Standard Visitor visa
Visitor visa
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Visitor visa
Standard Visitor visa
The Standard Visitor visa allows you to visit the UK for up to a maximum of six months. For example, if you want to undertake a period of study abroad or you are studying overseas on one of our distance learning courses or with one of our partnership institutions and you are required to visit the University of East London as part of your course.
If you are looking to return to the UK to attend your Graduation ceremony (if you do not already have a valid UK visa), or you have been advised by the International Compliance team to apply for a Standard Visitor visa to complete your studies.
The information on this page is to be used as guidance only. You should check and read the information carefully on the UK Government website and the Immigration Rules Appendix V: Visitor before applying for a Standard Visitor visa. You can also find further details about this visa on the UKCISA website.
Exchange & Study Abroad Programmes
If you are applying to study at UEL for one semester as part of the Exchange programme or Study Abroad programme you may need to apply for a Standard Visitor visa. Please refer to the section ‘How to apply for a Standard Visitor visa?’ and ‘Documents required’ for further information.
If you are applying to study at UEL as part of the Exchange programme or Study Abroad programme for a full year, you will be required to apply for a Student visa.
Studying with a Partner Institution or Distance Learning
If you are undertaking a UEL degree that you are studying overseas at one of our partner institutions or via distance learning, there may be some occasions where you are required to come to the UK as part of your course. For example, if you need to attend induction weeks. If this is the case, you are permitted to do so under the Standard Visitor visa route. This may require multiple trips over the course of your studies where you may be required to obtain a new Standard Visitor visa or permission to enter for six months on each occasion. Although this will be permitted to complete a course by distance learning, you should not do this to pursue a longer course of studies that would normally require entry clearance under the Student visa route.
Distance learning in this case applies to you if you are studying a course and will obtain a qualification that will be obtained by distance learning.
Attending your Graduation ceremony
If your Student visa expires before your Graduation ceremony, you may need to apply for a Standard Visitor visa from outside the UK.
You are not able to switch from your Student visa to a Standard Visitor visa from inside the UK.
If your family member(s) or friend(s) require a visa to travel to the UK, they will also need to apply for a Standard Visitor visa to attend your Graduation ceremony.
You may also wish to visit our internal website on how to apply for a Standard Visitor visa.
How to apply for a Standard Visitor visa
Depending on your nationality, you may not need a visa before you travel to the UK. You should check if you need a visa in advance of travelling to the UK, OR if you can gain entry at the UK border.
Visa Nationals:
If you are on the list of nationalities who require entry clearance (a visa) before you travel to the UK as a Visitor, you are considered a visa national under the Immigration Rules. You must apply online, within your country of residence once you have all the required documentation and information required to submit an application.
The earliest you can apply for this visa is three months before you travel. You should ensure that you give yourself plenty of time to make your application and receive your visa.
The current fee for the Standard Visitor (six-month) visa is £100* and is currently taking an average of six weeks to process. You can find the most updated information about how long it takes to process a visa in your home country on the UK Government website.
*Fees are subject to change*
Non-Visa Nationals:
If you are a non-visa national you can ask for a Visitor visa stamp upon entry to the UK from the Border Force Officers. You can check the UK Government website for the list of nationalities that require entry clearance (a visa) before you travel to the UK as a Visitor. If you do not appear on this list you are considered a non-visa national under the Immigration Rules. However, you will still need to show that you meet the requirements of the Standard Visitor visa, so you should make sure to prepare your supporting documents (listed in our 'Documents' section below) and carry them with you in your hand luggage in case you are questioned at UK Border. In addition, you should also provide evidence that you have booked your return flight out of the UK. You will not get a stamp if you use the eGates at the Border, therefore, please keep hold of your boarding pass as evidence of your date of entry into the UK.
EU Nationals:
EU nationals now require immigration permission to live, study and work in the UK. You do not need to apply for this visa in advance of travel, you can also enter the UK via the eGates and automatically be granted leave to enter the UK as a visitor for six months and will not receive a stamp in your passport. The six month visit visa begins from your date of first entry to the UK and ends when you leave the UK. It is your responsibility to ensure that you do not stay in the UK for more than six months as a visitor.
Documents required
When applying for this visa, you will need to demonstrate that you are a genuine visitor:
- You intend to visit the UK for no more than six months
- You intend to leave the UK at the end of your visit
- You have enough money to support yourself whilst in the UK, without working or needing any help from UK public funds (or you have funding from someone else to support you)
- You cancan pay for your return or onward journey (or you have funding from someone else to pay for the journey)
- You will not live in the UK for extended periods through frequent or successive visits, or make the UK your main home The type of documents required can vary depending on the country you are applying from and your individual circumstances. Below are some of the standard documents required for the visa application:
| Document | Guidance |
|---|---|
| Current Passport or travel document | It should be valid for the whole of your stay. You will need a blank page in your passport for your visa. |
| Proof of finances | This is to ensure you are able to show that you have sufficient funds available, including the cost of your return journey. UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) do not stipulate the amount of money you need to show, as it depends on the purpose of your trip, as well as the living arrangements and length of your trip. As a guide,the company-headed we suggest you have at least £1,334 per person for each month of your intended visit, in line with the Student visa requirement. You must be able to clearly show that you have access to the funds, such as:
|
| Accommodation and travel details | You should provide evidence of your accommodation booking. If you will be staying with your friends/family for the duration of your stay in the UK, you should provide proof of the address (for example, a copy of tenancy agreement). You should also be able to provide evidence that you can pay for the cost of your return travel from the UK (if you can show evidence you have already booked this trip, we would suggest including this). |
| Supporting letter to evidence the reason for your visit to the UK | You should submit evidence confirming your purpose for applying for a Standard Visitor visa.
|
| Evidence of ties to the home country | You should be able to evidence to show that you have a strong link to your home country and intend to return such as details of your employment or studies where you have stated in your application that you are either employed or in full-time studies. This could include:
|
Note: All documents not in English need to be accompanied by a certified English translation meeting UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) requirements. For full details of the Standard Visitor visa requirements please refer to the Visit Visa Supporting Documents Guide and Immigration Rules Appendix V: Visitor.
Can I bring dependants on a Standard Visitor visa?
The Immigration Rules do not allow visitors to bring family members to the UK. The only exception to this is for academic visitors who are permitted to bring an accompanying partner or child. If you are applying as a Standard Visitor and you have a spouse, partner, child or other person who wants to come with you to visit the UK, they must also apply to come to the UK in their own right as a Standard Visitor, where their application will be assessed on its own merits.
What am I unable to do on a Standard Visitor visa?
There are a few things you cannot do on a Standard Visitor visa. We have listed a few of these below:
- Undertake any paid or unpaid work, including any work placements or work experience.
- Study a course where the minimum length of the course is more than six months in duration. There are some exceptions to this, for example, if you are a Distance Learning student or you need to re-sit, retake a module, or take a viva examination as part of a PhD qualification.
- Use this visa route as a means of living in the UK for long periods of time, through frequent or successive visits.
- Extend your stay as a visitor.
- Switch from this visa route to another visa inside the UK.
- Claim public funds (benefits).
- Marry or register a civil partnership or give notice of marriage.