Visitors Visas

This page was last updated: 25 January 2021

For temporary stays in the UK, the Visit visa is the category to choose. This route is suitable for EU citizens wishing to travel to the UK for a limited period of time and who do not wish to make the UK their permanent place of residence. While it is meant to provide for flexible short-term visiting, this visa is complex and requires a good level of understanding to use it properly.

There are different types of Visit visas depending on the purpose of your visit, each one provides different limited permitted activities. Anyone wishing to use the visitor route must be fully aware of what activities are permitted and ensure that they choose the correct visa category. If an EU citizen undertakes activities that are not permitted, or chooses the wrong type visitor visa, then the visa conditions may be breached, and this may jeopardise future entry into the UK.

The types of Visitor visas include:

Standard Visit visa: this visa provides permission for a variety of activities. It permits entry for tourism and visiting family or friends. Limited and specified business activities are permitted, for example, attending a meeting based in the UK or short-term volunteering with a charity. It permits very short periods of study or permits participation in a research or exchange programme as an academic. It also provides permission to receive private medical treatment.

This visa doesn’t permit paid or unpaid work for a UK company or as a self-employed person. It does not permit access to public funds (benefits). It does not permit studying that lasts longer than 6 months. It also does not permit marriage or registering a civil partnership.

Permitted Paid Engagement Visitor visa: this is the visa to use if you want to undertake permitted short-term paid activities in the UK. You must be invited by a UK-based organisation or client who requires you to undertake limited and specified types of activities. For example, you can take part in a selection panel as a highly qualified academic, be a student examiner, or take part in broadcasting. The list of permitted activities is set out in the Immigration Rules, you must ensure that your activity is listed before applying for this visa. You must also be aware of what is and is not permitted, so you avoid breaching your visa conditions by undertaking paid activities that are not listed in the Rules.

This visa does not permit paid work unrelated to your main job or area of expertise at home. It does not permit access to public funds. It does not permit study. You are not allowed to marry or enter into a civil partnership.

Marriage Visitor visa: if you want to visit the UK in order to get married, register a civil partnership, give notice to marry or enter in a civil partnership, and you’re also not planning to stay or settle in the UK after your ceremony, then you must choose this visitor visa from 01 July 2021.

This visa does not permit paid or unpaid work for a UK company or as a self-employed person, except for permitted activities related to your work for business overseas. It does not permit access to public funds. It does not permit study.

You must show that you will leave the UK at the end of your visit. You will need to show that you can support yourself during your trip and you can pay for your return or onward journey. You also need to provide evidence of the activities that you wish to undertake in the UK.