/ UK Minimum Wage: Guide for Employers in 2024
• Anne Morris https://www.davidsonmorris.com/author/anne/ Understanding ICE Agreements: A Guide for Employers
• Anne Morris https://www.davidsonmorris.com/author/anne/ Understanding the Trade Union Act 1992 for Employers
• Anne Morris https://www.davidsonmorris.com/author/anne/ Breaks for 8-Hour Work Shifts: Employer Guide

About DavidsonMorris

As employer solutions lawyers, DavidsonMorris offers a complete and cost-effective capability to meet employers’ needs across UK immigration and employment law, HR and global mobility .

Led by Anne Morris, one of the UK’s preeminent immigration lawyers, and with rankings in The Legal 500 and Chambers & Partners , we’re a multi-disciplinary team helping organisations to meet their people objectives, while reducing legal risk and nurturing workforce relations.

Read more about DavidsonMorris here . 

Legal Disclaimer

The matters contained in this article are intended to be for general information purposes only. This article does not constitute legal advice, nor is it a complete or authoritative statement of the law, and should not be treated as such. Whilst every effort is made to ensure that the information is correct at the time of writing, no warranty, express or implied, is given as to its accuracy and no liability is accepted for any error or omission. Before acting on any of the information contained herein, expert legal advice should be sought.

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