Visiting The United Kingdom

Talk Visa Limited advisors are experienced in advising on applications for visiting the UK, whether it is for family, business or medical purposes. We are able to advise on all of the requirements, including sponsorship and the new proposed rules for bonds when making the visit application. We can also advise on applications for the visits of children travelling alone or coming in for short term courses, giving emphasis on child protection, within the UK’s new tough immigration policies.

We are also specialist in representing those whose applications have been refused and who have appeal rights to the Asylum and Immigration Tribunal and up to the High Court for reviews.

Visitors

If you are a national of the European Economic Area (EEA) you do not need a visa. The rules for non-EEA family members however are complex, so it is advisable to get a visa for a non-EEA family member.

You can be a visitor for the purposes of:

• Visiting family members (including Child Visitor who have additionalrequirements).


• Business Visits.


• Medical Treatment.

To come to the United Kingdom as a visitor you must be able to show that you:

• Only want to visit the United Kingdom for up to six months.


• Plan to leave the United Kingdom at the end of your visit.


• Have enough money to support and accommodate yourself without working, without help from public funds or that you will be supported and accommodated by relatives or friends.


• Do not intend to charge members of the public for services provided or goods received.


• Do not intend to study.


• Can meet the cost of the return or onward journey at the end of your stay.

If you want to do business during your visit you also have to show that you:

• Normally live and work abroad and you have no plans to base yourself in the United Kingdom.


• Do not plan to work, produce goods or provide services in the United Kingdom.

If you intend staying for longer than six months you need to look at the Further Leave or Indefinite leave to remain or Working in the UK sections of this website.

Sponsors of Visitors:

Family visitors can have UK based Sponsors who are related. A "family visitor" is a person who applies for entry clearance to enter the UK as a visitor, in order to visit.

(a) His spouse, father, mother, son, daughter, grandfather, grandmother, grandson, granddaughter, brother, sister, uncle, aunt, nephew, niece or first cousin.
(b) The father, mother, brother or sister of his spouse.
(c) The spouse of his son or daughter.
(d) His stepfather, stepmother, stepson, stepdaughter, stepbrother or stepsister.
(e) A person with whom he lived as a member of an unmarried couple for at least two of the three years before the day on which his application for entry clearance was made.

If a family member is not on this list, a UK based family member can still sponsor their visit to the UK. However, if their visit visa is refused, they will not be able to appeal against the refusal, so it is important to get the application right first time around.

Contact the Talk Visa Limited team for expert advice on making a successful visit application.

As a sponsor you can give undertakings under the Immigrations Rules which are binding on you. You have to show the following as sponsors for a visitor.

• Evidence of your own immigration status in the United Kingdom.


• A letter of sponsorship explaining your relationship to the person who is applying, the purpose of the visit and where your visitor will stay.

If you will provide financial support and accommodation for your visitor and/or pay for his/her travel to the United Kingdom, you should have evidence that you are able to do so either with:

• Copies of your bank or building society statements and pay slips for the last six months.


• A copy of your savings account book.

Sponsoring Business Visitors

If you are sponsoring a person for the purposes of business, you will have to show a letter from your company outlining the links between your companies, and explain what your visitor will be doing and whether your company is paying for the trip.

Child Visitors

There are special rules which cover Children. In order to record the details of those persons responsible for the care of children who cross an international boundary, there are particular requirements to be met where children seek to travel to the United Kingdom as visitors.

In addition to meeting the normal requirements as a visitor, a child seeking to enter the United Kingdom as a visitor must be able to demonstrate that

• He/She is under the age of 18.


• That suitable arrangements have been made for his/her reception and care in the United Kingdom.


• That he/she has a parent or guardian in his home country or country of habitual residence who is responsible for his care.


• In addition, a child must obtain a visa which either states that they are travelling to the United Kingdom unaccompanied, or that they are travelling in the company of a specified adult whose passport number, initial & surname will be shown on the child’s visa.

Medical Visitors

There are special rules which cover visiting the UK for private medical treatment.

Although all of the requirements as a visitor must be met, the main additional points which need to be satisfied are:

• That the visitor is genuinely seeking entry for the purpose of receiving private medical treatment.


• That the visitor does not intend to seek free treatment under the NHS (except for cases where the Department of Health have specifically authorised NHS treatment).


• That the visitor does not represent a danger to public health.


• That the treatment is of finite duration.


• That sufficient funds are available to pay the cost of treatment and all other expenses.

Student Visitors

There are special rules which cover visiting the UK for very short course for students (see section on this web site for Students).

If a visit visa is refused, you may not be able to appeal so it is important to get the right advice.