United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland · short term business
Standard Visitor visa
By Sam Parks · Last reviewed:
Guidance updated 10 September 2026. Full-review date shown above.
Source check: all 7 official citations reconfirmed 13 September 2026
Short-stay visa for tourism, visiting family, or permitted business activities up to 6 months.
Check key requirements for your situation →- Processing time
- GOV.UK says a decision usually arrives within 3 weeks after identity verification and submission of the application and documents from outside the UK; preparation and appointment waiting are separate.
- Government fees
- The Standard Visitor visa fee is £135 for a standard 6-month visa. Long-term validity options and special-purpose visits carry higher fees; check GOV.UK before applying.
- Typical duration
- Up to 6 months per visit; long-term visitor visas valid 2, 5, or 10 years (each stay still 6 months max).
- Sponsorship required
- No
- Leads to permanent residency
- No
In short
Short-stay visa for tourism, visiting family, or permitted business activities up to 6 months. Guidance updated 10 September 2026. Costs, application stages and eligibility conditions are set out with their sources below.
Cite this: https://visaatlas.org/visas/uk/visit-visa-standard#answer
What is the Standard Visitor visa in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
Standard Visitor visa is an unsponsored United Kingdom route. Indicative government fees are The Standard Visitor visa fee is £135 for a standard 6-month visa. Long-term validity options and special-purpose visits carry higher fees; check GOV.UK before applying; indicative processing time is GOV.UK says a decision usually arrives within 3 weeks after identity verification and submission of the application and documents from outside the UK; preparation and appointment waiting are separate; typical duration is Up to 6 months per visit; long-term visitor visas valid 2, 5, or 10 years (each stay still 6 months max). This route does not lead to permanent residence.
Primary guidance checked with UK Home Office on 10 September 2026.
Overview
The Standard Visitor visa permits stays of up to 6 months for tourism, family visits, short courses, and permitted business activities (meetings, conferences, certain paid engagements). Some visa-exempt travellers need an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA), while others, including British or Irish passport holders and people with permission to live, work or study in the UK, do not. Check GOV.UK for the route that applies to your nationality and purpose of travel.
Eligibility
Typical criteria
- ✓Genuine visitor intending to leave the UK at the end of the stay.UK Home Office ↗
- ✓Sufficient funds to support the stay without working.UK Home Office ↗
- ✓No work for UK businesses beyond the permitted business activities list.UK Home Office ↗
Common blockers
- !Pattern of visits suggesting de facto residence rather than visits.UK Home Office ↗
- !Intent to work or study beyond permitted scope.UK Home Office ↗
Typical evidence
- ·Travel itinerary and accommodation.
- ·Bank statements demonstrating funds.UK Home Office ↗
- ·Employment or study evidence showing ties to home country.UK Home Office ↗
Application pathway
Confirm whether you need a visitor visa
Many nationalities are non-visa nationals and can use the ETA instead, but some travellers do not need either. Check GOV.UK before applying.
Apply online
Submit the application with travel plans, funds evidence, and ties to home country.
Biometrics and decision
Attend biometrics at a Visa Application Centre.
Travel within validity
Stays of up to 6 months each; long-term validity visas permit multiple stays up to 10 years.
After approval: prepare for your next step
For Standard Visitor visa, use the actual decision and the issuing authority’s instructions to establish what has been granted. A successful application, permission to enter, permission to work and a residence document are not interchangeable.
- 1. Check the decision. Confirm the name, passport, status granted, start date and any next action. Resolve an error with the authority before relying on the document for travel or employment.
- 2. Establish the travel step. Read any entry window, activation, collection or in-country registration instruction. For an extension or change of status, do not assume leaving the country is required or safe while a further step remains pending.
- 3. Confirm what you may do. Check whether employment, self-employment, remote work or study is permitted under the status granted. Do not infer unrestricted work rights from the absence of an employer sponsor.
- 4. Organise the household. Check each accompanying person’s permission separately, then arrange healthcare, accommodation, access to money and the relevant local registrations. A tax number or bank account does not by itself prove a right to work.
- 5. Keep the ongoing conditions visible. Record the actual expiry, renewal process, permitted absences and any duty to report changes. An initial grant does not automatically establish permanent residence or citizenship.
Plan the practical side of your stay
Once you have checked the official route, you can prepare for day-to-day life in United Kingdom. These optional services are separate from the application and do not establish visa eligibility.
Official application links
Where to actually go next
These are the official pages to use for this route. Open them before preparing documents: the forms, fees, appointment systems, and sponsor steps can change without warning.
- ApplyApplicantApply for a Standard Visitor visa ↗
Use this GOV.UK form if your nationality requires a visitor visa for the planned UK trip.
UK Home Office · verified
- ApplyApplicantApply for an ETA ↗
Use this official ETA application if you are visa-exempt but need electronic travel authorisation.
UK Home Office · verified
Fees and processing time
Indicative government fees: The Standard Visitor visa fee is £135 for a standard 6-month visa. Long-term validity options and special-purpose visits carry higher fees; check GOV.UK before applying.. A decision then typically takes 3 weeks (decision stage after ID Check submission or the visa-centre biometrics appointment; preparation and appointment waiting are separate). Both change over time, so the dedicated pages below carry the itemised breakdown and the current official figures.
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Frequently asked questions
Can I work in the UK on a visitor visa?+
No general employment is permitted. A specific list of "Permitted Activities" allows meetings, conferences, certain paid engagements for experts, and limited intra-company activities. Paid productive work for a UK employer is not permitted.
Do I need an ETA?+
Many visa-exempt visitors need an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) rather than a Standard Visitor visa, but British or Irish passport holders and people with permission to live, work or study in the UK are examples of travellers who do not need an ETA. Check GOV.UK for your nationality and circumstances.
Need tailored advice?
We do not provide legal advice. For an application that depends on your exact circumstances, consult a regulator-listed immigration advisor.
Find a regulated advisor in United KingdomHow we verified this
We check every figure on this page against the primary government source, record the date it was last checked, and re-check it on a regular schedule. Rules change, so always confirm time-sensitive details with the official source before you rely on them. Visa Atlas is an information-only publication and does not give legal advice.
Primary source: UK Home Office
Last checked: 10 September 2026