Millions of people every year want to visit the UK for a short period. For such visitors UK has a Standard Visitor Visa. This is a visa that allows visa nationals to come to the UK for tourism, business activities, short-term study, medical treatment, etc.

Non-visa nationals can apply for ETA (Electronic Travel Authorisation) for travelling to the UK for up to 6 months.

UK business visitor visa and tourist visa are subcategories of the UK standard visitor visa, which is a short-term visa valid for up to 6 months only. However, the purpose of a visit to the UK as a tourist and as a business visitor is different. A tourist visa applicant must intend to visit the UK for travel and leisure, while a business visitor visa applicant will have to show that they want to visit the UK for permitted business activities.

A tourist visa is like a ticket for your vacation to the UK. It's designed for travellers who want to visit the UK for entertainment, sightseeing, pleasurable beach holidays, city tours, mountain retreats, and relaxation.

On the other hand, a UK business visitor visa is for a broader range of activities, including business meetings and attending seminars and conferences.

What is a UK Business Visitor Visa?

The UK business visitor visa is a part of the UK standard visitor visa. The UK business visitor visa is specifically designed for business travelers. You can come to the UK for short-term business activities such as attending meetings, conferences, or seminars. This is a short-term visa valid for up to 6 months only, and you must leave the UK at the end of your visit.

You need to select a standard visitor visa when applying and then choose business-related activities as the reason for travel.

What is a UK Tourist Visa?

The UK is a beautiful country full of beautiful natural landscapes and vibrant cities. The country attracts travelers from across the world for its iconic landmarks and historical sites, to picturesque countryside and lively urban centers. If you want to visit the UK for travel and leisure, you can apply for a UK tourist visa. You can also visit your friends and family in the UK. You must leave the UK at the end of your visit.

Difference between the Two Visas

This is clear from the names of these two visas themselves that they have been designed for different purposes. However, you need to note that you need to apply for a UK standard visitor visa and choose your reason to come to the UK, either for business or travel, or leisure.

1. Purpose of the Visit –

As a traveler to the UK, you may come to the UK for a holiday, recreation,short recreational courses, or to visit your friends and family. It allows you to explore the attractions, culture, and natural beauty of the UK.

On the other hand, business visitors may do the following business activities:

• Attend meetings, interviews, seminars, and conferences.
• Negotiate and sign business contracts and deals.
• Attend trade fairs in the UK to promote your business here (you cannot sell things).
• Get training related to your work if you are employed overseas and the training is unavailable in your home country.
• Give a one-time or short series of talks, as long as, these talks are not for profit or a commercial event. However, if you are going to speak at certain events or engagements, you can be paid only if the event or engagement is under the ‘permitted paid engagement’.
• Carry out site visits and inspections.
• Check the delivery status of goods and/or services being provided by a UK company to your overseas company or organisation.
• Give training or share your knowledge on internal projects of the company you work for overseas with UK employees of the same company.
• Repair, service, install, and dismantle, or advise on equipment, computer hardware, and software, if your overseas company or organisation has a contract with a UK company.

2. Itinerary –

There are some common elements of an itinerary when applying for a UK standard visitor visa, either for visiting the UK for tourism or business purposes. Common elements your itinerary must outline are your accommodation details, return or onward flight details, your intention to leave the UK, such as strong ties to the UK, financial capability to support yourself in the UK, etc.

However, depending on your purpose of visiting the UK, your itinerary needs to outline different elements.

If you are visiting the UK as a tourist, your itinerary should outline your travel plans, including dates and duration, destinations, daily activities, transportation information, and planned activities to demonstrate a clear and organized trip. On the other hand, if you are visiting the UK for business activities, your itinerary should detail specific business activities such as attending meetings, conferences, trade fairs or seminars, and other business engagements, dates and locations of the activities, and accommodation.

3. Work Permission –

You are not allowed to take any paid work for a UK company or as a self- employed person when visiting the UK for tourism. On the other hand, as a business visitor also you cannot do any paid activities in the UK, however the renumerations can be made overseas. If you intend to come to the UK for work and be paid the you should apply for a permitted paid engagement or event, such as performing as a professional artist, entertainer, or musician, or to represent a client as a qualified lawyer.

4. Letter of Invitation –

You need a letter of invitation from your friend, or you are visiting the UK on your tourist visa. This letter is required to show the ties between the applicant and the inviter and the accommodation arrangements made by the inviter for the visitor’s entire duration of stay in the UK.

The main content of the letter will be the invitation to the visitor to stay in the inviter’s home, details of the inviter and the visitor, and details of the trip itself.

On the other hand, if you are applying for a UK business visitor visa, you need a letter of invitation from the inviting organisation in the UK. The invitation letter should include the purpose of visit, length of visit, and details of expenses covered.

5. Document Requirements –

There are common documents required for both a tourist visa and a business visitor visa. For example, your valid passport, completed application form, proof of financial means, proof of your return or onward journey, and proof of your strong ties to your home country.

However, there are specific documents required for both types of visas as well. The key difference between the documents required for a UK tourist visa and a UK business visitor visa is the following:

UK Tourist Visa

• Travel itinerary
• Hotel bookings
• Personal financial proof
• Invitation letter (if staying with family/friends)

UK Business Visitor Visa

• Invitation letter from a UK company
• Letter from your employer
• Evidence of business relationship (emails/contracts)
• Evidence of companies finances

How Can We Help?

We help our clients apply for a UK standard visitor visa. Our UK immigration expert team will guide you in choosing the appropriate visa depending on your purpose of visiting the UK. We will tell you the common and different evidence required for visiting as a tourist or as a business visitor. We will guide you through the application process step-by-step, prepare a strong cover letter and travel itinerary, draft a professional invitation letter from a UK company, write a letter from your employer, assist in booking your biometric appointment, and provide personalized assistance for your visa application.

For queries related to UK business visitor visa and tourist visa, you can reach out to us at +44 (0)20 3411 1261.