Types of UK VISA 2023: A UK visa is a document that grants international citizens the right to enter, stay temporarily, or live permanently on British soil. A visa is typically a stamp in your passport or a document issued by a UK consulate or embassy in your country of residence.
Read More: UK Visa Application Requirements – Vital information
If you are granted a visa, it means that you are eligible to enter the UK and that you meet the requirements of the specific visa. People apply for a UK visa for a variety of reasons, including:
- To work and to do business
- To study
- For short stays and tourism
- To join family members who are already in the UK
- To transit through the UK to another country
- To live permanently
- As a refugee or as someone who needs humanitarian protection
- As a stateless person
- As someone who needs permission to stay
Who Needs a UK Visa?
Citizens of the European Economic Area, Switzerland, and Commonwealth countries do not need a UK visa to enter the country. Visit this page for a complete list of countries whose citizens require a visa to enter the United Kingdom.
How to Apply for a UK Visa?
The UK visa application process is heavily influenced by the type of visa you are seeking. Especially if your visa falls under the Points-Based System category. Though the majority of the requirements are the same for each category, the system evaluates them differently. There are also additional requirements that differ from one category to the next.
When Should I Apply for a UK Visa?
The earliest you can apply for a UK visa is three months before your intended visit. However, keep in mind that your visa application may take up to three weeks to be processed. Apply ahead of time so that the consulate has enough time to process your visa.
What are the Required Documents for UK Visa?
There are some standard UK visa application requirements that every applicant must meet. These requirements differ depending on the type of visa and the applicant’s nationality.
What is the Points-Based System (PBS)?
The United Kingdom’s Point-Based System (PBS) Visa is a method of regulating immigration to the United Kingdom from outside the country, replacing the previous system, which was much more complex and difficult to cover.
The PBS system scores visa applicants based on the number of points they can earn by meeting visa requirements. Each visa requirement has its own set of points, and the candidate must accumulate a certain number of points in order to be granted the visa.
UK Visa Types
People want to apply for a UK visa for a variety of reasons. As a result, the United Kingdom has a well-organized visa system based on the purpose of the visitor under various visa types.
Here are the UK visa types:
- Work Visas.
- Business Visas.
- Study Visas.
- Visitor Visas.
- Family Visas.
- Settlement Visas.
- Transit Visas.
Work and Business Visas
Aside from its strict rules that prevent many visa holders from working, the UK also offers Working Visas, particularly for high-level professionals from other countries who wish to work and live in the UK for shorter or longer periods.
Categories of work and business visas
- Highly qualified foreigners:
- Global Talent Visa
- Skilled foreign workers with a job offer in a shortage area
- Tier 2 (General) Visa
- Tier 2 (Intra-company Transfer) Visa
- Tier 2 (Sportsperson) Visa
- Tier 2 (Minister of Religion) Visa
- Youth mobility and temporary foreign workers
- Tier 5 (Temporary Worker) Visa
- Tier 5 (Youth Mobility Scheme) Visa
- Other:
- Croatian National Registration Certificate
- Domestic Workers in a Private Household Visa
- Exempt Vignette Visa
- Turkish Worker Visa
- The UK Business Visa types are the following:
- Tier 1 Entrepreneur Visa
- Tier 1 Graduate Entrepreneur Visa
- Tier 1 Investor Visa
- Turkish Businessperson Visa
Student Visas
These visas are issued to international students who wish to study in the United Kingdom.
Categories of student visas
- Tier 4 (Child) Student Visa
- Tier 4 (General) Student Visa
- Short-Term Study Visa
Tourist and Visiting visas
The United Kingdom is a popular tourist destination for short or extended stays. UK Visitor Visas are issued for short-term stays, tourism, and other similar purposes. Tourist visas for more than six months are rarely issued by UK authorities. Foreign nationals are not permitted to work in the UK with this type of visa, as they are with many others.
Short business trips are handled in a similar manner.
Categories tourist and visiting visas
- Marriage Visitor Visa
- Parent of Tier 4 (Child) Student Visa
- Permitted Paid Engagement Visa
- Short-term Study Visa
- UK Visitor Visa
- Visa for a Chinese Tour Group
Family Visas
The UK Family Visa is granted to individuals who wish to visit family members in the United Kingdom. This Visa type is for people who have family members working and living in the UK and want to join them as their dependents for more than six months. Dependents can include a husband or wife (spouse), a partner, a fiancé, a fiancée, or a proposed civil partner, children, parents, or other family members.
Categories of family visas
- UK Spouse visa
- UK Parent visa
- UK Child visa
Transit Visas
The UK Transit Visa is intended for foreigners who are not citizens of the EEA (EU countries including Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway) or Switzerland and are using the UK as a transit country to travel from one country to another. This visa allows the applicant to apply for a long-term transit visa if he has sufficient evidence that he needs to travel regularly through the UK to reach his destination but has no intention of staying or living there permanently. Such long-term transit visas can be issued for one to ten years.
Categories of transit visas
- Direct Airside Transit Visa (DATV) – for those who need to change flights in the UK but do not want to leave the airport.
- Visitor in Transit Visa – for foreigners who must leave the airport and take another mode of transportation as part of their journey through the country. This visa is valid for up to four days.
Refugee Visa
The Temporary Refugee Visa is for people who are about to enter the UK and are at the border because they had to flee their country because their life was in danger. This visa is applied for from within the United Kingdom.
The visa is only valid until the visa holder is no longer in danger and can return to their home country. Visa for Stateless Persons is for foreigners living in the UK who are not citizens of any other country. This visa is valid for two to six years and can be extended.
UK Residence Permits
Indefinite Leave to Remain
The UK Settlement permit, also known as Indefinite Leave to Remain, is for people who have been living in the UK on a temporary visa for a long time and want to get a permanent one. The visa is for people who have been away from the UK for at least two years and want to return, or whose passport has been lost.
Foreigners who already have refugee or humanitarian status in the UK and want to stay permanently or for a family reunion. The majority of these visas require the applicant to have spent at least five years in the United Kingdom.
EEA Residence Permits
EEA Residence Permits:
- EEA Residence Card
- UK Registration Certificate – EEA (QP)
- UK Permanent Residence Card – EEA (PR)
- EEA family permit related to the derivative right of residence
- EEA family permit related to the Surinder Singh
- EEA family permit related to retained rights of residence
- Certificate of entitlement for the right to abode in the UK
Frequently Asked Questions
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How Long Does it Take to Get a Visa for the UK?
A UK visa can take up to three weeks to be processed. The current UK Visa processing time varies by the application due to a variety of factors. They are as follows:
the type of visa you are requesting.
the country from which you are applying, your specific situation, the number of applications received by the UK consulate/visa processing center at the time, and so on. -
Can I Get a UK Visa If I Have a Criminal Record?
Even if you have a history of criminal activity, the UK authorities will still accept and process your UK visa application. However, the Home Office will treat your application differently than it does applications from people with no criminal history.
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Do I Need to Register With the Police?
If your visa sticker says ‘Police registration’ or ‘Register with the police within 7 days of entry,’ you must register with the police once you arrive in the UK with a valid visa.
After you arrive in the UK, you have seven days to register with the police. It is important to note that if you do not register with the police, your visa validity will be reduced and you may be required to leave the UK.
