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In summary, Appendix V of the Immigration Rules provides for 4 types of Visitor including Standard Visitor: for example  Tourism and Visiting Family, Permitted Paid Engagement Visitor, Transit Visitor and Marriage/Civil Partnership Visitor. This article will focus on those seeking to come to the UK to marry or form a civil...

In this article we look at the most common reasons for refusal of a UK visit visa application. What is a ‘genuine visitor’? A prospective visitor to the UK must satisfy the entry clearance officer that they are a ‘genuine visitor’, and will meet the immigration rules governing visits to the UK.  The following...

It is a requirement for leave to enter as a visitor that the applicant has a genuine intention to visit and a very common reason for refusal is that it is not accepted that an Applicant does so. The Genuine Intention to Visit Test Paragraph V 4.2 sets out the requirement to have a ‘genuine intention to visit’ as follows:...

This is the second part of a practical guide to applying for a Tourism, Leisure and Family Visit Visa.  It will address a number of frequently asked questions. Please follow this link to Part One. Can I Bring Family With Me on a Tourism, Leisure and Family Visit Visa? There are no restrictions on family members applying at...

With the end of free movement on 31 December 2020, EU/EEA nationals entering the UK as visitors are now governed by the Visit Visa immigration rules applicable to all non-EEA citizens. In this post we look at the new rules for EU/EEA nationals who wish to visit the UK. EU/EEA Nationals are ‘Non-Visa’ Nationals EU/EEA...

It is important for all visitors to the UK to know which activities are permitted for visitors – and which are not.  Visitors, including EU and Swiss national visitors now that the UK has left the EU, may be questioned about the purpose of their visit at the UK border.  Visitors who know what they must demonstrate to...

Changes to the UK visit visa rules came into effect on 1 December 2020. There are minor changes to this route.  A visitor is classified as either a visa national or non-visa national. A visa national who intends to visit the UK must apply for entry clearance as a visitor prior to arriving in the UK. From 1 January 2021, EU,...

In this, the first of two (updated) posts on the topic, we look at visit visas for creative artists and entertainers.  If you are a musician, dancer, actor or indeed have any other connection to the arts, read on to find out more about visiting the UK as an artist or entertainer. Inviting foreign artists to come to the UK to...

The Business Visit Visa is for individuals who wish to visit the UK to undertake business activities on a short term basis. The Business Visit visa is a form of Standard Visitor visa. Before coming to the UK to carry out business activities as a visitor, you may wish to check what activities are permitted and what activities...

The crisis in Ukraine has led to enormous delays in Home Office visa processing and decision waiting times. Applications from outside the UK to settle in the UK as the spouse, partner or family member of a British citizen or settled person, which ordinarily take 12 weeks (3 months) to process, are currently taking up to 24...

In this post, we take a look at what activities visitors to the UK can (and cannot) do when they visit the UK for any of the following purposes:  Tourism, leisure and family;  Business;  Creative; and Sports;    Readers may also wish to refer to our previous posts: UK Visitor Visa (Tourism or Leisure) – Top 10...

The UK visit visa route is one of the most frequently sought after categories of visa, with data recently released by the Home Office showing that there were a total of 1,914,778 visitor visas granted in the year ending September 2023, with visit visas accounting for almost 57% of all entry clearance visas granted during this...