Visit Visa

What are the needed documents for a visit visa in the UK?

The visitor visa is subdivided into the standard visa and the business visa. The former is for tourists and the latter for conducting business activities in the UK. There are similarities among both but there are some things you can do while on a business visa that you do not have the privilege to do if you travel on a tourist visa.

For business activities, you can do the following:

1. Engage in activities that promote your business like an EXPO or trade fairs but you cannot in any way sell these things.

    

2. Register for a training program in the UK.

    

3. Attend meetings, conferences, interviews, and seminars.

    

4. Host a training program in the name of your employer to share your knowledge of internal projects with employees of the company branch in the United Kingdom.

    

5. Host a charity event or public speaking even with benefits to the society, however, it must be a non-paid event.

    

6. Negotiate and sign deals and contracts for your company or employer.

    

7. Come to supervise the performance of your suppliers or other branches of your company that is based in the United Kingdom.

    

8. You can visit and inspect sites that are in your name or for your employer and carry out inspections of businesses that are in your name or on behalf of your employer.

    

9. Give professional advice on your area of expertise. Install, dismantle, repair, service or advise on equipment, computer software, and hardware, if your overseas company has a contract with a UK company or organization.

For the standard or tourist visa, you can do the following:

• Tourism, vacations, holidays
• Family and relatives visit
• Volunteer for unpaid charity work at least up to 30 days
• Transit i.e. pass through the United Kingdom to travel to your original destination
• Register for a recreational course at least up to 30 days
• Go for medical treatment

However, for both visas, you cannot:

• Engage in any paid or unpaid work as a self-employed person for an employer.
• Claim access to benefits.
• Continue to live in the UK for long periods either by staying longer than required or attempting to stay by vising frequently.
• Get married, or register for marriage. You would need to get a marriage visa for that.

The documents to submit for your tourist visa application include:

An Online Visa Application Form

The different visa types have different forms, you should learn the correct one beforehand because while they all have the same pretext, there are ultimately some differences.

Photographs

The format and the amount to be presented will be stated in the form. Mostly, it is two-colored photographs which must be recent, at least six months before your application. However, if there is a significant change to your appearance which drastically decreases your semblance with the photographs, then you would need to take a new one.

A Valid Passport

Of course, you would need to come along with your passport which must be valid and must have a blank space to affix your visa. The visa must be valid for three months after your stay in the UK.

Old Passports

If you have previously visited the United Kingdom before, then you need to present the passports with border stamps.

Evidence of Sufficient Resources

You must provide evidence that you have enough resources to sustain yourself throughout your stay. This can be done by tendering your bank statement, loan letters, pay slips for the past six months.

Proof of accommodation

Apart from the monetary aspect, you would still need to provide evidence that you have accommodation. If someone will be taking you in, then they must sign that they have the financial capabilities to take care of all your expenses.

Travel Itinerary

An itinerary shows a detailed schedule of your day-to-day activities, where you will at when, and when you will be at where. For tourists, it will contain places you will be visiting.

Business Card

If you possess any, you can tender your business card to give proof of the company that you represent if you are on a business visit.

Tuberculosis Test Results

Citizens from other countries, visiting the United Kingdom would need to have a mandatory check-up to see if they have TB. If negative then you can proceed with the processing, if positive, then you will be referred to professionals and your application for the visa will be denied.

UK visa invitation letter

Residents can write letters to their friends and family to come for a visit. If you are in this category, then you would need to come with your letter of invitation.

Evidence of payment of UK visa fees

A receipt would suffice as evidence that you have paid the visa application. The person inviting you can also pay on your behalf, do all the processing for you but you still need to appear in person for the interview.

Assurance that you would leave as at when due

One thing that can surely increase your chances of visa approval is giving the consulate solid evidence that you would leave once you are done with your business or at a stated time.