UK Standard Visitor Visa: Tourist, Business & Marriage Visitor Visa

The UK Standard Visitor Visa is the immigration route that allows nationals of visa-required countries to travel to the UK for short-term visits of up to six months. Permitted purposes include tourism, visiting family and friends, attending business meetings, receiving private medical treatment, and attending weddings. It does not allow you to work for a UK employer, study for an extended period, or remain beyond the permitted stay.

It depends on your nationality. Nationals of many countries require a Standard Visitor Visa before travelling to the UK. Nationals of countries such as EU member states, the US, Canada, and Australia do not need a visa for short visits but must obtain an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) before travel, a new requirement in force since January 2025. Use the GOV.UK visa checker to confirm what you need based on your nationality.

The ETA is a digital pre-travel permission for non-visa nationals travelling to the UK. It costs £16 per person and is linked electronically to the traveller's passport. Nationals of EU countries, the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and many other countries are now required to hold a valid ETA before travelling to the UK for short visits. Visa nationals are not affected and must still apply for a Standard Visitor Visa. Apply at GOV.UK — Apply for an Electronic Travel Authorisation.

The Standard Visitor Visa permits stays of up to six months per visit. You cannot extend a Standard Visitor Visa from within the UK, and you cannot switch from a visitor visa to a work or study visa while in the UK, with very limited exceptions.

The most common reason for refusal is failing the genuine visitor test. This means the Entry Clearance Officer was not satisfied that: you have a genuine reason for your visit, you have sufficient funds to support yourself without recourse to public funds, and you have strong ties to your home country such as employment, property, or family commitments that make it credible you will leave the UK when your visit ends.

All three sit under the Standard Visitor Visa framework but serve different purposes. The Tourist Visa covers personal visits such as holidays and family visits. The Business Visit Visa covers travel for permitted business purposes such as meetings and conferences. The UK Marriage Visitor Visa is actually a distinct route under Appendix FM for overseas nationals who intend to marry a UK citizen or settled person and remain in the UK. It is a settlement-pathway route, not a standard visitor route.

No. Working for a UK employer is not permitted on a Standard Visitor Visa. Business visitors may attend meetings, negotiate contracts, and conduct certain permitted activities listed in Appendix Visitor: Permitted Activities, but none of these constitute employment. If you intend to work in the UK, you need an appropriate work visa such as the Skilled Worker Visa.