UK Updates Visitor Visa Rules for Foreigners Travelling to Britain for Training
- The UK government updated its Immigration Rules to expand what visitors are allowed to do under the Visitor route in 2026
- All visitors can now attend workshops, debates, and Skills Competitions, while Erasmus+ participants get access to additional training activities
- Erasmus+ visitors can undertake traineeships for up to 30 days, job shadowing, and coaching assignments at UK-based organisations
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The United Kingdom government has updated its Immigration Rules to broaden the range of activities that visitors are permitted to carry out, with specific new provisions for participants in the Erasmus+ programme.
The changes, published in the UK government's Statement of Changes to the Immigration Rules HC 584 of September 3, 2026, amend Appendix Visitor: Permitted Activities to reflect the expanded scope of the Visitor route.
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UK: What all visitors can now do
Under the revised rules, every visitor entering the UK will be able to participate in workshops and debates, as well as attend Skills Competitions, as long as they meet the eligibility requirements set out in Appendix V: Visitor.
These activities were not previously available to all visitors under the standard Visitor route.
New rules for Erasmus+ participants
A dedicated sub-section, titled "Erasmus+ Activities," has been added to the Permitted Activities appendix.
This section applies only to those taking part in the Erasmus+ programme and sets out a separate list of activities they may carry out while in the UK on a visitor visa.
Eligible Erasmus+ participants can now:
1. Provide or receive training at a UK-based organisation or educational institution.
2. Take part in courses at a UK-based organisation or educational institution.
3. Undertake a traineeship lasting up to 30 days at a UK-based organisation or educational institution.
4. Carry out job shadowing at a UK-based organisation, including sports organisations, or educational institution.
5. Participate in coaching or training assignments at a UK-based sports organisation.
All of these additional activities remain subject to the eligibility requirements outlined in Appendix V: Visitor.
Applicants who do not qualify under those requirements will not be able to take advantage of the Erasmus+ provisions, even if they are enrolled in the programme.
The changes represent a notable shift in how the UK Visitor route accommodates international education and training partnerships, particularly for those coming from countries that participate in Erasmus+.
In a related story, Legit.ng reported that the UK had changed its religious worker visa rules.
Conditions for bringing parents and grandparents to UK
Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that the UK had shared the requirements for bringing one's parents and grandparents to the country.
The rules, which remain in effect in 2026, set out a strict list of requirements that both the applicant and their UK-based sponsor must satisfy before entry clearance can be granted.
Where the sponsor is a British citizen or is settled in the UK, the elderly relative is granted settlement upon arrival.
Source: Legit.ng
