Requirement For Tourist Visa In Uk The main requirement for a non-European citizen travelling to UK as a tourist is that they must have enough money on them to cover their accommodation expenses. This must be documented either by a bank statement or by evidence from an insurance company. The documents required for the tourist visa will depend upon the applicant’s nationality. If you are a US Citizen, then your passport needs to be valid for at least 6 months after the date of your return from England and you also need to attach copies of your round trip tickets. If you are from one of the European countries and travelling from a member state, then again you will need your passport with at least 6 months validity and need to produce proof that you have sufficient funds available to cover charges for your stay in England.

If you are planning to go to UK on a vacation or for other family or business reasons, you must know about visa requirements for the UK. All the UK visa applicants must check the official site of Visa4uk before applying for any visa as it helps them in getting UK visa successfully.

Requirement For Tourist Visa In Uk

In this article, you will learn about the application process for UK tourist visa, related documents to be submitted, fees and processing time.

Table of Contents

Overview

You can visit the UK as a Standard Visitor for tourism, business, study (courses up to 6 months) and other permitted activities.

You can usually stay in the UK for up to 6 months. You might be able to apply to stay for longer in certain circumstances, for example to get medical treatment.

What you need to do

Check if what you plan to do in the UK is allowed as a Standard Visitor.
Check you meet the eligibility requirements.
Check if you need to apply for a visa to visit the UK.
Apply for a Standard Visitor visa online – if you need one.

What you can and cannot do (‘permitted activities’)

You can visit the UK as a Standard Visitor:

for tourism, for example on a holiday or vacation
to see your family or friends
to volunteer for up to 30 days with a registered charity
to pass through the UK to another country (‘in transit’)
for certain business activities, for example attending a meeting or interview
to take part in a school exchange programme
to do a recreational course of up to 30 days, for example a dance course
to study, do a placement or take an exam
as an academic, senior doctor or dentist
for medical reasons

You cannot:

do paid or unpaid work for a UK company or as a self-employed person
claim public funds (benefits)
live in the UK for long periods of time through frequent or successive visits
marry or register a civil partnership, or give notice of marriage or civil partnership – you’ll need to apply for a Marriage Visitor visa

Check you meet the eligibility requirements

You must have a passport or travel document to enter the UK. It should be valid for the whole of your stay.

You must be able to show that:

you’ll leave the UK at the end of your visit
you’re able to support yourself and your dependants during your trip (or have funding from someone else to support you)
you’re able to pay for your return or onward journey (or have funding from someone else to pay for the journey)
you’ll not live in the UK for extended periods through frequent or successive visits, or make the UK your main home

You may need to meet extra eligibility requirements if you’re visiting the UK:

The rules on what you’ll need to enter the UK may be different if you’re travelling from Ireland, Jersey, Guernsey or the Isle of Man.

Check if you need a visa to visit the UK

Depending on your nationality, you’ll either:

have to apply for a Standard Visitor visa before you travel to the UK
be able to visit the UK for up to 6 months without needing a visa

You can check if you need a visa before you apply.

If you do not need a visa, you must still meet the Standard Visitor eligibility requirements to visit the UK. You may be asked questions at the UK border about your eligibility and the activities you plan to do.

If you’ve previously been refused entry to the UK or have a criminal record, you may want to apply for a Standard Visitor visa (even if you do not need one).

If you have to apply for a Standard Visitor visa

You must apply for a Standard Visitor visa online before you travel to the UK.

A Standard Visitor visa costs £100 for up to 6 months. The earliest you can apply is 3 months before you travel.

If you visit the UK regularly, you can choose to apply for a long-term Standard Visitor visa instead.

You can pass through the UK to another country on a Standard Visitor visa. If transiting is your only reason for coming to the UK, you can apply for a Visitor in Transit visa instead for £64.