Who can visit the UK?
Anyone – subject to meeting good character requirements – can visit the UK, but from April 2025 everyone will need some form of prior permission, in the form of an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) or a visitor visa, before travelling.
A visitor visa is required by a visa national who is wishing to visit the UK; a list of visa national countries can be found in paragraph VN1.1 of the Immigration Rules.
UK visitor visas are normally valid for six months and permit multiple entries into the country. It may be possible to apply for a visit visa for a longer period of time, such as up to 2 years, 5 years or 10 years. But remember, each visit must not be longer than six months from the date of entry.
By contrast, a non-visa national, such as an EU or US national, can arrive in the UK without a visa for now; but from April 2025, they will need to obtain an ETA.
Electronic Travel Authorisation
The ETA scheme has been rolled out by the UK over the past couple of years. It is a pre-screening process designed to enhance UK border security by evaluating travellers before they arrive in the UK. The scheme primarily applies to specified non-visa nationals who intend to visit the UK for tourism, business meetings, or short studies. As of January 2025, many nationalities including US and Australian citizens must hold an ETA. From April 2025, EU nationals will also be required to apply. The full list of countries and when to apply can be found here: Apply for an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) – GOV.UK.
Failure to obtain an approved ETA can lead to denial of boarding or entry into the UK. It is important to note that the ETA does not replace a visa. Travellers who are required to obtain a visa for their visit to the UK must still go through the usual visa application process.
The ETA application is quick and entirely online; the cost is £10 for a 2-year authorisation, or until your current passport expires. It is a requirement that any criminal convictions are disclosed; if you are ineligible for an ETA on these grounds, you will have to apply for a visitor visa instead.
What are the requirements for a visitor visa?
In considering a visitor visa application, an Entry Clearance Officer on behalf of the Home Office will assess the application against the following requirements:
- Whether the applicant is suitable for a grant of entry clearance – criminality or a poor immigration history can cause problems here
- Whether the applicant (or their sponsor) has sufficient funds to maintain and accommodate themselves during the trip without working. This can include:
- the cost of the return or onward journey
- any costs relating to their dependants
- the cost of any planned activities e.g., private medical treatment.
- Whether the applicant is a ‘genuine visitor’. The Entry Clearance Officer must be satisfied that:
- They will leave the UK at the end of their visit
- They do not plan live in the UK for extended periods through frequent or successive visits, or make the UK their main home
- They are genuinely seeking entry or stay for a purpose that is permitted under the visitor route
What activities can you do in the UK?
The Home Office limits what activities both visa and non-visa nationals can do whilst they are in the UK. The type of activities that individuals on a visit visa are permitted to undertake depend on the type of visa granted:
| Standard Visitor | Applicants can carry out all permitted activities in Appendix Visitor: Permitted Activities, discussed below. |
| Marriage/Civil Partnership Visitor | Applicants can marry or enter into a civil partnership, or give notice of marriage or civil partnership, and do all permitted activities in Appendix Visitor: Permitted Activities, other than study and carry out permitted paid engagements, discussed below. |
| Transit Visitor | Applicants can only transit the UK as described in PA 18. |
Permitted Activities
The exhaustive list of activities can be found here in Immigration Rules Appendix Visitor: Permitted Activities.Generally, it is expected that people will only carry out tourist and leisure activities or visit family and friends whilst in the UK. However, some exceptions include volunteering for up to 30 days with a UK-registered charity, receiving private medical treatment or engaging in general business activities – for example, attending a meeting or interview.
If you are an employee of an overseas business visiting the UK, you should refer to the ‘Intra-corporate activities’, ‘Manufacture and supply of goods’, ‘Clients of UK export companies’ and ‘Individuals employed outside the UK’ paragraphs in Appendix Permitted Activities to ensure any work or training you want undertake or provide in the UK will be permitted.
Permitted Paid Engagements
It is possible to carry out ‘permitted paid engagements’ during your visit to the UK. This could be a paid public performance or giving a lecture at a seminar or conference. Non-visa nationals do not have to make any sort of additional application to carry out these activities, but should bring with them a copy of their invitation to any such engagement. Visa nationals must declare this on their visitor visa application and will be required to provide documentary evidence of this.
Practicalities of visitor visa applications
To ensure the best chance of success in a visit visa application, it is vital that strong evidence of the applicant’s circumstances in their home country is provided to prove they are a ‘genuine visitor’. Applicants need to make it clear why they will be returning to their home country once they have finished their visit. In this regard, applicants must submit proof of their employment, property, and family abroad. A cover letter can also be very helpful to draw the decision maker’s attention to the evidence provided and how this meets the relevant immigration rules.
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