Visiting the UK

This section describes the different categories of visitor to the UK, and helps you to choose which category is the most suitable for you. It also explains what you are allowed to do while you are in the UK as a visitor.

If you are coming to the UK as a visitor, you are allowed to stay here for up to 6 months in most cases. If you want to stay here for longer than 6 months, you should read the Visas and immigration section to find out about non-visitor immigration categories.

To be allowed to enter or pass through the UK, you must meet certain requirements. For information about these, and to find out what you can expect when you arrive at our border, you should read the Travel and customs section.

If someone in the UK will be 'sponsoring' you during your visit, they should read the Sponsoring a visitor pages.

Our service standards set out how quickly we aim to decide applications for coming to the UK as a visitor. The standard is that we will decide 90 per cent of applications within 3 weeks, 98 per cent within 6 weeks and 100 per cent within 12 weeks.

Tourism and visiting friends

If you want to visit the UK as a tourist or to stay with friends in the UK, you should apply to come here as a general visitor (or as a child visitor if you are under 18).

If you are a Chinese national and you will be coming to the UK as part of a group for a maximum of 30 days, you can apply for a visa as an ADS visitor.

Visiting family

If you want to visit members of your family in the UK, you can apply to come here as a family visitor (or as a child visitor if you are under 18).

Visiting to do business

If you want to do business in the UK, you should apply to come here as a business visitor (or as a child visitor if you are under 18). This includes academic visitors, and doctors undertaking clinical attachments or the PLAB test.

If you want to come to the UK as a Tier 1 (Entrepreneur), and you need to spend time here first in order to hold discussions and secure funding, you can apply for a visa as a prospective entrepreneur.

Visiting to study

If you want to study in the UK for up to 6 months (or up to 11 months if you will be studying an English Language course), and you will not work while you are here, you can come here as a student visitor (or as a child visitor if you are under 18).

If you intend to study in the UK under Tier 4 of the points-based system, but you have not completed the arrangements for your course of study, you might be able to apply for a visa as a prospective student.

If you have a child aged under 12 who will be studying in the UK under Tier 4 (Child) of the points-based system, you can apply to accompany them as a parent of a child at school.

Visiting as a sportsperson

There are special arrangements for athletes, coaches, officials and media representatives at the 2012 London Olympic and Paralympic Games to come to the UK, if they have been accredited by the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG). The Olympic/Paralympic Games visitors section explains how they can apply for a visa to visit the UK before 30 March 2012 to take part in a specific activity related to the Games. If they want to visit the UK between 30 March and 8 November 2012, the Olympic and Paralympic Games family member visitors section explains how they can come here without needing a visa.

If you want to take part in any other sporting events in the UK, you might be able to come here as a sports visitor or a visitor undertaking permitted paid engagements (or as a child visitor if you are under 18). If you do not meet the requirements to be a visitor, you will need to apply under Tier 5 (Temporary workers - Creative and sporting) of the points-based system.

Visiting as an entertainer

If you want to perform or audition in the UK as an entertainer, you might be able to come here as an entertainer visitor or a visitor undertaking permitted paid engagements (or as a child visitor if you are under 18). If you do not meet the requirements to be a visitor, you will need to apply under Tier 5 (Temporary workers - Creative and sporting) of the points-based system.

Visiting for other reasons

If you want to get married or register a civil partnership in the UK, and you intend to leave the UK soon after the ceremony, you should apply to come here as a visitor for marriage or civil partnership.

If you want to receive private medical treatment in the UK, you should apply to come here as a visitor for private medical treatment.

Transiting the UK

If you want to come to the UK for up to 48 hours on your way to another country, you can come here as a visitor in transit.