UK Announces Category Of Foreigners Allowed To Stay Longer Than Standard 6 Months In Country
- The UK government outlined one circumstance under which a Standard Visitor can apply to extend their stay beyond the usual 6-month limit
- A Standard Visitor visa costs £135 and covers tourism, business, short-term study, and several other permitted activities
- The UK also set out a clear list of things visitors cannot do during their stay, including working and claiming public funds
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The UK government has outlined one condition under which foreign visitors on a Standard Visitor visa may be permitted to remain in the country for longer than six months.
According to guidance published by the UK Home Office, most visitors travelling to the UK for tourism, business, short courses, or other permitted activities are ordinarily allowed to stay for a maximum of six months.
Source: UGC
However, the guidance states that visitors who require medical care in the country may apply to extend that period.
What the Standard Visitor Visa Covers
Beyond medical visits, the Standard Visitor visa covers a wide range of purposes.
Travellers can use it to go on holiday, see family or friends, attend business meetings or interviews, volunteer with a registered charity for up to 30 days, participate in a school exchange programme, take a recreational course lasting no longer than 30 days, study or sit an examination, or travel through the UK in transit to another country.
Senior academics, doctors, and dentists may also qualify under specific professional categories.
The visa costs £135 for stays of up to six months, and applicants must submit their application online at least three months before their travel date.
Frequent travellers to the UK can opt for a long-term Standard Visitor visa. Those who only need to pass through the country can apply for a Visitor in Transit visa at a reduced fee of £74.50.
What Visitors Are Not Allowed to Do
The guidance is equally clear about what is not permitted. Visitors cannot take up paid or unpaid employment with a UK company, work as self-employed individuals, claim public funds or benefits, or use frequent and successive visits as a way of effectively living in the country long-term.
Anyone wishing to marry or register a civil partnership while in the UK must apply for a separate Marriage Visitor visa.
To be granted entry, visitors must demonstrate that they intend to leave at the end of their stay, that they can financially support themselves and any dependants throughout the trip, and that they can cover the cost of their return or onward journey.
Depending on their nationality, travellers will either need to apply for a Standard Visitor visa in advance, obtain an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA), or simply arrive without either document.
Those who do not need a visa are still required to meet the Standard Visitor eligibility conditions and may be questioned at the UK border about their plans.
UK mentions long-term visa route for foreign graduates
Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that UK government posted a publication about different visa applications and their duration for applicants.
Graduate visa allows foreign graduates to remain in the country for at least 18 months after completing an eligible degree.
Source: Legit.ng
