UK TOURIST & VISITOR VISA

Who needs a visitor visa?

It depends on your nationality, your immigration status and why you’re travelling. Some nationals must get a visitor visa before they travel. Others can travel with an ETA.

Even if you don’t need a visa, you must follow the visitor rules, and you may be asked about your plans when you arrive. Check the entry requirements before you book.

Visiting family and friends

You can visit relatives, friends or a partner in the UK, for example for a family celebration or to spend time with children or grandchildren. You’ll need to show the visit is temporary and that you’ll go home afterwards.

If family are giving you somewhere to stay or helping with costs, include evidence of this. A visitor visa doesn’t let you settle with family in the UK.

Tourism and holidays

You can visit for holidays, sightseeing and other leisure activities. You’ll need to show you can pay for your trip and will leave at the end. The Home Office may look at your plans, your funds, your job or circumstances and your travel history.

Business visits

You can attend meetings, conferences and interviews, negotiate or sign contracts, and attend trade fairs to promote an overseas business. Some training and site visits may also be allowed.

You can’t take a job in the UK or provide services to a UK business outside the permitted activities. The line between attending meetings and actually working here is important, so check your plans are allowed before you travel.

Short-term study

You can study for up to six months, for example at an accredited institution, or take exams or do some research. For an English course of more than six months and up to 11 months, you’ll need a short-term study visa. Longer courses need a Student visa.

Sport

Sportspeople can take part in competitions, attend trials, do short training and make appearances at events. Professional work outside these activities needs a different visa. Some officials and support staff can also visit for specific activities.

Permitted paid engagements

Some professionals, such as invited experts, performers and lecturers, can be paid for specific engagements allowed under the rules. This doesn’t give you general permission to work in the UK.

What are the requirements?

You’ll need to show you’re a genuine visitor. That means you:

• plan to leave the UK at the end of your visit
• are visiting for a permitted purpose
• won’t work or do other restricted activities
• can pay for your stay, including travel and accommodation
• won’t use frequent or back-to-back visits to live in the UK
• meet the general suitability requirements

The Home Office looks at your application as a whole. Having enough money doesn’t prove you’re a genuine visitor on its own, and an invitation from family or a business contact doesn’t mean you’ll automatically be approved.

Proving you’ll leave the UK

This is the most important part of a visitor application. The Home Office will look at your job or business, family, finances, travel history and ties to your home country. You may be asked to explain why you’re visiting, for how long, and how it fits your circumstances. Previous visits, refusals or any overstaying will also be considered.

No single document guarantees approval. What matters is that your evidence matches what you say in your application.

How much money do you need?

There’s no fixed minimum. You need to show you can cover the reasonable costs of your trip without working or claiming public funds. The Home Office may look at your income, savings, regular outgoings and the cost and length of your visit.

Your bank statements should match your circumstances. Large deposits, unexplained payments, or income that doesn’t match your statements may need explaining.

Can someone in the UK sponsor your visit?

Yes. A family member, friend or business can help with your costs or give you somewhere to stay. You’ll need to show the support is genuine and that they can provide it, for example with evidence of your relationship, details of the accommodation and their financial documents. An invitation letter helps, but you still need to meet the genuine visitor requirements yourself.

What documents will you need?

Typically:

• a valid passport
• details of your trip and accommodation
• bank statements or other financial records
• evidence of your job, self-employment or business
• an invitation letter, if relevant
• evidence of your relationship with the person you’re visiting
• documents about a business meeting or event
• details of your travel or immigration history, if relevant

Documents not in English or Welsh need certified translations. Send evidence that supports your application rather than large amounts of unrelated paperwork.

How long can you stay?

Normally up to six months. In some cases, such as certain academic visits or medical treatment, you may be able to stay longer. You must leave before your permission ends.

Long-term visitor visas

If you visit the UK regularly, you can apply for a visitor visa that lasts two, five or ten years and lets you make multiple visits. Each visit is still normally limited to six months. You can’t use repeated visits to live in the UK, and the Home Office can look at how often and how long you visit.

Visitor visa or ETA?

An ETA is permission to travel to the UK without a visa, for eligible nationals. It can be used for short visits, including holidays, family visits and some business. It costs £20.

An ETA doesn’t guarantee entry. You still need to meet the visitor rules, and it doesn’t let you work or settle. If you need a visitor visa, you can’t use an ETA instead.

What can’t you do on a visitor visa?

You can’t normally:

• work for a UK business, paid or unpaid, outside the permitted activities
• work as self-employed in the UK, except in limited cases
• claim public funds
• live in the UK through frequent or back-to-back visits
• marry, form a civil partnership or give notice of marriage

If you want to marry in the UK but not stay, you’ll need a Marriage Visitor visa. If you want to marry and then live here with your partner, look at the fiancé visa.

How much does it cost?

• Standard visitor visa, up to six months: £135
• Two-year visitor visa: £506
• Five-year visitor visa: £903
• Ten-year visitor visa: £1,128

You pay when you apply. Priority services and other optional extras cost more.

Fees correct at October 2026. You can check the latest Home Office fees on GOV.UK.

How long does it take?

Usually around three weeks from outside the UK, once you’ve given your fingerprints and photo and sent your documents. Some applications take longer if extra checks are needed. You can apply up to three months before you travel, so allow time, especially if you’ve been refused before.

What if your visa is refused?

Visitor visas are usually refused because the Home Office isn’t satisfied you’re a genuine visitor. Common reasons are concerns about your finances, the purpose of your visit, whether you’ll go home, or inconsistencies in your evidence.

There’s normally no right of appeal or administrative review for a visitor visa refusal. You can usually make a fresh application, but it needs to deal with the reasons you were refused, not just repeat the same evidence. In some cases another legal option may be available.

UK visitor visa advice from Fusco Browne

A visitor visa application needs to show your visit is allowed, that you can pay for it, and that you’ll leave at the end. Problems often come from bank statements that don’t match your circumstances, previous immigration issues, or plans that fall outside the visitor rules.

We advise on visitor visas for family visits, holidays, business and other permitted purposes, including applications after a refusal.

If you’re planning a visit to the UK, or have had a visitor visa refused, call us for a free initial assessment.