U.K. Visit Visas Have Subcategories with Own Conditions

The subcategories include children not accompanied by their parents, those seeking medical treatment and those travelling for permitted paid engagements

The standard visitor visa category includes several subcategories, each of which has additional requirements. If a visitor’s standard visit visa falls into one of the categories set out below, they will need to meet an additional set of eligibility requirements under that category. The additional requirements are as follows.

Eligibility requirements for children

The additional requirements if the visitor is under 18 are that:

• adequate arrangements must have been made for their travel to, reception and care in the U.K.
• if the child is not applying or travelling with a parent or guardian based in their home country or country of ordinary residence who is responsible for their care, that parent or guardian must confirm that they consent to the arrangements for the child’s travel to, and reception and care in the U.K. Where requested, this consent must be given in writing.

Visitors coming to receive private medical treatment

The additional requirements if the visitor is a private medical treatment visitor are:

• if the applicant is suffering from a communicable disease, they must have satisfied the medical inspector that they are not a danger to public health.
• the applicant must have arranged their private medical treatment before they travel to the U.K., and must provide a letter from their doctor or consultant detailing:
  • the medical condition requiring consultation or treatment; and
  • the estimated costs and likely duration of any treatment which must be of a finite duration; and
  • where the consultation or treatment will take place; or
  • if the applicant intends to receive NHS treatment under a reciprocal healthcare arrangement between the U.K. and another country, an authorisation form issued by the government of that country.
• if the applicant is applying for an 11 month visit visa for the purposes of private medical treatment they must also:
  • provide evidence from their doctor or consultant in the U.K. that the proposed treatment is likely to exceed six months but not more than 11 months; or
  • if the applicant intends to receive NHS treatment under a reciprocal health arrangement between the U.K. and another country, an authorisation form issue by the government of that country which clearly states that the proposed treatment is likely to exceed six months, but not more than 11 months; and
  • provide a valid tuberculosis certificate if required.

Visitors coming for work related training

The additional requirements for visitors who wish to undertake work-related training are as follows:

• where the applicant wishes to undertake a clinical attachment or dental observer post as an overseas graduate from a medical, dental or nursing school, they must provide written confirmation of their offer to take up this post and confirm they have not previously undertaken this activity in the U.K.
• where the applicant is seeking to come to the U.K. to take the Professional and Linguistic Assessment Board test, they must provide written confirmation of this from the General Medical Council.
• where the applicant is seeking to come to the U.K. to take the Objective Structured Clinical Examinations for overseas, they must provide written confirmation of this from the Nursing and Midwifery Council.

Visitors coming for a Permitted Paid Engagement (PPE)

PPE visitors must be aged 18 or over when they enter the U.K. They must intend to do one or more of the permitted page engagements, and the engagement(s) must be:

• arranged before the applicant travels to the U.K.;
• declared as part of the application for entry clearance or permission to enter the U.K.;
• evidenced by a formal invitation; and
• the engagement must relate to the applicant’s area of expertise and occupation overseas.

The following are permitted paid engagements:

• an academic who is highly qualified within their field of expertise, coming to examine students and/or participate in or chair selection panels, and have been invited by a U.K. higher education institution, or a U.K.-based research or arts organisation as part of that institution or organisation’s quality assurance processes; and
• an expert coming to give lectures in their subject area, where they have been invited by a higher education institution, or a U.K.-based research or arts organisation, and this does not amount to filling a teaching position for the host organisation; and
• an overseas designated pilot examiner coming to assess U.K.-based pilots to ensure they meet the national aviation regulatory requirements of other countries, where they have been invited by an approved training organisation based in the U.K. that is regulated by the U.K. Civil Aviation Authority for that purpose; and
• a qualified lawyer coming to provide advocacy for a court or tribunal hearing, arbitration or other form of dispute resolution for legal proceedings within the U.K., where they have been invited by a client; and
• a professional artist, entertainer, or musician coming to carry out an activity directly relating to their profession, where they have been invited by a creative (arts or entertainment) organisation, agent or broadcaster based in the U.K.; and
• a professional sportsperson coming to carry out an activity directly relating to their profession, where they have been invited by a sports organisation, agent, or broadcaster based in the U.K.; and
• a speaker coming to the U.K. to give a one-off or short series of talks and speeches, where they have been invited to a conference or other event.

PPE visitors are granted a standard six month visit visa, but they must complete their engagement in the first month.

Marriage and civil partnership visit visa

A marriage or civil partnership visit visa is for visitors who wish to come to the U.K. to get married or form a civil partnership and then leave the U.K. afterwards. It is not to be confused with a fiancé(e) visa, which is a visa for someone who wants to come to the U.K. to get married or form a civil partnership with their partner and then extend their stay by submitting a partner application to live in the U.K. with their spouse or civil partner.

Marriage and civil partnership visitors must meet the additional eligibility requirements set out at paragraphs V 12.1 to V 12.2. These are that they must be aged 18 or over on the date of application, and they must:

• intend to give notice of marriage or civil partnership in the U.K.; or
• intend to marry or form a civil partnership in the U.K.
• It must not be a sham marriage or civil partnership.

Transit visit visa

The Home Office guidance defines a transit visitor as “a person who seeks to travel via the U.K. on their way to another destination country outside the common travel area.”

There are two types of ‘transiting’: transiting landside and transiting airside.

Transiting landside means that the person is applying to enter the U.K., pass through U.K. border control on arrival, and then leave the U.K. within 48 hours. For example the person could arrive at one port or airport, then transfer to another port or airport to continue their journey.

Transiting airside means that the person does not pass through U.K. border control and is therefore not deemed to have entered the U.K. For example, a person can arrive at Heathrow Terminal 3 and depart from Heathrow Terminal 5 without passing through border control.

Direct Airside Transit Visas can be obtained for travellers transiting airside and never formally entering the U.K. Otherwise, for those transiting landside, a transit visit visa must be applied for in advance of travel unless they meet the additional requirements for admission under Appendix Visitor: Transit Without Visa Scheme.

To qualify for entry clearance or permission to enter as a transit visitor, the traveller must show they:

• are genuinely in transit to another country outside the Common Travel Area, meaning the main purpose of their visit is to transit the U.K. (passing through immigration control) and that the applicant is taking a reasonable transit route; and
• will not access public funds or medical treatment, work or study in the U.K.; and
• genuinely intend and are able to leave the U.K. within 48 hours after their arrival; and
• are assured entry to their country of destination and any other countries they are transiting on their way there.

This is the second of a series of articles on visit visas to the U.K.