Do you need a visa in your passport to enter the UK? With all of the current immigration concerns and Brexit looming for Britain in the not-too-distant future, you don’t want to make any mistakes that could send you packing before you’ve even set foot on British soil. Don’t panic. It really isn’t that difficult as long as you know what to do ahead of time.
Whether you need a UK visa depends on where you are coming from and why you are coming. Here are the facts as of September 2018.
Tourist Visas
If you are a citizen of the United States, Canada or Australia, or legally live in those countries, you do not need to apply for a tourist visa before entering the United Kingdom. Visas, generally for visits of up to six months, are granted upon entry, when you present your passport, provided you satisfy the immigration officer that the purpose of your visit complies with UK Immigration Rules.
There is no charge for this type of visa granted upon entry.
The same rules apply to citizens of most, but not all, South American and Caribbean countries, as well as Japan.
If you have a criminal record or have been denied entry to the UK before, it’s probably a good idea to apply for a visa before showing up at an airport or port of entry, just to be safe.
Student visas
If you plan to study for up to six months, you must apply in advance for a short-term study visa. In 2018, this visa costs £ 97 for a short-term course of up to six months and £ 186 for 11 months if you are taking an English course.
If you are 16 or over and taking a university course or a longer course of study, you must apply for a Level 4 general student visa using the UK point system. This visa costs £ 348 (in 2018). You will also need to pay the health care surcharge (£ 150 per year of study) when you apply. Different rules apply for study visas for children and visas for students with dependents.
Learn more about eligibility and rules for student visas.
Work visas
The rules that apply for work visas depend on the type of work you will be doing, your role in your organization and how long you will be working in the UK. If you come from a Commonwealth country and at least one of your grandparents was a UK citizen, you may be eligible for a UK descent visa that is valid for five years. The health care surcharge is charged to people coming to the UK for work.
Learn more about work visas.
Other special visas
You will need a special visa if:
- You are joining a family member, who is a UK citizen or permanently established in the UK, for a longer stay.
- You are coming to the UK to get married.
People who do not need UK visas
If you are a citizen of a member country of the European Union (EU) , the European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland, you do not need a visa to visit, live or work in the UK. But that will change soon (see EU Settlement Scheme, below) You will need to carry a European passport or identity card. If you are coming to the UK as a diplomat or on official government business, you will not need a visa. However, family members joining you or traveling with you will likely need one.
Brexit impact
As of September 2018, the visa rules that apply to EU and EEA citizens had not changed, but are likely to change or adjust in 2018. Read about the EU Settlement Scheme
The EU settlement scheme
If you live in the UK as an EU citizen and want to stay indefinitely, you must apply for liquidation status in order to remain as normal after Brexit.
To stay after December 2020, you will need to request liquidation or early liquidation status. The application program will be fully open in March 2019 and you must apply before June 30, 2021.
You can subscribe to receive email updates to know when the registration program opens.
The status of the Settlement Scheme (as of September 2018) has not been decided for citizens of Norway, Switzerland, Iceland and Liechtenstein.
Irish citizens and their families are allowed to stay in the UK indefinitely and do not need to apply for the Agreement.
The health surcharge
In April 2015, the UK government implemented new rules to prevent health tourists coming to the UK from using the free National Health Service (NHS). If you are coming to study long-term or to work, part of the visa application process is the payment of a health surcharge. The fee covers every year of your stay in the UK. Although it may seem expensive, it is much cheaper than private health insurance for the same period and allows you to use the NHS in the same way that British citizens and residents can use it.
Does a UK visa give me access to the rest of Europe?
No, he does not do it. Most of the EU, along with non-EU countries that are members of the EEA, are members of a treaty that establishes the Schengen Area. (Schengen is the city of Luxembourg where the treaty was signed).
Within the Schengen borders, visitors with a Schengen visa can travel freely, from one country to another, without border controls. The UK and Ireland were excluded from this part of the Schengen treaty. So if you are visiting, you will need a separate Schengen visa to travel in Europe and Iceland, as well as a UK visa.
See here for a full list of countries currently in the Schengen area.
How can I obtain more information?
If you are still not sure whether you need a visa, visit the UK handy online questionnaire Do I need a British visa. It is a step-by-step questionnaire that will lead you to definitive answers on visa conditions for citizens of your country and the types of visas available.
If it turns out that you need one, you must wait at least three months for your application to be processed. You can apply for and generally pay for a visa online at Visa4UK. You must be outside the UK when you apply. Alternatively, you can apply for a visa at a UK visa application center in your own country.
Find a complete list of visa application centers here.
