Do you want to visit the UK ? If so, we can advise on and assist you to apply for a UK visit visa.
You do not need a visa to visit the UK for less than 6 months if you are a Citizen of Australia, Canada, Hong Kong (SAR), Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea and the USA. EU, EEA and Swiss citizens do not need a visa to the UK for holidays or short trips.
If you are a citizen of the UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar or Saudi Arabia you do not need to apply for a visa to visit the UK, but you will have to obtain an Electronic Visa Waiver (EVW) online which will allow you to visit the UK for up to six months without a visa. We can advise on other types of visas for visits of over 6 months.
You can visit the UK as a visitor for a holiday or vacation; visit family or friends; volunteer for up to 30 days with a registered charity; transit in UK; attend a meeting or interview; do a recreational course of up to 30 days; or for medical reasons.
You cannot however partake in paid or unpaid employment for a UK company or as a self-employed person; claim public funds; live in the UK for long periods of time through frequent or successive visits or marry whilst you are on a visit visa.
We can assist you to apply for a visit visa and will advise you on the process, documents and information required to submit with your application:
- Passport and any previous passports;
- Documents to show that you have sufficient funds available to maintain your stay in UK such as bank statements, proof of earnings, proof of third party support;
- Travel bookings and hotel bookings;
- Letter from invitee if staying in private accommodation.
If you want to visit the UK for business activities, you should provide documents showing what you will be doing in the UK. We can advise you on the documents that you should submit with your application depending on the reason for your visit. All documents that are not in English will need to be translated by an official translator that can be verified by the UK Home Office.
If you need to visit the UK regularly over a longer period, we can advise you on the requirements for a long-term Standard Visitor visa that can last for 2, 5 or 10 years. For these visas, you will only be able to stay in the UK for a maximum of 6 months on each visit.
You can apply for a visit visa up to 3 months before you travel. If you are applying from the UAE, applications will usually be processed within 2 – 3 weeks but timings may vary.
Please note that the above are guidelines. It is important to apply for the correct category of visa as mistakes may be detrimental to future applications.
The above is a general commentary on the subject matter and should not be construed as specific legal advice. Information stated in the article is subject to change and updated information as to the relevant Laws, Rules, Regulations and requirement should be sought prior to making any application. To seek specific advice for UK visit visas or any other UK Immigration matter, please contact Dee Popat.
Head of Family Law / Senior Consultant