UK Medical Visa: Visit the UK for Private Medical Treatment

What is a UK medical visa?

A UK medical visa is a Standard Visitor visa used to come to the UK for private medical treatment, NHS treatment funded by your own government, or to donate an organ to a relative or close friend. You can normally stay up to 6 months, or apply for an 11-month visa if your treatment will take longer.

There is no separate “medical visa” category in the Immigration Rules. Medical visits are a permitted activity under the Standard Visitor route in Appendix V: Visitor, with extra evidence requirements set out by the Home Office in its guidance on visiting the UK for medical reasons. If you are coming for tourism or family visits instead, see our main UK visit visa page.

On a medical visit you can:

• Have private medical treatment at a hospital or other medical facility, which you pay for yourself
• Have treatment at an NHS hospital if your own government pays under a reciprocal healthcare arrangement
• Donate an organ to a genetically related family member or someone you have a close personal relationship with, including being assessed as a potential donor match

Do I need a visa or an ETA to visit the UK for medical treatment?

It depends on your nationality. Visa nationals must apply for a Standard Visitor visa before travelling; non-visa nationals (such as US, Canadian or Australian citizens) can come for up to 6 months with an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA), which costs £20.

However, everyone needs a visa if the treatment will last longer than 6 months. In that case you must apply for the 11-month medical visa from outside the UK — an ETA cannot be extended past 6 months. Check the GOV.UK ETA guidance before booking.

UK medical visa requirements for private treatment

To get a UK medical visa for private treatment, you must show a genuine medical need, confirmed arrangements with a UK doctor or hospital, enough money to pay for treatment and your stay, and that you will leave the UK when treatment ends.

You must meet the general Standard Visitor requirements and also provide a letter from your doctor or consultant setting out:

1. Your medical condition and why you need consultation or treatment in the UK
2. The estimated cost and likely duration of the treatment
3. Where the treatment will take place

You must also show that:

• You can pay for the treatment, accommodation, travel and living costs (bank statements, sponsor letters, insurance or employer funding)
• You will leave the UK at the end of treatment or when your visa expires
• You are not a danger to public health — for example, you are not suffering from an untreated infectious disease

Practical tip: The most common reason we see for refusal is a vague or out-of-date consultant letter. The letter should be on hospital letterhead, name the consultant (with GMC number), give a cost estimate and an admission or appointment date.

For a general checklist, see our guide to the documents needed for a UK visitor visa.

The 11-month medical visa: when treatment takes longer than 6 months

If your treatment will last more than 6 months, you can apply for an 11-month Standard Visitor visa for private medical treatment. It costs £234 and must be applied for from outside the UK.

Under paragraph V 7.3 of Appendix V, you must additionally provide:

• Evidence from your UK doctor or consultant that the treatment is likely to take more than 6 months but no more than 11 months
• A valid tuberculosis (TB) certificate confirming you have been screened for active pulmonary TB, if you live in a country on the TB testing list

The 11-month visa is especially useful for cancer treatment, organ transplants, complex orthopaedic surgery and rehabilitation programmes where follow-up care stretches beyond 6 months.

Visiting the UK to donate an organ

You can visit the UK to donate an organ — or be assessed as a donor match — for a genetically related family member (such as a parent or sibling) or for someone you have a close personal relationship with, such as a partner or close friend.

You need a letter from the lead nurse of the transplant team, a General Medical Council (GMC) registered specialist, or a registered NHS consultant confirming:

• You are a donor match, or you are being tested to see if you are a potential donor
• Your relationship to the recipient — genetic or close personal relationship
• When and where the transplant or tests will take place

The letter must be dated no more than 3 months before you arrive in the UK. You must also show that the recipient is legally allowed to be in the UK.

If you are coming to support a relative rather than donate, our Family Visit Visa page explains that route.

UK medical visa fees in 2026

A 6-month UK medical visa costs £135. The 11-month medical treatment visa costs £234, and extending your stay from inside the UK costs £1,172 for each additional 6 months.

Visitors do not pay the Immigration Health Surcharge — but that also means you cannot use the NHS free of charge. Unless your government has a reciprocal arrangement, all treatment must be paid for privately. Fees are confirmed against GOV.UK visitor guidance; always check the Home Office fee calculator before applying.

Can I extend my medical visa inside the UK?

Yes. If you are already in the UK for private medical treatment, you can apply to extend your stay by 6 months at a time for £1,172 per application. There is no limit on the number of extensions, provided each one is supported by medical evidence.

Under paragraph V 15.1 of Appendix V you must:

• Prove the costs of treatment already received have been paid in full
• Provide a letter from a registered medical practitioner who holds an NHS consultant post or is on the GMC Specialist Register, detailing your condition and the further treatment you need
• Continue to meet the Standard Visitor requirements (funds, genuine intention to leave)

Apply before your current permission expires. A valid in-time application protects your lawful status while the Home Office decides it.

Can a family member or carer come with me?

Yes, but each companion must apply separately as a Standard Visitor and show they meet the requirements in their own right, including enough funds and a genuine intention to leave the UK.

Carers and relatives should explain their role in a cover letter and include a copy of the patient’s consultant letter. Plan the timing carefully: if the patient’s visa is for 11 months, a companion on a standard 6-month visa will need to make their own application to stay longer.

How long does a UK medical visa take?

Most Standard Visitor visa decisions are made within 3 weeks of your biometrics appointment when applying from outside the UK. Priority and super priority services may be available in some countries for urgent treatment.

If your treatment date is fixed, apply as early as possible — you can apply up to 3 months before travel. See our full guide to UK visit visa processing times.

Why UK medical visas are refused

Medical visa refusals usually come from weak evidence of funds, an unclear or outdated consultant letter, doubts about intention to leave, or an unpaid NHS debt of £500 or more.

Common refusal reasons include:

• Insufficient or unexplained funds — large recent deposits without a source
• Consultant letter missing cost, duration or treatment location
• Treatment that is available in your home country without explaining why UK treatment is needed
• Outstanding NHS charges of £500 or more — a suitability ground for refusal under the Immigration Rules
• Previous overstaying or immigration breaches

There is no right of appeal or administrative review for visitor visa refusals. Your options are to submit a stronger fresh application or, where the decision is unlawful or irrational, to challenge it through judicial review.

How our medical visa solicitors can help

Adam Bernard Solicitors is an SRA-regulated immigration firm in London that has helped more than 15,000 clients over 15 years, including patients, organ donors and families travelling to the UK for treatment.

We handle the sensitivity these cases need, and the detail the Home Office expects:

• Evidence review — checking consultant letters, cost estimates and financial documents before submission
• Route choice — 6-month visa, ETA, or 11-month medical visa
• Organ donor applications — coordinating letters from transplant teams
• In-UK extensions — preparing V 15.1 evidence so treatment is not interrupted
• Refusals — fresh applications and judicial review

Our solicitors work from High Holborn (Central London) and Upton Park (East London), and advise clients worldwide by video.

Book a free consultation or call 0207 100 2525 — lines open 24/7.

This page is for general information and does not constitute legal advice. Fees and rules correct as of 30 September 2026.