UK Tourist Visa (Standard Visitor Visa): Application Guide

The UK tourist visa is the informal term for the Standard Visitor Visa, the immigration route that covers short-term visits to the United Kingdom for leisure, tourism, family visits, and a wide range of other permitted purposes. Technically there is no separate tourist visa category. The correct route is the Standard Visitor Visa, set out in Appendix V of the UK Immigration Rules. Whether you are visiting for a holiday, to see friends or family, to attend a wedding, to watch a sporting event, or to receive private medical treatment, all of these purposes sit under the same Standard Visitor route.

Over 2.2 million visitor visas were granted in the year ending June 2025, but refusal rates vary significantly by nationality and application quality. Getting the application right at the first attempt is important: a refused application remains on your immigration record and must be declared in all future applications.

Do You Need a Visa or an ETA?

Whether you need to apply for a Standard Visitor Visa before travel depends entirely on your nationality. Use the GOV.UK visa checker to confirm what is required for your country.

• Visa nationals must apply for a Standard Visitor Visa and receive approval before travelling to the UK. The list of visa national countries is published by the Home Office and includes many nationalities across Africa, South Asia, and the Middle East. Without an approved visa, you will not be permitted to board your flight to the UK.
• Non-visa nationals — including EU citizens, US, Canadian, and Australian nationals — do not need a visa for short visits but now need an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) before travel. The ETA became mandatory for EU nationals from 2 April 2025, and for most other non-visa nationals from January 2025. From 25 February 2026, airlines are required to check ETA approval before boarding.

Crucially, the ETA is not a visa and does not change the rules that govern what you can do in the UK. Whether you enter with a visa or an ETA, the same Standard Visitor rules apply: the same permitted activities, the same six-month limit, and the same requirement to leave at the end of your visit. Holding an ETA does not guarantee entry. Border Force retains the discretion to refuse admission at the port of entry.

What You Can and Cannot Do on a Standard Visitor Visa

As a Standard Visitor, you may:

• Visit the UK for tourism, sightseeing, and leisure.
• Visit friends or family members residing in the UK.
• Attend cultural, sporting, or social events.
• Undertake a short course of study lasting no more than six months.
• Receive private medical treatment.
• Carry out certain permitted business activities. See our Business Visit page for full detail.

As a Standard Visitor, you may not:

• Work for a UK employer or as a self-employed person.
• Access public funds.
• Marry or register a civil partnership on a standard visitor visa. A Marriage Visitor Visa is required for that purpose.
• Remain in the UK for more than six months per visit.
• Switch to a work, study, or family visa from inside the UK while on a Standard Visitor Visa. In most circumstances this is not permitted.

How Long Can You Stay?

Most Standard Visitors are granted permission to stay for up to six months per visit. The exact duration is at the discretion of the Border Force officer on arrival. Some specialist categories, such as academics and those receiving private medical treatment, may be eligible for permissions of up to 12 months.

Long-term visitor visas are available for those who visit the UK frequently, typically valid for two, five, or ten years. These allow multiple visits within the validity period, with each individual visit still limited to a maximum of six months. Repeatedly staying close to the six-month limit, or spending more than approximately half the year in the UK across multiple visits, may raise concerns that you are living in the UK rather than visiting.

Refusals and Reapplications

Visitor visa refusals do not carry a full right of appeal in most cases. If refused, the practical route is to address the reasons given in the refusal notice and submit a new, stronger application. A refused application stays on your immigration record and must be declared in all future applications, so getting the initial application right is essential.

Apply for a Standard Visitor Visa on GOV.UK.