Applying for a UK visa can feel like a daunting process, especially if you are unsure which type of visa you will need to apply for and how to go about making a UK visa application.
The following guide on how to apply for a UK visa looks first at the main UK visa options, including visit, work, study and family visas. We also explain the UK visa application process, from the steps involved, to the potential costs and typical processing times.
What are the main UK visa options?
There are various different types of UK visas, depending on the purpose of your stay, from visiting the UK for a holiday to undertaking a course of study or starting a new job, or even starting a whole new life with loved ones. Below we set out a summary of the main UK visas, divided into four key categories: visitor, student, worker and family visas.
UK visit visas
If you are a citizen of a country that does not qualify for visa-free travel to the UK, known as a visa national, you will need to obtain a visit visa to obtain entry clearance prior to arriving at a UK port-of-entry. A visit visa is the permission given by UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI), the division of the Home Office responsible for the UK’s visa system, to be able to visit the UK for a short period of time. This could be for the purposes of tourism and leisure, or for business purposes, such as attending meetings or conferences.
There are two main types of visit visa: the Standard Visitor and Long-Term Visitor visas. The standard visa will allow visitors to come to the UK for up to 6 months. In contrast, the long-term visa is for those looking to visit the UK on a regular basis, allowing multiple entries over a validity period of 2, 5 or 10 years, limited to a maximum of 6 months per stay. However, visit visas can only be used to undertake activities permitted under the visitor rules, which exclude paid employment or anything more than a short course of study.
To be eligible for a visit visa you must be able to support yourself and any dependants during your trip, and pay for your return or onward journey. You must also intend to leave the UK at the end of your stay, where a visa must not be used to live in the UK for extended periods through either frequent or successive visits, or to make the UK your main home.
UK study visas
To be able to undertake a longer course of study you will need to apply for a Student visa. You can apply for a Student visa if you are aged 16 or over, have been offered a place on a course by a UK licensed sponsor, and can support yourself and pay for that course. In addition to the financial requirement, you must also meet an English language requirement.
The length of time that you will be permitted to stay in the UK on a Student visa will all depend on the length of your course. For example, if you are aged 18+ and your intended course of study is at degree level, you can typically stay in the UK for up to 5 years, but if your course is below degree level, you can usually only stay for up to 2 years.
UK work visas
When applying for a UK work visa, you will need to apply for the right type of visa based on your circumstances, meeting a number of various different route-specific requirements. The main immigration routes when it comes to working in the UK include:
- The Skilled Worker visa: this is a sponsored work visa requiring the offer of a job within an eligible skilled occupation from a UK licensed sponsor that meets the applicable salary threshold. You must also meet an English language and financial requirement. If your application for a Skilled Worker visa is successful, you will be permitted to stay in the UK for up to 5 years. You can also extend your stay once you are in the UK as many times as you like, provided you continue to meet the relevant requirements, with the possibility of applying to permanently settle after meeting a 5-year continuous residence requirement.
- The Graduate visa: this is an unsponsored immigration route that will allow recent overseas graduates, having successfully completed a UK course of study at bachelor’s degree level or above, to undertake work in the UK for either 2 or 3 years. This will provide the flexibility to work at any skill or salary level. Equally, if you secure a suitably skilled and well-salaried job role prior to expiry of this visa, you can apply to switch to the Skilled Worker visa, providing you with a potential path to settlement in the UK.
- The Scale-up visa: this is a partly sponsored route, allowing you to come to the UK to do an eligible job for a fast-growing UK business, provided that role meets the minimum salary requirement. You must also meet an English language and financial requirement. Your prospective employer must be an eligible scale-up business and licensed to sponsor this category of worker, although your sponsorship will only last for 6 months. The Scale-up visa will run for a period of 2 years, enabling you to switch to an unsponsored role for someone else, although you must continue to meet the minimum earnings requirement. You can also apply to extend this visa as many times as you like by 3 years and, after continuously living in the UK after 5 years, you can apply to settle on a permanent basis.
UK family visas
If you are not just coming to the UK to visit friends and family, but to start a whole new life with a loved one already living in the UK, you will need to apply for a category of family visa. There are various different types of family visa, including for the spouse or partner of someone settled in the UK, for children joining a parent living in the UK or for parents of children living in the UK, as well as for adult dependant relatives in need of long-term care.
When applying for any one of these types of visa, whether you are eligible is primarily about whether your UK sponsor falls into one of the accepted categories. For example, the Partner visa is for the spouse or partner of either a British citizen or someone settled in the UK, or someone with refugee status or humanitarian protection. You must also meet the requisite relationship requirement, such as being married to or in a relationship akin to a marriage with your UK sponsor. However, even if you do not meet the requirements for any one of the family visas, you may still be granted a visa on the basis of your right to private and family life under Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights.
If you are applying for a family visa from outside the UK, you will be granted a visa for 2 years 9 months as either a partner or parent, or 2 years and 6 months from inside the UK. After this you will need to apply to extend your stay. However, you can also apply to settle in the UK on a permanent basis after meeting a 5-year continuous residence requirement. In other cases, the length of your visa will depend on the status of your family member.
If your spouse, partner or parent is in the UK temporarily on either a work or study visa, you can instead apply as their dependant. For example, if you are the husband or wife of someone applying or already in the UK on the Skilled Worker route, you can apply to join or accompany your spouse under the same immigration route. This does not mean that you will also need a qualifying job meeting the minimum skill and salary requirements on this route, but you will need to satisfy other criteria, including a relationship requirement. The length of your dependant visa will typically match that of the primary visa-holder.
What is the UK visa application process?
You can apply and pay for most visas online. When making an online UK visa application, you will need to visit the GOV.UK website and select the correct visa type. You will then need to complete your application and pay the fee. You will also need to prove your identity, provide documents to show your eligibility and enrol your biometric information. The way in which you do this will depend on your nationality and passport type.
You may have to attend an appointment at an overseas visa application centre (VAC) if you are applying from outside the UK, or at a UK Visa and Citizenship Application Services (UKVCAS) service point if you are applying from in the UK. In some cases, you may be able to use the ‘UK Immigration: ID Check’ smartphone app, where you will find out if you need to attend an appointment or use the smartphone app when you start your visa application.
If you need to attend a VAC or UKVCAS service point, as these are run by third party providers, you will get a link to their website where you can schedule an appointment to provide your biometrics, ie; your fingerprints and photograph. You can also use this appointment to provide your evidence in support of your visa application, unless you have already uploaded this online. For example, if you are applying for a Skilled Worker visa, in addition to having a valid CoS number as proof of a genuine job offer with a licensed UK sponsor, you may also need to provide evidence of your ability to speak English. If, on the other hand, you are applying for a Partner visa, amongst other things, you may need to provide your marriage certificate or proof of your relationship with your UK sponsor.
UK visa application costs
When it comes to the costs of a UK visa application, there is a fee for each visa. This fee will depend on which visa you apply for, ranging from just £100 for a Standard Visitor visa to £3,250 for an Adult Dependant visa. The fees will also vary depending on whether you are either applying from overseas, to extend your stay in the UK or to switch to another visa.
If you have dependants who would like to come to the UK with you, each individual will need to apply and pay separately, where the fees are the same for each person. You may also each be liable to pay the healthcare surcharge. This surcharge is to grant you access to the UK’s National Health Service and is currently set at £624 per year of stay. This must be paid upfront, although for students and children the charge is reduced to £470 per year.
UK visa application processing times?
The length of time it takes to obtain a visa will depend on the visa type and whether you are applying from overseas or within the UK. For example, a family visa application made overseas can take up to 6 months, compared with 8 weeks from within the UK. In contrast, a work visa will take 3 weeks when applying from overseas and 3 weeks from the UK.
In some cases, you may be able to pay for a faster decision on your UK visa application depending on the type of visa sought, how you apply and where you apply from. However, this does not necessarily guarantee a faster decision on your visa if your application is not straightforward, nor any guarantee that your application is more likely to be successful.
It is always best to seek expert advice before making a UK visa application, not only to ensure that you select the right visa type, but that you meet the relevant requirements and provide the right documentation, so as to maximise the prospects of a successful outcome.
UK visa application FAQs
[wp-faq-schema accordion=1]
Legal disclaimer
The matters contained in this article are intended to be for general information purposes only. This article does not constitute legal advice, nor is it a complete or authoritative statement of the law, and should not be treated as such. Whilst every effort is made to ensure that the information is correct, no warranty, express or implied, is given as to its accuracy and no liability is accepted for any error or omission. Before acting on any of the information contained herein, expert legal advice should be sought.
Author
Gill Laing is a qualified Legal Researcher & Analyst with niche specialisms in Law, Tax, Human Resources, Immigration & Employment Law.
Gill is a Multiple Business Owner and the Managing Director of Prof Services - a Marketing & Content Agency for the Professional Services Sector.
