Visitor Visa

Visitors need to show: 

• they are genuinely visiting for the time stated in their application (not more than 6 months)
• they have sufficient funds for living costs and accommodation and the cost of the return journey; and 
• they intend to leave the UK at the end of their visit. 

Visitors cannot: 

• take paid or unpaid work (volunteering with a registered charity for up to 30 days is allowed)
• live in the UK for long periods of time through frequent and successive visits 
• receive treatment on the National Health Service (NHS) services (unless it is an emergency)* 
• receive public funds 
• marry or register a civil partnership, or give notice of marriage or civil partnership 

*Before leaving their home country visitors should consider taking out travel insurance which includes medical cover while in the UK.

Visa nationals must apply for a visa before travelling to the UK, using the access UK website.

Non-visa nationals can apply for leave to enter from a Border Officer on arrival in the UK. The applicant should carry relevant evidence to show they meet the visa requirements in case requested. It is possible to apply for entry clearance before travel by following the visa application process; this could make entry at the border quicker especially if there have been any previous immigration problems. As entry to the UK from the Republic of Ireland is not always staffed it may not be possible to obtain full visitor permission by arriving this way.

Certain non-visa nationals can now use eGates on arrival in the UK without seeing a Border Officer. If the traveller holds no other visa or immigration permission they are deemed to have entered the UK as a Standard Visitor by passing through the eGate.

A visitor who holds a passport from Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia or the United Arab Emirates can obtain permission using an electronic travel authorisation (ETA).

UKVI produces a guide to the required supporting documents for visitors.  

Visitors should provide documents that demonstrate the immigration requirements are satisfied – see above: ‘What are the immigration requirements for visitors?’  These will differ depending on the nature and purpose of the trip. 

Visa nationals must submit these documents in their visa application.  Non-visa nationals seeking visitor permission at the UK port of entry should carry them in their hand luggage in case any need to be shown to a Border Officer on arrival. 

If your family or friends are planning to visit, you can help them by providing evidence of your situation in the UK, e.g. 

1.  An invitation letter (the University cannot write letters of invitation for your family and friends)
• The content of your letter should reflect the individual circumstances and be consistent with the information your visitor gives in their application.  Avoid using a standard letter that may be found on the Internet or copying a letter used by someone else as you need to write this letter yourself, reflecting your own personal situation. 
• Address the letter to the relevant visa section or ‘UKVI’ and include your contact details.  
• Clearly identify the person who is visiting you by name and confirm your relationship (or friendship) to them.  Give brief details of the visit e.g. if there is a special occasion, why you wish to be visited, what you intend to do in the UK and how long the visit is expected to last.  
• If you are providing accommodation, you should confirm this and describe what is being provided.  
• If you are providing any financial support, you can also mention this, confirm what you are helping with (e.g. travel or living expenses) and how it is you can afford to provide the financial support. 
2. Copies of the photograph page from your passport and the page containing your student visa or residence permit.  If you have been issued with a Biometric Residence Permit you should provide a photocopy of this.
3. A letter from the University confirming your student status including details of your programme can be downloaded through the Student Self-Service.  More detailed letters can be requested from Student Records, the Doctoral College Office or London Student Services as appropriate.   If relevant, you can ask for your expected graduation details to be included or provide the information you have already received about graduation. 
4. If you are providing accommodation for your visitor you should provide confirmation that they are permitted to stay with you (e.g. your tenancy agreement and a letter from your landlord) 
5. If you are going to financially support your visitor you need to provide evidence of your ability to do this, e.g. recent bank statements showing that you have sufficient money available for this purpose.

To show an intention to leave the UK, a visitor could provide documents to show employment, property or family in their home country.

If a visitor is employed, they could ask their employer for a letter to confirm their employment and entitlement to take leave e.g. to allow them to visit you in the UK.

To show enough money is available for travel, maintenance and accommodation a visitor would be expected to show bank statements covering the previous 6 months. 

Standard visitor permission is for 6 months, a visa will confirm the expiry date, if a visitor can enter the UK without a visa the 6 months starts on the date of entry. Visitors who have ongoing reasons for travelling to the UK can be issued longer multiple entry visas, e.g. for 5 years, but within that time no individual visit should exceed 6 months.

Permission granted as an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) should remain useable on multiple occasions for 2 years.

Regardless of the length of visa a visitor should stay for the period similar to that stated in their application.  In general, not spending more than 6 months in the UK in any period of 12 months should avoid any risk of UKVI concluding visits being too frequent and successive.