UK
United Kingdom, the birthplace of the Shakespeare and The Beatles is a majestic place to live, work and explore. A globally influential centre of culture and finance, UK is also the site of neolithic Stonehenge, Bath’s Roman spa and centuries-old veteran universities at Cambridge and Oxford. Anyone planning to pay a short visit to the idyllic nation of United Kingdom to study, seek business opportunities, explore the historic locales or get a medical treatment must apply for a UK visitor visa.
Basic Requirements
There are certain basic requirements that must be fulfilled by individuals in order to be considered for a UK Visitor visa
- You shall leave the geographical boundaries of the UK at the end of your visit.
- You have enough funds to support your stay in the nation without having to work or seek help from the public funds.
- You will be able to pay for your return or journey onwards and any other costs associated with your visit.
- You shall conduct business activities in the nation that are only allowed by the Visitor Rules
Extended stay
All visitors to the United Kingdom, whether for social, business or study related reasons, can only stay in the nation for a period of six months. However, if you have been granted a visitor permit for less than six months, then you can file an application for extension for up to six months in total. Individuals from certain nationalities have the liberty of applying for different visa types to extend their trip in the UK.
There are many other situations, wherein individuals may be able to stay for longer. These may be cases if:-
- You shall leave the geographical boundaries of the UK at the end of your visit. you have applied (and paid an extra fee) for a long-term visit visa and prove that you need to pay a visit the nation on a regular basis over a longer period of time.
- You are coming to the nation for a private medical treatment – up to a period of 11 months.
- You are an academic on sabbatical and visiting the nation for research work – you, your civil partner or spouse may also be able to stay in the UK for up to a period of 12 months.
Long Term UK Visitor Visa If you are applying for a long-term UK visitor visa, then you must prove that
- You have an ongoing and frequent need to visit the UK.
- The reason behind your consistent visit to the UK is unlikely to change while your visitor visa stands valid.
- You plan to leave the nation at the end of each visit.
Application Requirements
In order to make an application for a UK Visitor Visa, you will need:-
- A duly completed VAF1- Non-settlement application form.
- Two recent passport sized photocopies, 45 mm x 35 mm in size with a white background.
- Pay the visa fee ( generally non-refundable in nature). The fee is usually required to be paid in the local currency of the country where the application shall be filed.
Processing Times
An individual can apply for a UK visitor visa up to three months prior to the intended date of travel.
A decision on the visa application, in general, is given within three weeks. However, some visas may take longer than usual to process. These situations may arise in case the application is incomplete, the supporting documents submitted are incomplete or irrelevant, or the information furnished is false.
