Immigration Rules Appendix V: Visitor
Source: gov.uk (2025-11-11)

Immigration Rules for Visitors

This route is for a person who wants to visit the UK for a temporary period, (usually for up to 6 months), for purposes such as tourism, visiting friends or family, carrying out a business activity, or undertaking a short course of study.

Each Visitor must meet the requirements of the Visitor route, even if they are travelling as, for example, a family group, a tour group or a school party.

A visa national as set out in Appendix Visitor: Visa National list must obtain entry clearance as a Visitor (a visit visa) before arrival in the UK.

A non-visa national can normally seek entry on arrival in the UK.

There are 4 types of Visitor:
- Standard Visitor: for those seeking to undertake the activities set out in Appendix Visitor: Permitted Activities, for example tourism and visiting family, usually for up to 6 months. A Standard Visitor may apply for a visit visa of six months, two, five or 10 years validity, however each stay in the UK must not exceed the permitted length of stay endorsed on the visit visa (usually six months).
- Marriage/Civil Partnership Visitor: for those seeking to come to the UK to marry or form a civil partnership, or give notice of marriage or civil partnership.
- DELETED.
- Transit Visitor: for those who want to transit the UK on route to another country outside the Common Travel Area and who will enter the UK for up to 48 hours by crossing the UK border unless Appendix Visitor: Transit Without Visa Scheme applies.
- Diplomatic Visa Arrangement (DVA) Visitor: for individuals holding a valid diplomatic passport who are visiting the UK, nominated through a Note Verbale from their sending government. DVA Visitors may apply for a visit visa for 2 years validity, however each stay in the UK must not exceed 6 months.
Visitors cannot work in the UK unless this is expressly allowed under the permitted activities set out in Appendix Visitor: Permitted Activities.

Further information of how long each Visitor can stay and what they can and cannot do in the UK is set out at V 17.2 and Appendix Visitor: Permitted Activities.

The DVA Visitor application process will open on 18 February 2025 for nationals set out at V15A.4 who intend to travel to the UK on or after 11 March 2025.

Entry requirements for Visitors
- (a) a visa national, unless V 1.3. (b) applies; or
- (b) seeking to marry or form a civil partnership, or give notice of marriage or civil partnership, in the UK unless they are a “relevant national” as defined in section 62 of the Immigration Act 2014; or
- (c) seeking to come to the UK as a Visitor for more than 6 months.
- V 1.2. Within the period for which the entry clearance is valid, a Visitor may enter and leave the UK multiple times, unless the entry clearance is endorsed as single or dual entry.
- (a) a non-visa national, unless V 1.1. (b) or (c) apply; or
- (b) a visa national and an exception applies as set out in Appendix Visitor: Visa National list or Appendix Visitor: Transit Without Visa Scheme.
- V 1.4. A person seeking to enter the UK as a Visitor must, where required, under Appendix Electronic Travel Authorisation, obtain an Electronic Travel Authorisation before travelling to the UK.
- (a) hold a valid entry clearance that states they are accompanied and will be travelling with an adult identified on that entry clearance; or
- (b) hold an entry clearance which states they are unaccompanied; otherwise
- the child may be refused entry to the UK, unless they meet the requirements of V 5.1. and V 5.2.
Validity requirements for entry clearance or permission to stay as a Visitor
- V 2.1. A person applying for entry clearance as a Visitor must apply online on the gov.uk website on the specified form “Apply for a UK visit visa” unless they are applying for entry clearance as a Diplomatic Visa Arrangement Visitor, in which case they must apply online on the gov.uk website on the specified form “Apply for an exempt, diplomatic, official visit vignette or S2 Healthcare Visitor visa”.
- V 2.2. A person applying for permission to stay as a Visitor must apply online on the gov.uk website on the specified form “Application to extend stay in the UK: FLR(IR)”.
- (a) any required fee must have been paid; and
- (b) the applicant must have provided biometrics when required; and
- (c) the applicant must have provided a passport or other document which satisfactorily establishes their identity and nationality.
- (a) the applicant must be aged 18 or older on the date of application; and
- (b) the applicant must have a valid diplomatic passport which satisfactorily establishes the applicant’s identity and nationality.
- V 2.4. An application for entry clearance as a Visitor must be made while the applicant is outside the UK and to a post designated to accept such applications.
- (a) in the UK; and
- (b) with permission as a Standard Visitor or Marriage/Civil Partnership Visitor.
- V 2.6. An application which does not meet all the validity requirements for a Visitor may be rejected as invalid and not considered.
Suitability requirements for all Visitors
- V 3.1. The applicant must not fall for refusal under Part Suitability.
- (a) in breach of immigration laws, except that where the Exceptions for overstayers section of Part Suitability applies, that period of overstaying will be disregarded; or
- (b) on immigration bail.
Eligibility requirements for Visitors
- (a) is a child at the date of application, they must also meet the additional requirements at V 5.1. and V 5.2; or
- (b) is coming to the UK under the Approved Destination Status Agreement, they must also meet the requirements at V 6.1; or
- (c) is coming to the UK to receive private medical treatment, they must also meet the additional requirements at V 7.1. to V 7.3; or
- (d) is coming to the UK as an organ donor, they must also meet the additional requirements at V 8.1. to V 8.4; or
- (e) is coming to the UK to study as a Visitor, they must also meet the additional requirements at V 9.1. to V 9.5; or
- (f) is an academic seeking a 12-month entry clearance, they must also meet the additional requirements at V 10.1; or
- (g) is coming to the UK to undertake work related training, they must also meet the additional requirements at V 11.1. to V 11.3; or
- (h) is coming to the UK to marry or form a civil partnership, or give notice of intention to marry or form a civil partnership, they must also meet the additional requirements at V 12.1. and V 12.2; or
- (i) is coming to the UK to undertake permitted paid engagements, they must also meet the additional requirements in V 13.1. to V 13.3; or
- (j) is applying for permission to stay as a Visitor, they must also meet the additional requirements at V 15.1. to V 15.4; or
- (k) is applying for entry clearance as a Diplomatic Visa Arrangement visitor, they must also meet the additional requirements at V15A.1. to V15A.4.
Genuine visitor requirement
- (a) will leave the UK at the end of their visit; and
- (b) will not live in the UK for extended periods through frequent or successive visits, or make the UK their main home; and
- (c) is genuinely seeking entry or stay for a purpose that is permitted under the Visitor route as set out in Appendix Visitor: Permitted Activities and at V 13.3; and
- (d) will not undertake any of the prohibited activities set out in V 4.4. to V 4.6; and
- (e) must have sufficient funds to cover all reasonable costs in relation to their visit without working or accessing public funds, including the cost of the return or onward journey, any costs relating to their dependants, and the cost of planned activities such as private medical treatment. The applicant must show that any funds they rely upon are held in a financial institution permitted under FIN 2.1 in Appendix Finance.
- (a) has a genuine professional or personal relationship with the applicant; and
- (b) is not, or will not be, in breach of immigration laws at the time of the decision or the applicant’s entry to the UK as a Visitor; and
- (c) can and will provide support to the applicant for the intended duration of the applicant’s stay as a Visitor.
Prohibited activities and payment requirements for Visitors
- (i) taking employment in the UK; and
- (ii) doing work for an organisation or business in the UK; and
- (iii) establishing or running a business as a self-employed person; and
- (iv) doing a work placement or internship; and
- (v) direct selling to the public; and
- (vi) providing goods and services,
- unless expressly allowed by the permitted activities in Appendix Visitor: Permitted Activities or Appendix Visitor: Permit Free Festival List; or
- (b) study in the UK, except as permitted by Appendix Visitor: Permitted Activities (and provided they meet the relevant additional requirements for study); or
- (c) access medical treatment, other than private medical treatment or to donate an organ (for either of these activities they must meet the relevant additional eligibility requirements); or
- (d) get married or form a civil partnership, or give notice of intention to marry or form a civil partnership, unless they are applying for entry clearance as a Marriage/Civil Partnership Visitor or are a relevant national as defined in section 62 of the Immigration Act 2014.
- V 4.5. Permitted activities must not amount to the Visitor undertaking employment, or doing work which amounts to them filling a role or providing short-term cover for a role within a UK based organisation and where the Visitor is already paid and employed outside of the UK they must remain so.
- (a) reasonable expenses to cover the cost of their travel and subsistence, including fees for directors attending board-level meetings; or
- (b) international drivers or Seafarers undertaking activities permitted under PA 9.2 to PA 9.4; or
- (c) prize money; or
- (d) billing a UK client for their time in the UK, where the Visitor’s overseas employer is contracted to provide services to a UK company, and the majority of the contract work is carried out overseas (payment must be lower than the amount of the Visitor’s salary); or
- (e) multi-national companies who, for administrative reasons, handle payment of their employees’ salaries from the UK; or
- (f) paid performances at a permit free festival as listed in Appendix Visitor: Permit Free Festival List, where the Visitor is an artist, entertainer or musician; or
- (g) the permitted paid engagements listed in V 13.3, providing the requirements in V 13.1 and V 13.2 are met.
Additional eligibility requirements for children
- V 5.1. Adequate arrangements must have been made for a child’s travel to, reception and care in the UK.
- V 5.2. If the child is not travelling with a parent or legal guardian, based in their home country or country of ordinary residence, who is responsible for their care, that parent or legal guardian must consent to the child’s travel to, reception and care in the UK and, where requested, this consent must be given in writing.
Additional eligibility requirement for Visitors under the Approved Destination Status Agreement
- (a) be a national of the People’s Republic of China; and
- (b) intend to enter, leave and travel within the UK as a member of a tourist group under the Approved Destination Status Agreement.
Additional eligibility requirements for Visitors coming to the UK to receive private medical treatment
- V 7.1. If the applicant is suffering from a communicable disease they must have satisfied the medical inspector that they are not a danger to public health.
- V 7.2. The applicant must have arranged their private medical treatment before they travel to the UK, and must provide either:
- (i) the medical condition requiring consultation or treatment; and
- (ii) the estimated costs and likely duration of any treatment, which must be of a finite duration; and
- (iii) where the consultation or treatment will take place; or
- (b) if the applicant intends to receive NHS treatment under a reciprocal healthcare arrangement between the UK and another country, an authorisation form issued by the government of that country.
- (i) evidence from their doctor or consultant in the UK that the proposed treatment is likely to exceed 6 months, but not more than 11 months; or
- (ii) if the applicant intends to receive NHS treatment under a reciprocal healthcare arrangement between the UK and another country, an authorisation form issued by the government of that country which clearly states that the proposed treatment is likely to exceed 6 months, but not more than 11 months; and
- (b) if Appendix Tuberculosis applies, provide a valid medical certificate, confirming that they have undergone screening for active pulmonary tuberculosis and that this tuberculosis is not present in them.
Additional eligibility requirements for Visitors coming to the UK to donate an organ
- V 8.1. The applicant must satisfy the decision maker that they genuinely intend to donate an organ to, or be assessed as a potential organ donor for, an identified recipient in the UK with whom they have a genetic or close personal relationship.
- V 8.2. The applicant must provide written confirmation of medical tests to show that they are a donor match to the identified recipient, or that they are undergoing further tests to be assessed as a potential donor to the identified recipient.
- (a) the lead nurse or coordinator of the UK NHS Trust’s Living Donor Kidney Transplant team; or
- (b) a UK registered medical practitioner who holds an NHS consultant post or who appears in the Specialist Register of the General Medical Council;
- which confirms that the applicant meets the requirements in V 8.1. and V 8.2. and confirms when and where the planned organ transplant or medical tests will take place.
- V 8.4. The applicant must be able to show, if required to do so, that the identified recipient is lawfully present in the UK, or will be at the time of the planned organ transplant.
Additional eligibility requirements for Visitors coming to the UK to study for up to six months
- V 9.1. Where the applicant is seeking to come to the UK to study, they must have been accepted onto a course of study that is to be provided by an Accredited Institution that is not a State Funded School or Academy.
- V 9.2. The course of study referred to in V 9.1. must last no longer than six months unless the course is being undertaken from outside the UK as a Distance Learning Course.
- (a) be aged 16 or over; and
- (b) be enrolled on a course of study abroad equivalent to at least degree level study in the UK; and
- (c) be studying medicine, veterinary medicine and science, nursing, midwifery, or dentistry as their principal course of study; and
- (d) have been accepted by a UK Higher Education Provider to undertake electives relevant to their course of study provided these are unpaid and involve no treatment of patients; and
- (e) provide written confirmation from the UK Higher Education Provider.
- (a) they must be aged 16 or over; and
- (b) they must be enrolled on a course of study abroad equivalent to at least degree level study in the UK; and
- (c) they must have been accepted by a UK Higher Education Provider to undertake research or be taught about research (research tuition); and
- (d) the overseas course provider must confirm that the research or research tuition is part of or relevant to the course of study that they are enrolled on overseas; and
- (e) this must not amount to the Visitor being employed at the UK institution.
- V 9.5. The research or research tuition referred to in V 9.4. may be undertaken at a UK research institute, providing a formal partnership exists between the research institute and the UK Higher Education Provider for this purpose.
Additional eligibility requirements for academics seeking to come to the UK for more than 6 months
- (i) take part in formal exchange arrangements with UK counterparts (including doctors); or
- (ii) carry out research for their own purposes, if they are on sabbatical leave from their home institution; or
- (iii) if they are an eminent senior doctor or dentist, take part in research, teaching or clinical practice, provided this does not amount to filling a permanent teaching post;
- and
- (b) be highly qualified within their own field of expertise; and
- (c) currently be working in that field at an academic institution or institution of higher education overseas; and
- (d) if Appendix Tuberculosis applies, provide a valid medical certificate confirming that they have undergone screening for active pulmonary tuberculosis and that this tuberculosis is not present in them.
Additional eligibility requirements for Visitors coming to the UK for work related training
- V 11.1. Where the applicant is seeking to come to the UK to undertake a clinical attachment or dental observer post as an overseas graduate from a medical, dental or nursing school, they must provide written confirmation of their offer to take up this post and confirm they have not previously undertaken this activity in the UK.
- V 11.2. Where the applicant is seeking to come to the UK to take the Professional and Linguistic Assessment Board test, they must provide written confirmation of this from the General Medical Council.
- V 11.3. Where the applicant is seeking to come to the UK to take the Objective Structured Clinical Examinations for overseas, they must provide written confirmation of this from the Nursing and Midwifery Council.
Additional eligibility requirement for Visitors coming to the UK for purpose of marriage or civil partnership
- V 12.1. The applicant must be aged 18 or over on the date of application.
- (a) intend to give notice of marriage or civil partnership in the UK; or
- (b) intend to marry or form a civil partnership in the UK;
- which is not a sham marriage or civil partnership.
Additional eligibility requirement for Visitors coming to the UK for Permitted Paid Engagements
- V 13.1. Where the applicant is seeking to come to the UK to undertake a permitted paid engagement, they must be aged 18 or over when they enter the UK.
- (a) arranged before the applicant travels to the UK; and
- (b) declared as part of the application for entry clearance or , if asked, declared when seeking permission to enter the UK; and
- (c) evidenced by a formal invitation, as required by V 13.3; and
- (d) relate to the applicant’s area of expertise and occupation overseas.
- (a) an academic who is highly qualified within their field of expertise, coming to examine students and/or participate in or chair selection panels, and have been invited by a UK higher education institution, or a UK-based research or arts organisation as part of that institution or organisation’s quality assurance processes; and
- (b) an expert coming to give lectures in their subject area, where they have been invited by a higher education institution, or a UK-based research or arts organisation, and this does not amount to filling a teaching position for the host organisation; and
- (c) an overseas designated pilot examiner coming to assess UK-based pilots to ensure they meet the national aviation regulatory requirements of other countries, where they have been invited by an approved training organisation based in the UK that is regulated by the UK Civil Aviation Authority for that purpose; and
- (d) a qualified lawyer coming to provide advocacy for a court or tribunal hearing, arbitration or other form of dispute resolution for legal proceedings within the UK, where they have been invited by a client; and
- (e) a professional artist, entertainer, or musician coming to carry out an activity directly relating to their profession, where they have been invited by a creative (arts or entertainment) organisation, agent or broadcaster based in the UK; and
- (f) a Professional Sportsperson coming to carry out an activity directly relating to their profession, where they have been invited by a sports organisation, agent, or broadcaster based in the UK; and
- (g) a speaker coming to the UK to give a one-off or short series of talks and speeches, where they have been invited to a conference or other event.
Eligibility requirement for Visitors coming to the UK to transit
- V 14.1. A visa national must hold entry clearance as a Standard Visitor, Marriage/Civil Partnership Visitor or Transit Visitor, unless they meet the requirements for admission under Appendix Visitor: Transit Without Visa Scheme, in which case they may apply for permission to enter on arrival in the UK.
- (a) are genuinely in transit to another country outside the Common Travel Area, meaning the main purpose of their visit is to transit the UK (passing through immigration control) and that the applicant is taking a reasonable transit route; and
- (b) will not access public funds or medical treatment, work or study in the UK; and
- (c) genuinely intend and are able to leave the UK within 48 hours after their arrival; and
- (d) are assured entry to their country of destination and any other countries they are transiting on their way there.
Additional eligibility requirements for permission to stay as a Visitor
- (a) satisfy the decision maker that the costs of any medical treatment already received have been met; and
- (i) a letter from a registered medical practitioner, at a private practice or NHS hospital, who holds an NHS consultant post or who appears in the Specialist Register of the General Medical Council, detailing the medical condition requiring further treatment; or
- (ii) if the applicant intends to continue to receive NHS treatment under a reciprocal healthcare arrangement between the UK and another country, an authorisation form issued by the government of that country which authorises further treatment.
- (i) take part in formal exchange arrangements with UK counterparts (including doctors); or
- (ii) carry out research for their own purposes, if they are on sabbatical leave from their home institution; or
- (iii) if they are an eminent senior doctor or dentist, take part in research, teaching or clinical practice, provided this does not amount to filling a permanent teaching post; and
- (b) be highly qualified within their own field of expertise; and
- (c) have been working in that field at an academic institution or institution of higher education overseas prior to their arrival in the UK.
- V 15.3. Where the applicant is applying for permission to stay as a Visitor to resit the Professional and Linguistic Assessment Board Test, they must provide written confirmation of this from the General Medical Council.
- V 15.4. Where the applicant is applying for permission to stay as a Visitor and they are an overseas graduate of a medical, dental or nursing school intending to undertake an unpaid clinical attachment or dental observer post, they must have been successful in the Professional and Linguistic Assessment Board test.
Eligibility requirement for entry clearance as a Diplomatic Visa Arrangement Visitor:

V 15A.1. The decision maker must be satisfied that the Diplomatic Visa Arrangement Visitor’s application is supported by a Note Verbale issued by the government of their nationality.
- (a) the applicant’s name, date of birth and passport number; and
- (b) confirmation that the application is supported by the government of their nationality.
V 15A.3. The Note Verbale must have been issued on or prior to the application date and the government of their nationality must not have withdrawn the Note Verbale or support for the application by issuing a new Note Verbale.
- (a) national of the People’s Republic of China who holds a diplomatic passport issued by the People’s Republic of China; or
- (b) a national of Indonesia who holds a diplomatic passport issued by Indonesia; or
- (c) a national of South Africa who holds a diplomatic passport issued by South Africa; or
- (d) a national of Turkey who holds a diplomatic passport issued by Turkey; or
- (e) national of Vietnam who holds a diplomatic passport issued by Vietnam.
Decision
- V 16.1. If the decision maker is satisfied that all the suitability requirements are met, and that the relevant eligibility requirements for a Visitor are met, the application will be granted, otherwise the application will be refused.
Period and conditions of grant for Visitors
- (a) no access to public funds; and
- (b) no work (which does not prohibit the permitted activities in Appendix Visitor: Permitted Activities or Appendix Visitor: Permit Free Festival List; and
- (c) no study except where permitted by Appendix Visitor: Permitted Activities at PA 2. and PA 17.
- (d) study or research as part of a permitted activity is subject to the ATAS condition in Appendix ATAS.
- V 17.2. Entry clearance and permission to enter as a Visitor will be granted for the periods set out in the following table:
- (a) a Standard Visitor or a Marriage/Civil Partnership Visitor, who was granted permission for less than 6 months may be granted permission to stay for a period which results in the total period they can remain in the UK (including both the original grant and the extension) not exceeding 6 months; and
- (b) a Standard Visitor who is in the UK for private medical treatment may be granted permission to stay as a Visitor for a further 6 months, provided the purpose is for private medical treatment; and
- (c) a Standard Visitor who is in the UK to undertake the activities in V 10.1 (a), or the accompanying partner or child of such a Standard Visitor, may be granted permission to stay for a period which results in the total period they can remain in the UK (including both the original grant and the extension) not exceeding 12 months; and
- (d) a Standard Visitor may be granted permission to stay as a Visitor for up to 6 months in order to resit the Professional and Linguistic Assessment Board Test; and
- (e) a Standard Visitor who is successful in the Professional and Linguistic Assessment Board Test may be granted permission to stay as a Visitor to undertake the activities in PA 10.1. (a) for a period which results in the total period they can remain in the UK (including both the original grant and the extension) not exceeding 18 months.