UK Short Stay Visit Visas: What are the options & How to apply

The UK Short Stay Visit Visa, commonly known as a Standard Visitor Visa, allows visa nationals to enter the United Kingdom for a temporary period, typically up to six months. Short-stay visas cover a range of purposes such as business activities, tourism, participation in creative or sports events, and simply visiting family or friends.

Non-visa nationals, on the other hand, require an ETA (Electronic Travel Authorisation) to come to the UK for a short stay of up to 6 months for the same purposes.

Visa applicants need to demonstrate to decision-makers that: 

• They intend to leave the UK at the end of their visit, 

• They will not stay in the UK for prolonged periods through frequent and successive visits, or make the UK their primary home, 

• They have sufficient permitted financial resources to maintain themselves and any dependents during their stay (or have funding from someone else to support them), 

• They have strong ties to their home country, and 

• They are able to pay for their return or onward journey (or are being funded by someone else to pay for the journey).

Moreover, they must prove that they will not participate or engage in any unpaid or paid work for a UK company or as a self-employed individual (unless they are undertaking a PPE (permitted paid engagement) or attending an event), marry or enter into a civil partnership, or access public funds while in the UK.

Importantly, the short stay route does not lead to settlement in the UK. 

UK Standard Visitor Visa, hence, allows foreign nationals, especially with business or work purposes, to come to the UK as business visitors, for permitted paid engagements, or as VIP delegates.

UK Business Visitor Visa

The UK Business Visitor Visa is categorized as part of the Standard Visitor pathway. Therefore, an applicant on this route must fulfil the general requirements for the visa. 

Additionally, to qualify for a business visitor visa, an applicant is required to show UKVI that their purpose to enter the UK is in line with the business activities allowed under this route and that they will not engage in any prohibited activities.

Typically, the Home Office will require establishing a connection between the applicant’s business activities in the UK and their employment overseas. The duration of their business activities in the UK must be 6 months or less and arranged in advance whenever feasible.

Business visitor visa holders are authorized to engage or participate in a variety of permitted activities during their stay in the UK. Some of these permitted activities include the following:

• Attending meetings, workshops, conferences, and interviews.

• Delivering one-time or a short series of talks and speeches, as long as they are not for profit-making or a commercial event

• Engaging in negotiations and signing deals and contracts

• Visiting trade fairs for the purpose of promoting business, without selling anything

Business Visitors are prohibited from taking up employment, starting or managing a business as a self-employed person, working for a company or organization in the UK, participating in a work placement or internship, or selling goods or services in the UK.

While in the UK, business visitors are permitted to work remotely, but it must not be the main reason for their visit. The primary purpose for business visitors to the UK should be to partake in a permitted activity, rather than solely working remotely.

Additionally, Business Visitors can search for employment in the UK and attend job interviews. However, if offered a job, they must leave the UK and apply for and obtain the necessary entry clearance on the relevant work route before starting work.

Permitted paid Engagement Visa 

Established foreign professionals can visit the UK to take part in certain paid events or engagements (a ‘permitted paid engagement’) if they:

• Are aged over 18

• Have received a written invitation (specifying the nature, dates, and location of the engagement) from a UK-based client or organisation for a pre-arranged event or other permitted engagement

• Can show they are an expert in their profession

Applicants must be based outside the UK when they apply, and show they will comply fully with the conditions of their leave.

This category is for overseas professionals seeking permission to enter the UK as they have been here to participate in an event or engagement which relates to their area of expertise, qualifications, and their full-time profession overseas, as one of the following:

• Examiners or assessors

• Lecturers

• An overseas designated air pilot examiner

• Qualified lawyers

• Professional artists, entertainers, or sportspersons

Though PPE visitors can come to the UK for up to 6 months, they must complete the engagement within the first month of their arrival in the country. After completing the engagement, the visitor can stay in the UK for the remaining period as a standard visitor.

VIP Delegate Visas

The VIP Delegate Visa, a specialised route, allows a government official to come to the UK when accompanying a Head of State or serving government minister on an official visit to the country. The applicant can come to the UK for a temporary period not exceeding one month in duration.

This route is not designed for individuals exempt from immigration control, nor for others on official visits to the UK.

There is a cap imposed on the number of government officials allowed on a VIP Delegate visa. Only up to 20 government officials can accompany Heads of State delegations, and up to 10 officials can accompany ministerial delegations, per visit. The VIP delegates will be issued entry clearance for the duration of their official visit to the UK, plus three days before and after their official visit to the UK (as indicated in the Note Verbale), for travelling purposes.

Importantly, the full duration of the visit must not exceed the maximum period of one month.

Visa Nationals travelling on VIP Delegate Visa must apply for and obtain entry clearance before arrival in the UK. However, if the numbers in the delegation exceed the caps, the surplus travelling members should apply for a visit visa instead.

Applicants for a VIP Delegate visa need to give evidence of their eligibility through a Note Verbale.  This is a diplomatic document. This document confirms the role of an applicant in the delegation, the purpose of their visit to the UK, and details of their position within the delegation. The Note Verbale that ensures the legitimacy of the applicant’s travel intentions is a critical part of the VIP Delegate Visa application process.

Please note that the VIP Delegate Visa does not give a pathway to settlement in the UK, and dependents of the applicants are not permitted on this route.