Visiting the United Kingdom
Do I need a visa?
If you are coming to the United Kingdom as a visitor, you are allowed to stay for up to six months in most cases. This section explains the different types of visitor and what you are allowed to do as a visitor.
If you intend to stay here for longer than six months, you need to look at the Residency, Working or Studying sections of this website.
To be allowed to enter or pass through the United Kingdom, 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.
Our service standards set out how quickly we aim to decide applications for coming to the United Kingdom as a visitor. The standard is that we will decide 65% of applications within four weeks.
This section explains:
- how you can come to the United Kingdom as a general visitor;
- how you or your child can come to the United Kingdom as a child visitor;
- how you can come to the United Kingdom as a student visitor;
- how you can come to the United Kingdom as a business and special visitor.
- whether you can come to the United Kingdom for medical treatment;
- how to sponsor a visitor;
- how you can come to the United Kingdom to get married or register a civil partnership;
- what the group travel scheme is;
- how to change your conditions of stay; and
- what rights and responsibilities you have when visiting the United Kingdom.