The UK Standard Visitor visa is the single category that covers holidays, family visits, most business trips, and short courses of study — one visa, several purposes. Nationals of many countries don’t need it at all for short stays, but if your passport isn’t on the UK’s non-visa national list, this is almost certainly the visa you need before you travel. This guide covers the 2026 fee schedule, how long each visa option lasts, what you’re actually allowed to do on it, and how the application and interview process works.
Who needs a Standard Visitor visa
You need this visa if you’re a “visa national” travelling to the UK for up to six months to:
- Take a holiday or visit family and friends
- Attend business meetings, conferences, interviews, or sign contracts (without taking up UK employment)
- Sit an exam or attend a short course, academic placement, or research (up to six months)
- Receive private medical treatment
- Take part in up to 30 days of permitted paid engagements, or up to 30 days of recreational courses or volunteering for a registered charity
It does not allow paid work for a UK employer, claiming public funds, or living in the UK through frequent long visits. Immigration officers watch for a pattern of visits that amounts to de facto residence — using the visa this way can lead to a refusal or a ban on future travel.
2026 fees and validity options
Per the Home Office’s UK visa fee schedule, effective from 8 April 2026:
| Visa option | Fee | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 6-month Standard Visitor | £135 | Most common option for a single trip or occasional short visits |
| Extended visitor (11–12 months) | £234 | For academic or medical visits needing longer validity |
| 2-year long-term visa | £506 | Multiple entries over 2 years |
| 5-year long-term visa | £903 | Multiple entries over 5 years |
| 10-year long-term visa | £1,128 | Multiple entries over 10 years |
Important: the long-term visas (2/5/10-year) don’t let you stay continuously — every individual visit is still capped at up to six months, and you must leave and re-enter to start a new stay. They’re built for frequent travellers (business visitors, family members visiting relatives regularly), not for extending a single trip.
Optional faster decisions cost extra and must be booked when you attend your biometrics appointment: Priority Visa adds roughly £500 for a decision in about 5 working days, and Super Priority adds roughly £1,000 for a decision by the end of the next working day. Availability is capped per visa application centre and isn’t guaranteed.
Eligibility: what you need to show
There’s no fixed document checklist, but a Standard Visitor application succeeds or fails on whether you can demonstrate:
- Genuine intent to leave the UK at the end of your visit and not to settle
- Sufficient funds to cover your trip and living costs without working or claiming public funds
- Ability to pay for return or onward travel
- No pattern of visits that suggests you’re using visitor status to live in the UK long-term
Useful supporting evidence includes bank statements, an employment letter confirming your job and leave, property or family ties at home, and — if you’re visiting someone — an invitation letter with their status and address in the UK. None of these are individually mandatory; officers weigh your overall circumstances rather than ticking off a list.
How to apply
- Apply online through the UKVI website, up to three months before you plan to travel.
- Pay the fee for your chosen validity option and complete the online form, including travel history and financial details.
- Book a biometrics appointment at your nearest Visa Application Centre (VAC) — you’ll give fingerprints and a photograph. See our Biometrics glossary entry for what to expect.
- Wait for a decision. Standard processing is around three weeks from when your biometrics and supporting documents are submitted, per gov.uk’s Standard Visitor visa guidance. Each family member, including children, needs a separate application and fee.
Once approved, your visa is issued digitally as an eVisa rather than a sticker in your passport — see our Biometric Residence Permit glossary entry for how the UK’s move to fully digital immigration status affects visitors and other visa holders alike.
FAQ
Can I study on a Standard Visitor visa? Yes, but only short-term study: sitting an exam, a short recreational course, or an academic placement of up to six months. A full degree course requires a Student visa, not a visitor visa.
Can my visit be extended once I’m in the UK? Only in narrow circumstances, such as needing further private medical treatment. Standard Visitor visas aren’t designed to be extended for tourism or family visits — apply for the validity length you actually expect to need.
Does the 10-year visa mean I can stay in the UK for 10 years? No — it means you can enter and exit the UK repeatedly over 10 years, with each individual stay still capped at up to six months.
What if my visa is refused? There’s no formal right of appeal for most visitor refusals, but you can reapply, ideally once you’ve addressed the officer’s stated concerns with stronger evidence of your ties and intent to return.
This guide is general preparation information, not legal advice — fees and rules change, so always confirm current details on gov.uk before applying. If you want help building your evidence of funds and ties before you submit, join the VisaMet waitlist.