Last updated: June 2026 | Adam Bernard Solicitors — SRA Regulated Immigration Lawyers
Planning to visit the United Kingdom for tourism, family, business, or study? Most people from outside the UK will need a Standard Visitor Visa — and understanding the requirements before you apply is the single most effective way to avoid a refusal.
This guide covers everything you need to know about the UK visit visa: who needs one, what it costs, how to apply, and what to do if your application is refused. If you would like expert help with your application, our London immigration solicitors are available seven days a week.
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What is the UK visit visa?
The UK visit visa — officially called the Standard Visitor Visa — is a temporary permission to enter the United Kingdom for up to six months. It covers a wide range of purposes including tourism, visiting family or friends, attending business meetings, and short-term study.
A Standard Visitor Visa does not allow you to live in the UK, work for a UK employer, or access public funds. If your reason for visiting falls outside the permitted activities, a different visa route will apply.
Who needs a UK visit visa?
Whether you need a visit visa depends on your nationality.
You will need to apply for a Standard Visitor Visa if your country appears on the UK’s Visa National List under Immigration Rules Appendix Visitor. This includes nationals from many countries across South Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and elsewhere.
You may not need a visa — but will need an ETA — if you are a national of a country not on the Visa National List. From April 2025, the UK introduced the Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) for most visa-exempt visitors. An ETA costs £10 and is valid for two years or until your passport expires. EU, EEA, and Swiss nationals now require an ETA to travel to the UK for short stays.
You do not need a visa or ETA if you are a British or Irish citizen.
If you are unsure whether you need a visa, our solicitors can advise you before you apply — avoiding a wasted fee if your circumstances fall into an unexpected category.
What can you do on a UK visit visa?
Permitted activities
As a Standard Visitor, you are allowed to:
- Visit for tourism, leisure, or sightseeing
- Visit family or friends
- Attend business meetings, conferences, or negotiations (but not work for a UK employer)
- Study on a course of up to six months
- Carry out a recreational course of up to 30 days
- Volunteer with a registered charity for up to 30 days
- Transit through the UK to another country
- Receive private medical treatment
- Take part in a school exchange programme
- Attend a job interview (but not start work)
- Perform certain permitted paid engagements (if invited as an expert in your field)
Non-permitted activities
You are not allowed to:
- Work for a UK employer in a paid or unpaid capacity (unless it is a permitted paid engagement)
- Work as self-employed in the UK
- Claim public funds or benefits
- Marry or register a civil partnership in the UK (a separate Marriage Visitor Visa is required)
- Live in the UK through frequent or successive visits
Breaching any of these conditions can result in removal from the UK and may affect future visa applications.
UK visit visa requirements
To be eligible for a Standard Visitor Visa, you must satisfy a UK entry clearance officer that:
- You will leave the UK at the end of your permitted stay
- You can financially support yourself (and any dependants) throughout your visit, or have a sponsor who can do so
- You can cover the cost of your return journey, or have a sponsor covering this
- You will not live in the UK through frequent or successive visits or make it your main home
- You have a valid passport or travel document covering the full period of your stay
- You intend only to carry out permitted activities during your stay
Additional eligibility requirements apply if you are visiting for medical treatment, as an academic, or for other specific purposes.
How much does a UK visit visa cost?
The current fees (as of 2026) are:
| Visa Type | Fee |
|---|---|
| Standard Visitor Visa (up to 6 months) | £135 |
| Long-term Visitor Visa (2 years) | £432 |
| Long-term Visitor Visa (5 years) | £771 |
| Long-term Visitor Visa (10 years) | £963 |
| Super Priority Service (next working day) | Additional £1,000 |
Fees are non-refundable if your application is refused. If you receive a shorter visa than requested, you will not receive a refund of the difference.
How to apply for a UK visit visa
All Standard Visitor Visa applications must be made online at GOV.UK before you travel. You cannot apply from inside the UK.
Step 1 — Apply online Complete the online application form at least three months before your intended travel date. You will need to provide details of your trip, your personal circumstances, your financial position, and any previous immigration history.
Step 2 — Book a biometrics appointment After submitting your application, you must book an appointment at a Visa Application Centre (VAC) in your country. At this appointment, your fingerprints and photograph will be taken.
Step 3 — Submit supporting documents You will need to bring documents to your VAC appointment to demonstrate you meet the eligibility requirements (see below). All documents not in English or Welsh must be accompanied by a certified translation.
Step 4 — Await a decision Most standard applications receive a decision within three weeks. A super priority service (next working day decision) is available at additional cost.
Step 5 — Receive your eVisa From 2024, successful applicants receive a digital eVisa linked to their UKVI account rather than a physical vignette sticker. You will need to access your UKVI account to view and share your immigration status before travel.
What documents do you need for a UK visit visa?
Supporting documents vary depending on your circumstances, but most applicants should prepare:
Identity and travel:
- Valid passport (with at least one blank page)
- Previous passports showing travel history
Financial evidence:
- Bank statements for the last 3–6 months
- Payslips or proof of employment/income
- Evidence of property ownership or other assets
- If sponsored: your sponsor’s bank statements and a formal sponsor letter
Purpose of visit:
- Booking confirmations for flights and accommodation
- Invitation letter from family or friends (if visiting them)
- Business invitation letter (if attending meetings)
- Proof of course enrolment (if studying)
Ties to your home country:
- Employment letter or contract
- Evidence of property, family, or financial commitments at home
- Letter from employer confirming approved leave
This last category — evidence of ties to your home country — is one of the most commonly overlooked and one of the most important. A strong application demonstrates clearly why you will return home after your visit.
Common reasons UK visit visas are refused
Understanding why applications fail is essential. The most frequent refusal reasons are:
1. Insufficient financial evidence Applicants do not provide enough evidence of funds to cover the trip, or the funds are not sufficiently established (e.g. a large deposit appeared shortly before the application).
2. Weak ties to the home country The entry clearance officer is not satisfied that you have enough reason to return — no stable employment, no family ties, no property or financial commitments.
3. Incomplete or inconsistent documents Missing documents, inconsistencies between the application form and supporting evidence, or documents that have not been translated.
4. Previous immigration breaches If you have previously overstayed a visa, been refused entry, or had a visa cancelled, these are significant adverse factors.
5. Vague purpose of visit Applications that lack specificity about the purpose, duration, and itinerary of the visit are more likely to be refused.
6. Sponsor-related concerns Where an applicant relies on a third-party sponsor, insufficient evidence of the sponsor’s financial position or their relationship to the applicant can lead to refusal.
Our solicitors review every aspect of your application before submission to address potential weaknesses in advance — rather than dealing with a refusal after the fact.
Long-term UK visit visas (2, 5, and 10 years)
If you visit the UK regularly, you can apply for a long-term Standard Visitor Visa valid for 2, 5, or 10 years. This means you do not need to apply each time you wish to visit.
Key conditions apply: you can still only stay for a maximum of six months on each visit, and you cannot use successive visits to effectively live in the UK. UKVI monitors travel history, and visas can be cancelled if a pattern of extended stays emerges.
If you are under 18 at the time of application, your long-term visa will only remain valid until six months after your 18th birthday.
What to do if your UK visit visa is refused
A refusal is not necessarily the end. The options available to you are:
1. Submit a fresh application The most common route. Address every reason cited in the refusal letter with stronger evidence. A fresh application requires paying the full fee again.
2. Administrative review Available in limited circumstances — if the decision contained a case working error. It is not a general appeal right.
3. Human rights appeal An appeal to the First-tier Tribunal is only available on human rights grounds (for example, if refusal would separate you from a close family member in the UK).
4. Judicial review A legal challenge to the lawfulness of the decision — typically used as a last resort when other options are exhausted.
The right option depends entirely on the specific reasons for refusal and your individual circumstances. Our immigration solicitors can assess your refusal letter and advise on the strongest path forward.
How Adam Bernard Solicitors can help with your visit visa
Our immigration team handles Standard Visitor Visa applications and refusals every day. We can help you:
- Assess your eligibility before you apply, including identifying any risk factors
- Build a strong application with properly structured documents and a clear, convincing narrative
- Draft sponsor letters that meet UKVI’s expectations
- Review your financial evidence to ensure it demonstrates stable, genuine funds
- Prepare your ties-to-home-country evidence — one of the most overlooked aspects of a successful application
- Respond to a refusal with a properly prepared fresh application or appeal
Our services are available in person at our High Holborn (Central London) and Upton Park (East London) offices, or remotely via video consultation.
Get in touch with our expert Solicitors today.
Frequently Asked Questions
Most standard applications receive a decision within three weeks of the biometrics appointment. A priority service (five working days) and super priority service (next working day) are available at additional cost.
In most cases, no. A Standard Visitor Visa allows a maximum stay of six months. An extension may be possible in limited circumstances — for patients receiving ongoing medical treatment, or for academics who continue to meet the eligibility requirements.
No. Working for a UK employer, whether paid or unpaid, is not permitted on a Standard Visitor Visa. Certain permitted paid engagements (such as giving a single lecture or performing at a one-off event as an invited expert) are allowed under specific conditions.
Each family member must make their own individual application and pay the fee separately. You can apply on behalf of a partner or child who cannot apply themselves. A family group application is not permitted.
Overstaying your visa is a serious breach of UK immigration law. It can result in removal from the UK, a ban on future entry, and significant difficulties obtaining any future UK visa. If you are at risk of overstaying, seek legal advice immediately.
You are not legally required to use a solicitor. However, professional assistance significantly increases the quality and completeness of your application — particularly if you have a previous refusal, a complex financial situation, or limited time to prepare your documents.
A Standard Visitor Visa is required by nationals whose countries appear on the UK's Visa National List. An Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) is for nationals of countries that do not require a full visa but must obtain pre-travel permission — this includes EU, EEA, and many other nationalities. An ETA costs £10 and is processed digitally.
