Types of UK Visas

UK Visa Types

You need to consider the UK visa types and the duration of your trip. With the ETA, you are limited to 6-month trips, and if you are planning to stay in the UK for longer, you will need to apply for a traditional visa.

Here are all the visa types available.

UK Standard Visitor Visa

The UK Standard Visitor visa, also known as the UK Tourist visa, is a short-term visa that allows foreign nationals to enter the UK for up to six months for a variety of purposes, including:

• Tourism 
• Visiting family and friends
• Transit through the UK
• Permitted business activities 
• Short-term study
• Volunteering with a registered charity (for up to 30 days)
• Permitted paid engagements
• Permitted medical reasons (e.g., private medical treatment)

The Standard Visitor visa does not allow you to work in the UK, engage in long-term study, set up a business, use the NHS, access public funds, get married, or stay long-term.

To be approved for this visa, you must provide evidence that you intend to leave the UK at the end of your visa (e.g., a return flight ticket) and that you have the necessary funds to support yourself during your stay in the UK.

The Standard Visitor visa costs £127 and is one of the most popular types of UK visa. The application takes approximately 3 weeks to process, but be aware that you cannot apply more than 3 months before your intended travel date.

There are additional UK Tourist visa types for foreign nationals who visit the UK regularly, or for specific purposes, including the following visitor visas:

• Standard Visitor visa for academics
• Standard Visitor visa for medical reasons
• Long-term Standard Visitor visa (2 years, 5 years, or 10 years)

Work Visa

The UK Work visa gives foreign nationals the right to work in the UK for a specified period. There are several types of UK visa types and durations for working in the UK, including:

• Health and Care Worker visa

For medical professionals (e.g., doctors, nurses, health professionals, and adult social care professionals) who want to work in an eligible job role with the NHS, an NHS supplier, or in adult social care in the UK. To qualify for this visa, the applicant must have a Certificate of Sponsorship from the employer and meet the minimum salary requirements. 

• Skilled Worker visa

The UK government operates a skilled worker visa for eligible professions. The visa is valid for the duration of your contract, up to 5 years. You will need an invitation from a UK-approved employer, and they will need to sponsor you for your visa. There are four requirements for a UK skilled worker visa:

• The employer is registered and approved by the Home Office.
• The employer provides a certificate of sponsorship for your job role within their company.
• The job is on an approved list of occupations.
• You will be paid a salary that meets the legislation for the national minimum wage.

You cannot apply for a UK skilled worker visa without a formal job offer from an approved UK business. 

• Innovator Founder visa 

Commonly known as the UK Business visa is a type of visa that allows foreign businesspeople to set up and run businesses in the UK. This visa has very specific requirements that applicants must comply with. For example, the business must be ‘innovative’, meaning that it is different from other businesses in the UK. To qualify for this visa, applicants must comply with the following requirements:

• The business must be endorsed by an approved body in the UK.
• The business must have growth potential.
• The applicant must provide evidence that the business will create jobs in the UK.
• The applicant must provide evidence that the business will grow in both the UK and the international market. 
• The applicant must have evidence of their knowledge of the English language.

Work visas are also available for foreign nationals who want to work in the UK for their non-UK employer. For example, doing an eligible job at your employer’s UK branch. These include:

• Senior or Specialist Worker visa
• Overseas Domestic Worker visa
• Graduate Trainee visa
• Secondment Worker visa
• Service Supplier visa

Student Visas

UK visa types for students are straightforward. You must be a student over the age of 16 and have been offered a place on a course by a licensed UK educational provider.

You will also need to speak, write, and understand English to a minimum requirement, and if under the age of 18, have parental consent. The duration of the UK student visa varies depending on the course you are doing. For example, degree-level education can get you a visa for up to 5 years, while the short-term study visa lasts just 6 to 11 months.

Family Visas

The family visa allows you to stay or live with a family member for longer than 6 months.

Rules for a family visa are strict, and you must be applying to live with a UK citizen or resident who is a:

• Spouse or partner,
• Fiancé or proposed civil partner,
• Child of yourself,
• Parent of yourself,
• Direct relative whom you will provide long-term care for.

If you are intending to marry your partner or fiancé, you will need to apply for a Marriage Visitor Visa. This is a separate visa and has additional requirements, including in-person interviews to ensure it is not a sham marriage.

Fees for family visas are typically much higher than other visa routes because you can stay in the UK for longer. They start with a duration of around 2 years and 9 months, but can be extended from within the UK.

Transit Visas

Transit visas allow you to pass through the UK to an onward destination by making a connection at a UK port or airport. A transit visa is a separate kind of visa that can be applied for, but if you have a standard visitor visa or a UK ETA, you will not need to apply separately for the transit visa, as both allow you to transit through the UK.

UK Electronic Travel Authorization (UK ETA)

The Electronic Travel Authorization is a travel permit that first started as a replacement for the old visa waiver program. It is not technically a UK visa, it is a digital permission to travel to the UK for short stays. For most short-term stays in the UK, if you don’t need a visa, you will need the ETA instead.

The ETA has a straightforward application process that can be completed online. This makes it easier and more affordable for travelers to apply while ensuring UK border control can maintain the safety of the country.

You can apply for an ETA provided your planned trip meets the following criteria:

• You are traveling for no longer than 6 months at a time.
• Your passport is valid for the duration of the ETA. If it expires during the ETA, your ETA also expires.
• You are traveling for:
  • Tourism or visiting friends and family,
  • Work in the creative space (arts) for up to 3 months,
  • Travel to the UK on a permitted paid engagement (such as hosting a seminar),
  • Transit through the UK, if you will go through border control.

You cannot use an ETA to seek paid or unpaid work.

Application Process

The ETA application is a very simple process:

• Fill in the form online,
• Upload a copy of your passport and a recent photo,
• Provide your email address and pay the fee,
• Receive confirmation via email.

No paperwork is involved - the ETA is applied digitally to your passport.

UK Visa Fees

UK visa types and fees vary. Each visa application will include fee information upfront so you can budget and prepare. 

The UK government only allows approved payment providers, including major credit and debit card companies.

You cannot pay your application fee in cash. UK visa fees are non-refundable, even if you are refused.

Here are some of the current visa fees when applying from outside the UK.

Visa Application (from Outside the UK)	Cost (GBP)
Visit visa – up to 6 months	£127
Visit visa – up to 2 years	£475
Visit visa – up to 5 years	£848
Global talent (approval letter required)	£205
Global talent (approval letter not required)	£766
Skilled worker (under 3 years)	£769
Skilled worker (over 3 years)	£1,519
Health and care visa (under 3 years)	£304
Health and care visa (over 3 years)	£590
Temporary work	£319
Student	£524
Innovator Founder visa	£1,274

UK Visa Denial: Common Reasons and What to Do Next

If you make a mistake, your application will be refused, and you can reapply. However, there are three common reasons the UK government denies entry to the UK, even if your application is submitted perfectly.

Ineligibility for the Visa

The most common reason a visa application is denied is that you are not eligible for the visa you have applied for.

If you do not meet the requirements for a visa, you may not be able to reapply or must wait until you meet all requirements. For marriage visas, if you have been denied because the government suspects it is a sham marriage, you will not be able to apply again.

The UK government conducts independent checks behind the scenes whenever you apply for any UK visa, and if the information they hold does not match the information you provide, you will be denied.

Failing Security Checks

The UK government shares security information with partners and allies. If the Home Office has information that links you to a prohibited group, terrorist organization, or if you have been involved with terrorism or war crimes, you will be automatically refused.

Additionally, if the UK government holds information that indicates you are a security risk for other reasons (such as espionage), you can be denied entry.

Failing Due to Criminal History

The UK government has an extremely strict agenda for immigration and criminal history. You must not have been convicted of a crime that resulted in a custodial sentence of 12 months or more.

Additionally, your crime cannot fall under the following:

• A crime that caused serious harm (including financial harm),
• A history of repeated petty offences, even if you have never had a 12-month custodial sentence,
• A crime that is morally wrong and not conducive to a good society.

For most crimes, you will either be refused entry or be required to provide additional information and undergo further screening. The only real exception to the rules is speeding offences.

What to Do If You Are Denied a Visa

In most cases, you will have a formal appeal process for a standard visa application where another Home Office representative re-evaluates the decision. 

If you have been automatically denied due to security or crime, you will not be able to appeal for reconsideration.

Unless the information for the denial provides a security risk, the home office will normally provide a brief reason for its decision.

Here’s what you need to do:

1. Check your refusal letter, and it will explain why you were refused.
2. If you can appeal or request a review, the letter will tell you so.
3. If the refusal reason is fixable (e.g., you misspelled your name on the form), you can reapply and pay the fee again.

In most cases, reapplying for the visa is the best course of action. If you want to appeal or request a review, the best thing to do is get legal advice and do it quickly! The deadline for requesting an appeal or review is 28 days.

What is the UK’s Points-Based Immigration System?

UK visa types have different requirements - one of the visas with unique requirements is the skilled worker visa.

The UK operates a points scoring system for the skilled worker visa. The points threshold is 70 points.

You generate points during the application process by:

• Showing proficiency in English (writing, reading, and understanding),
• The skills you hold and the relevance to the position you are hoping to take,
• The job offer itself and the economic reward.

If you fail to reach the 70-point threshold, you will be denied a skilled worker visa.

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