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How do I qualify to come to the United Kingdom as a visitor?
You need to show that:
- You intend to come to the UK as a visitor for no more than six months; and
- You intend to leave the United Kingdom at the end of your visit; and
- You have enough money to maintain and accommodate yourself without working or needing public funds.
Do I need to apply to the British authorities before leaving my country?
This will depend on whether or not you are a visa national. If you are a citizen of a visa national country, you will need to apply for a visa (known as entry clearance) from the British Embassy or High Commission in the country where you live. If you are not a citizen of a visa national country, you will be able to travel to the UK without needing to apply for entry clearance before you travel.
If I do not have enough money to support myself while visiting the UK, can someone else sponsor me?
Yes. If you do not have enough money to support yourself during your stay, you can still satisfy the Rules, if you have a sponsor such as a friend or relative, who is able and willing to support you. But in order to avoid difficulties you will need to provide evidence of this such as a signed letter from your sponsor:
- Explaining their relationship to you (e.g. friend or relative);
- Confirming that he or she is willing to sponsor you and in what way (e.g. travel to and from the UK, all your expenses in the UK, an offer of free accommodation in the UK etc.);
- Providing evidence such as payslips and bank statements to show that he or she is in a position to support you.
Once I am in the UK, can I extend my stay as a visitor?
The maximum period allowed for a visit is six months, so if you have already been granted a period of six months, you will not normally be allowed to extend this. If you have been granted a period of less than six months, then you may apply to extend this period up to a maximum of six months in total.
How do I apply to extend my stay?
You will need to complete an application FLR(O) form.
The application form will give you details of all the documents you will need to send with your application and where you should send it.
AND DON’T FORGET – You must make your application for an extension before your existing period of leave expires.
Am I allowed to work during my stay in the UK as a visitor?
No. Permission for you to enter the UK as a visitor does not give you the right to work during your stay.
Can I carry out business whilst in the UK as a visitor?
You can do business in the United Kingdom either as a tourist or in connection with your work or business overseas, but this is limited to such matters as attending meetings or conferences, negotiating contracts. You cannot, as a visitor, do jobs, paid or unpaid, or produce or sell goods or services in the UK. People who regularly visit the United Kingdom for business can apply for a multiple-entry visa as a visitor that is valid for two or five years.
You can:
- Attend meetings with UK businesses and negotiate and enter into contracts with them;
- Attend trade fairs, conferences and classroom training;
- You may also enter as a visitor if you are a sports person or entertainer coming to the United Kingdom for a trial or audition or for a personal appearance that does not involve a performance.
You cannot:
- Do paid or unpaid jobs either for someone else or on your own account;
- Produce goods or services within the UK;
- Sell goods or services to members of the public.
Can I receive free medical treatment on the UK National Health Service (NHS)?
No. Visitors are not allowed to enter or stay in the United Kingdom to receive free medical treatment from the National Health Service (NHS).
You will be charged for any treatment you receive. Please make sure you have enough medical insurance to cover your stay.
Can I come to the UK for private medical treatment?
Yes, but as well as having to satisfy the normal rules for visitors; you should be able to provide evidence:
Of your illness and the treatment you wish to receive;
How much the treatment will cost and that you have enough money to afford it.
You must also intend to leave the United Kingdom at the end of your treatment.
How do I apply to extend my stay to have, or continue to receive, private medical treatment?
You should complete application form FLR(O) and send it with:
- Your passport;
- A letter from a general practitioner who is a consultant for the NHS or who is in the Specialist Register of the General Medical Council, confirming that satisfactory arrangements for private medical treatment have been made, how long the treatment will last and, if your treatment has already started, how it is progressing;
- Evidence that you have paid for your treatment; and
- Evidence that you have enough money to support and accommodate yourself and to pay for further treatment (such as your bank statements or savings account book).
If I am refused entry or entry clearance as a visitor, can I appeal?
There is no right of appeal against refusal of entry or entry clearance as a visitor, except in the case of family visitors.
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