Visa for tourists & short-stay visitors – immigration lawyer

Different types of visitor’s visas, each has an expressly permitted duration:

  1. Standard Visit Visa (up to 6 months), though, if coming
  • for private medical treatment, then up to 11 months
  • as an academic conducting permitted activities for up to 12 months
  • under the Approved Destination Status Agreement (for Chinese nationals), up to 30 days
  1. Marriage/civil partnership Visa (up to 6 months): It is for marriage or entering into a civil partnership in the UK within six months of arrival and in any location licensed for this purpose.
  2. The Permitted paid engagement Visa (up to one month) allows visitors to the UK to do permitted paid work without being employed under the Points-Based System. It is designed for individuals performing, touring, exhibiting, or lecturing.
  3. Transit (up to 48 hours, although leave to enter under the Transit Without Visa Scheme runs until 23:59 the day after arrival)
  4. Parent of a Tier 4 Child Student Visa (6-12 months): This visa is for parents or legal guardians of a child attending an independent fee-paying school in the UK. The parent can extend the visa until the child reaches 12.

Helpful information about Standard Visitor Visa

Visitors come to the UK temporarily, usually for up to six months. They may be visiting friends or family or conducting business.

A person applying for a Standard Visitor visa genuinely intends to visit. It has the following individual requirements:

  • They will leave at the end of their visit
  • the applicants will not live in the UK for extended periods through frequent or successive visits or make the UK their main home
  • they are genuinely seeking entry for the permitted purposes
  • the applicants will not undertake prohibited activities by the way or receiving payment for businesses here, study, NHS medical treatment, marry or enter a civil partnership
  • they have funds to cover all reasonable costs concerning their visit without working or accessing public funds.

Some visa nationals who apply for a visitor visa to enter the UK mistakenly think that obtaining this type of visa is easy because it is only for a short period. It has many restrictions (to work, study, access to public funds, etc.). However, it is not. The Home Office refuses approximately 300,000 visitor visa applications yearly, about 15%.

The breach of the immigration rules

Subsequent visit visas are usually refused because of violations of Immigration rules while visitors are staying in the UK. Therefore, it is very beneficial to provide evidence of previous compliance with immigration controls in the UK or elsewhere when applying for a visitor visa.

Visitors to the UK should understand what activities they are allowed to do during their stay and what is prohibited. The list of permitted activities is in Appendix 3 (Immigration Rules). It is extensive and may help the applicant establish the primary purpose of their trip and what supporting documents may help them succeed with the application.

We will list only a few activities that are allowed, for example:

  • Incidental volunteering for up to 30 days with a registered charity
  • general business activities such as attending exhibitions, meeting conferences, signing contracts deals, negotiating, attending interviews
  • corporate actions such as consulting, training, troubleshooting
  • a foreign supplier may install, repair and service the equipment where it has a contract with a UK organisation
  • competing in sports tournaments and events
  • taking part in cultural events
  • Doctors may participate in research, teaching, or clinical practice but do not hold permanent teaching posts.

The examples of the prohibited activities are as follows:

– taking employment, working on a self-employed basis, directly selling to the public or providing goods and services

– receiving any payments from a UK source undertaken here except for:

  • reasonable travel and subsistence expenses
  • fees for directors to attend board meetings
  • prize money
  • salary of a multi-national company that handles payment from the UK for administrative reasons
  • paid performances at a permit-free festival (listed in ‘Appendix 5’ to ‘Appendix V’)
  • salary of a multi-national company that handles payment from the UK for administrative reasons…

– no study beyond a maximum of 30 days of incidental research

– live in the UK for extended periods through frequent visits

– an applicant may not marry or marry from a civil partnership unless they have the visit visa for this purpose

– may not access medical treatment other than private medical treatment or donate to an organisation

– receive public funds

The visa applicant should prove

The applicant who wishes to enter the UK should demonstrate that they are not coming to do prohibited activities, e.g., work. If the Entry Clearance Officer suspects you are not well placed in your own country, they may think you are travelling to the UK to work illegally and, therefore, refuse to grant you a visa.

The immigration lawyers at Lawpark are experts in dealing with applications for UK Visitor Visa. You may need legal help from immigration lawyers in London to prepare and submit your application form for a UK Visitor Visa. So, we can provide you with a friendly, reliable, efficient, and professional immigration service.

Professional immigration service

If our team of professionals works with you and your application for a UK Visitor Visa, you can expect to enjoy the following services:

  • Our immigration specialists will provide detailed instructions regarding immigration regulations and the procedures required by the Home Office and the UKBA relevant to your case.
  • A team member will answer any questions about your case while identifying its benefits and drawbacks.
  • Our immigration lawyers will explain all the documentation you must submit alongside your UK Visitor visa application.
  • One of our immigration lawyers will examine these documents and discuss their relevance to your case.
  • Our immigration lawyers will complete the application forms and answer any questions you may have.
  • If needed, our immigration lawyers will prepare a sponsorship declaration and explain the process.
  • Our lawyers will draft a cover letter supporting and submitting a UK Visitor Visa application.
  • We will protect your interests during the entire process. We will keep you informed while the application is pending with the Home Office.
  • Our immigration lawyers will communicate with the UKBA and the Home Office to ensure a quick decision regarding your UK Visitor visa application.