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UK Multi Entry Visa Rules and How to Apply

By Amar Ali, Immigration Solicitor

The UK Multi-Entry Visitor Visa (also called Long-Term Standard Visitor Visa), is valid for 2 years, 5 years, or 10 years and enables holders to make multiple visits to the UK for up to 6 months each time. The Standard Visitor Visa (also called Type C Visitor Visa) differs from the Long-Term Visitor Visa as it is normally only issued for up to 6 months (or 12 months for academics). It is important to note that while there is no limit to the number of times you can enter and leave the UK on a Multi-Entry Visit Visa, you must not use this visa as a way of living permanently in the UK through frequent or successive visits.

UK Multi-Entry Visa Rules

As a UK Multi-Entry Visa holder, it is important to adhere to the immigration rules at all times, specifically:

• You must not intend to make the UK your permanent home by making frequent or successive visits. If the Home Office suspect that you are doing so, they may cancel your visa.
• Your entry as a visitor must be for a genuine and permitted purpose (e.g. tourism, to visit family or friends, or for medical reasons). Remember, you cannot use a visitor visa to do paid or unpaid work for a UK company, work as a self-employed person, claim benefits, or marry or register a civil partnership.
• You must leave the UK before you exceed the maximum duration of 6 months for each stay.
• You must have sufficient funds to support yourself and your dependants during your stay in the UK.

UK Multi-Entry Visa requirements

To make a successful application for a UK Multi-Entry Visa for 2 years, 5 years, or 10 years, you will need to demonstrate that you meet the following eligibility requirements:

• You must be at least 18 years
• As an academic, senior doctor or dentist
• Business activities – e.g. business meetings or interviews
• Medical treatment
• Recreational courses of up to 30 days
• School exchange programme
• Tourism (e.g. a holiday or vacation)
• Transiting through the UK to another country
• Visiting family or friends
• Volunteering for up to 30 days with a registered charity
• You must have a genuine need to make regular visits to the UK (e.g. if you are a parent of adult children living in the UK or if you need to come here for regular business-related visits)
• You must have sufficient funds to pay for your onward or return journey
• You must not meet any grounds for refusal (e.g. prior breaches of the immigration rules, certain criminal convictions)

Please note, the eligibility requirements are the same whether you are applying for a 2-year, 5-year, or 10-year multi-stay visitor visa. What matters is that you must have a genuine and valid reason for needing a long-term visa. The Home Office understands that it is likely that your reasons for visiting the UK will change over time, hence you can use your long-term visa for any valid purpose while your visa remains valid.

To ensure that your long-term visa application is approved for your preferred duration, please speak to our friendly professional immigration team in complete confidence on 020 3744 2797 or by email at [email protected] .

How to apply for a UK Multi-Entry Visa

To apply for a UK Multi-Entry visitor visa, you will need to complete the online application form 1 and pay the application fee as follows:

• 2-year multi-stay visitor visa: £400
• 5-year multi-stay visitor visa: £771
• 10-year multi-stay visitor visa: £963

You will also need to provide any documents and additional information requested by the Home Office; these may include:

• the exact dates you will be in the UK
• where you will stay
• how much your stay will cost
• your present home address and how long you have lived there
• the names and dates of birth (if known) of your parents
• your annual income
• details of any criminal, civil or immigration offences
• your travel history over the past 10 years
• your employer’s address and telephone number
• your partner’s name, date of birth and passport number
• the name and address of anyone paying for your trip
• the name, address and passport number of any family members you have in the UK

Alternatives to UK Multi Entry visa

If the multi-entry visa does meet your exact needs, you may be able to consider the standard visitor visa or the following visa alternatives:

Paid Permitted Engagement (PPE) visa

The PPE visa is for foreign nationals who have been invited as an expert in their profession by a UK organisation or client. This visa is aimed at certain professionals, including:

• Professional artists, entertainers and musicians
• Professional sportspersons
• Qualified lawyers representing a client in the UK
• Lecturers giving a series of lectures
• Academics in the role of student examiner or assessor
• Air pilot examiners

If granted a PPE visa, you will be able to visit the UK for a maximum of 1 month (this cannot be further extended).

Adult Dependant Relative visa

The Adult Dependant Relative visa is part of the family visa scheme and enables foreign nationals to come to the UK to be cared for by relatives here. The relative in the UK must be settled here and have sufficient funds to support themselves. In practice, it can be extremely difficult to make a successful application for an adult dependant relative visa given the strict requirements (i.e. applicants must be able to prove they cannot be cared for in their home country).

1 GOV.UK: Online visa application form

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UK Visa Multiple Entry Rules for Visitors

• 19 May 2023

IN THIS ARTICLE

Visitors to the UK have to ensure they follow strict rules on entry and permissible activities.

In this guide to the UK standard visitor visa , we explain how the UK visa multiple entry requirements work, including the express prohibition under the rules against living in the UK for extended periods through either frequent or successive visits. We also look at how to apply for a multiple entry visa, including the procedure, cost and wait time involved.

What is the UK multiple entry visitor visa?

The UK standard visitor visa is for visa nationals looking to visit the UK for the purposes of tourism, seeing friends and family, undertaking unpaid business trips, engaging in a short course of recreational study or other permitted activities under the visitor rules. Other permitted activities could include, for example, private medical treatment.

It is also possible to get married or form a civil partnership in the UK under a visitor visa, or give notice of a marriage or civil partnership, although this is treated as a separate visitor category in its own right. Other categories of visitor visa include the permitted paid engagement (PPE) visa and the transit visa. The PPE visa is for experts in their field coming to the UK to undertake specific paid engagements for up to one month, while the transit visa is for those wanting to transit the UK en route to another country for up to 48 hours.

A standard visitor visa will usually be granted for a maximum period of 6 months. However, visitors may apply for a visa with 2, 5 or 10 years validity, provided each stay in the UK does not exceed the permitted length of stay endorsed on the visa, usually 6 months. This is known as a multiple entry visa where, within the period of validity, you may enter and leave the UK multiple times. However, you can also depart and re-enter the UK multiple times under a standard 6-month visitor visa, unless the visa has been endorsed as either single or dual entry.

Who needs a multiple entry visitor visa?

If you plan to regularly visit the UK you can apply for a long-term visitor visa, allowing for multiple entries over several years, instead of a standard visitor visa over just 6 months. You may be looking to visit the UK on a regular basis for all sorts of permissible reasons.

When visiting the UK to see friends and family, especially loved ones who are living in the UK permanently, or temporarily working or studying in the UK under a visa themselves, a multiple entry visitor visa can be an ideal way to make a number of planned visits over the coming years. For example, you might have a spouse or partner working for their overseas employer in a UK branch, or studying for their degree at a UK university, where you have been unable to relocate at the same time, but still want to regularly visit and spend time with them. You might also have adult children, siblings or other relatives who have settled in the UK.

Equally, when visiting the UK for the purposes of business, the rules provide an extensive list of permitted activities, many of which will necessarily require visiting the UK on more than one occasion. This could include, for example, where you regularly need to visit the UK for business meetings, conferences and seminars. It could also be where you need to undergo work-related training in the UK or attend various different trade fairs, or you are involved in protracted business negotiations that are likely to require more than one attendance.

UK visa multiple entry rules for visitors

The visitor route is described under the rules as for visa nationals wanting to temporarily stay in the UK, for periods of up to 6 months at a time, for things like tourism, visiting family and friends, carrying out a business activity or undertaking a short course of study. The visitor route is therefore clearly designed for, and typically limited to, short-term visits.

However, the rules recognise and make provision for the fact that many visa nationals will be looking to visit the UK on a regular basis for legitimate reasons. It is therefore possible to apply for a multiple entry visa, provided you can satisfy UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) that you meet the eligibility requirements for the duration of visa that you are applying for. This means that you must be able to satisfy the UKVI caseworker dealing with your application that you are able to meet the ‘genuine visitor’ requirements for a multiple entry visa lasting either 2, 5 or 10 years. Under the visitor rules, to be classed as a genuine visitor, you must:

• be genuinely seeking entry or stay for a purpose that is permitted
• will not be undertaking any of the activities that are prohibited under the rules, such as accepting paid employment
• have enough funds to cover all of your reasonable costs in relation to your UK visit without either working or accessing public funds, including the cost of your return or onward journey
• be intending to leave the UK at the end of your stay
• not be living in the UK for extended periods of time through either frequent or successive visits, nor be planning to make the UK your main home.

What are ‘frequent or successive visits’ under the visitor rules?

To overcome the UK visa multiple entry rules, you must be able to show that you are a genuine visitor, despite the fact that you are planning to regularly visit the UK, potentially on several occasions over several years. In any application for a long-term visitor visa, the UKVI caseworker will be alert to the fact that the rules can be easily exploited by the visa-holder by living in the UK for extended periods through either frequent or successive visits. This is because it is not uncommon for applicants to look for loop-holes in the rules, including making the most of the UK visa multiple entry allowances to live in the UK on a long-term basis.

The phrase ‘frequent or successive visits’ has no definition within the rules, although the Home Office ‘Visit guidance’ (published 06 October 2021) advises UKVI caseworkers to check the visitor’s travel history, including how much time they have previously spent in the UK and how often they are returning. The caseworker must assess if you are, in effect, living in the UK through frequent or successive visits, or making the UK your main home, having regard to:

• the purpose of your visit(s) and intended length of stay stated
• the number of visits you have made over the past 12 months, including the length of stay on each occasion, the time elapsed since your last visit, and if this amounts to you spending more time in the UK than in your home country or country of residence
• the purpose of return trips to your home country or country of residence, and if these appear to be used only to quickly seek re-entry to the UK
• the long-term links you have with your home country or country of residence, such as being registered for tax purposes
• any evidence that the UK is your main place of residence, for example, if you have registered with a UK doctor or if you send your children to a UK school
• your history of any previous applications, for example, if you have recently been refused leave under the family rules, or any other immigration route, and subsequently want to enter the UK as a visitor on a multiple entry visa.

There is no specified maximum period of time that you will be allowed to spend in the UK in any period under a multiple entry visa, such as ‘6 months in 12 months’, provided each visit does not exceed the maximum period for that visit. However, if it is clear from your recent travel history that you are seeking to stay in the UK for extended periods, or making the UK your main home, your application for a multiple entry visa will be refused.

Coming to the UK as a visitor

In the case of first-time visitors, the use of frequent or successive visits to live in the UK for extended periods of time cannot easily be judged in advance. However, a number of factors will be used to assess if you are a genuine visitor, not only on your initial application but also each time you enter the UK. This is because the grant of a multiple entry visitor visa will not guarantee you being allowed into the UK on each and every occasion, where it will be for Border Force officers to make their own determination on your arrival at a port of entry.

In assessing if you are a genuine visitor, the following will be considered:

• your previous immigration history, including any visits to the UK and other countries
• the duration of previous visits to the UK compared to what was stated on your visa application form or on arrival in the UK
• your financial circumstances, as well as your social, economic and family background
• any personal and economic ties to your home country or country of residence
• the cumulative period of time that you have spent in the UK and your pattern of travel over the last 12 months, and whether this amounts to ‘de-facto’ residence in the UK
• whether, on the balance of probabilities, the information and reasons given for your visit are credible, and correspond to your social, economic, family and personal background.

As a visitor, you can undertake multiple permitted activities whilst you are in the UK, although you must be able to explain what your main reason for coming to the UK is at the visa application stage and on entry at a UK port. Equally, if you are granted a multiple entry visit visa valid for 2, 5 or 10 years, it is likely that your reason(s) for visiting will differ over time. This is permissible, provided you continue to intend to undertake one or more of the permitted visitor activities. This means that you can enter the UK to do different permitted activities, but you will still be expected to have a main reason or reasons for visiting, for example, for business purposes or visiting family, and be able to provide details on arrival.

Importantly, your visitor visa may cancelled if it becomes apparent from your travel history, following the grant of a multiple entry visitor visa, that you are exploiting the rules by living in the UK for extended periods through either frequent or successive visits.

How to apply for a UK multiple entry visa

An application for a UK multiple entry visa must be made online. As part of the application process you will be required to attend an overseas visa centre to enrol your biometric information. Once your application form has been submitted online, you will be able to upload your supporting documents and book an appointment. You must also pay the visa fee.

The cost of applying for a short-term standard visitor visa is £100 for up to 6 months. For a long-term standard visitor visa, with multiple entries, the cost is £376 for a 2-year visa, £670 for a 5-year visa and £837 for a 10-year visa. However, you may be given a shorter visa than requested if UKVI believe that you cannot meet the eligibility requirements for the duration of the visa that you have applied for. You will also not get a partial refund of the application fee.

It will usually take up to 3 weeks from the date of your appointment for a decision to be made, although you may be able to pay for a faster decision. If you are successfully granted a multiple entry visa over either 2, 5 or 10 years, you will be permitted to visit the UK over the validity period of the visa, but will only be able to stay for a maximum of 6 months on each visit.

UK Visa Multiple Entry Rules FAQs

[wp-faq-schema accordion=1]

Legal disclaimer

The matters contained in this article are intended to be for general information purposes only. This article does not constitute legal advice, nor is it a complete or authoritative statement of the law, and should not be treated as such. Whilst every effort is made to ensure that the information is correct, no warranty, express or implied, is given as to its accuracy and no liability is accepted for any error or omission. Before acting on any of the information contained herein, expert legal advice should be sought.

Gill Laing is a qualified Legal Researcher & Analyst with niche specialisms in Law , Tax , Human Resources , Immigration & Employment Law .

Gill is a Multiple Business Owner and the Managing Director of Prof Services - a Marketing & Content Agency for the Professional Services Sector.

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A Comprehensive Guide to 7 UK Visa Categories and their Details

source: mint

 Navigating the complexities of UK visas is a critical aspect of planning a visit or stay in the United Kingdom. The UK offers a diverse range of categories to accommodate various purposes, including tourism, work, study, family reunions, and more. In this comprehensive guide, we will explore the different categories of UK Visas, offering a detailed overview of each UK Visa, along with their eligibility criteria, application processes, and key features.

 Visitor UK Visa

Visitor visas cater to individuals wishing to visit the UK for tourism , family reunions, business, academic pursuits, medical treatment, or entertainment. Each subcategory serves specific purposes and comes with its own set of rules and limitations.

 Tourist UK Visa (Standard Visitor UK Visa)

 Purpose: The Standard Visitor Visa, commonly referred to as the Tourist Visa, allows individuals to visit the UK for leisure and tourism, including exploring the country’s culture, heritage, and tourist attractions.

 Duration: It permits stays of up to 6 months.

 Eligibility and Application: To apply, individuals must provide a passport, recent passport-sized photograph, detailed travel itinerary, proof of accommodation, and evidence of financial means to support their stay.

 Pros: Flexibility for short stays, ease of application.

 Cons: Limited to 6 months, no work or access to public funds allowed.

 Family Visitor UK Visa

 Purpose: This is designed for visiting close family members in the UK, such as spouses, children, parents, or siblings.

 Duration: Allows stays of up to 6 months.

 Eligibility and Application: Applicants must demonstrate their relationship with the UK-based family member and financial ability to support themselves.

 Pros: Ideal for visiting family members, straightforward application process.

 Business Visitor UK Visa

 Purpose: Business Visitor facilitates short-term business trips, including meetings, conferences, and training.

 Eligibility and Application: Requires a formal invitation from a UK-based organization and evidence of the purpose of the visit.

 Pros: Ideal for short-term business travel, straightforward application process.

Academic Visitor UK Visa

 Purpose: This is for academics, researchers, or professors engaged in research or collaboration with UK-based academic institutions.

 Duration: Permits stays of up to 12 months.

 Eligibility and Application: Requires a formal invitation from a recognized UK academic institution and proof of financial capability.

 Pros: Extended duration for academic activities.

 Cons: Limited to academic purposes, no work or access to public funds allowed.

 Medical Treatment UK Visa

 Purpose: This is for individuals seeking medical treatment in the UK, covering a wide range of medical conditions.

 Duration: Allows stays for the duration of the medical treatment.

 Eligibility and Application: Requires a medical certificate or letter from a UK-registered medical practitioner and proof of financial means.

 Pros: Access to world-class medical treatment in the UK.

 Cons: Self-financing of medical treatment, limited to treatment duration.

 Entertainer Visitor UK Visa

 Purpose: Entertainer Visitor is for professional artists, entertainers, and athletes participating in events and performances in the UK.

 Eligibility and Application: Requires evidence of professional engagements and a formal invitation from a UK event organizer.

 Pros: Suitable for artists and performers, flexibility for short-term engagements.

 Cons: Limited to 6 months, no work outside stated engagements.

 Conclusion

Visitor visas offer a diverse range of options for exploring the UK, connecting with family, conducting business, engaging in academic pursuits, seeking medical treatment, or showcasing artistic talents. Each subcategory serves specific purposes, so selecting the right visa aligning with your travel goals is crucial. Remember to follow the application guidelines diligently, ensuring a smooth and enjoyable visit to the UK.

NRI Affairs Features Desk

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How to apply for a multiple-entry UK visit visa?

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Table of Content

Can a visit visa be granted for longer than six months , who needs a multiple-entry visitor visa, what are the rules for a multiple-entry visitor visa, the multiple-entry visitor visa requirements are as follows:, do you have a way to calculate the visitor visa uk cost, how do i apply for a multiple-entry visitor visa, conclusion .

If you are looking to come to the UK for reasons of tourism, visiting friends and family, for a business trip or for a short course, you will need a UK standard visitor visa . This visa can also be used for other activities allowed under the visitor visa rules such as private medical treatment. 

Standard visitor visas are normally granted for up to 6 months. However, you can apply for a multiple-entry visitor visa for two, five or 10 years of validity; this type of visa will allow for multiple entries during the specified time period without needing to apply for a new visa for each trip. However, each stay in the UK must not exceed the stay specified on the visa; this is typically six months. Please note, you can also depart and re-enter the UK with a standard visitor visa as long as the visa does not specify that it is a single or dual entry. 

People wanting to undertake short-term visits to the UK on a more regular basis sometimes over several years, a 6-month validity does not suffice. For example, if you have grown-up children that have settled in the UK who you will visit regularly, or if you are a business-person who needs to undertake business visits in the UK over a longer period of time.

In order to apply for a UK multiple entry visa , you need to fulfil UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) ‘genuine visitor’ requirements; this will need to be for the duration of the visa length for which you are applying.

• Your entry or stay is genuinely for a permitted purpose
• You will not be undertaking any prohibited activities such as paid employment
• You have the required funds for all of your costs related to your stay in the UK
• You intend to leave the UK at the end of your stay
• You do not plan to make the UK your main residence 

In addition to the above, the rules state that you cannot live in the UK for extended periods of time through frequent or successive visits. Although frequent or successive visits have not been defined, your caseworker, as advised by the UKVI, will check your travel history carefully looking at the time you have spent in the UK to assess whether you are using frequent or successive visits to in fact live in the UK. For this, they will look at:

• The reasons for your visits
• How many times you have visited in a 12-month period including the length of each stay
• Whether return trips to your home country suggest that they are being used to seek re-entry to the UK Long terms links you have with your country of residence
• If there is any evidence that the UK is your main home
• Previous visa application history – for example, have you been refused another type of visa

Some of the above may be difficult to assess for first-time visitors. However, not only will you be assessed on your initial application whether you are a genuine visitor, but also each time you enter the UK. This is because a multiple-entry visitor visa does not guarantee your entry into the UK for every visit; Border Force officers will determine your entry at each visit. For this, they will assess the following:

• Your previous immigration history both to the UK and other countries
• The duration of previous visits to the UK, if any, and how these compare to what you stated on your application 
• Details relating to your financial circumstances
• Your ties to your home country
• Your reasons for visiting are credible on the balance of probabilities

Please note, a multiple-entry visitor visa can be cancelled at any time if it becomes clear that you are exploiting the rules to use this type of visa to live in the UK for extended periods. 

In addition, if you are under 18 when you submit your visa and immigration application, your multiple-entry visa will only be valid for up to six months after you turn 18.

Yes! Use our calculator below to calculate your Visitor Visa Visa cost.

Please answer the questions and you will be able to calculate the approx. cost for The Visitor Visa –

An application must be made online on the gov.uk site. Once you have completed your application, you will be able to provide your supporting information and book an appointment with a visa centre in your home country in order to provide the required biometric information. 

A standard visitor visa for up to six months costs £100. A long-term visitor visa costs £376 for a 2-year visa, £670 for a 5-year visa and £837 for a 10-year visa. 

Please note, even if you apply for a longer-term visa, a shorter period will be issued if UKVI believe that the duration you have requested is not justifiable. A partial refund will not be provided in these instances. 

Applications are usually decided upon within three weeks, with priority services available in most locations.

If you have a genuine reason to visit the UK on multiple occasions, a multiple-entry visitor visa is a great option in order to avoid the inconvenience of applying for a standard visitor visa for each occasion. However, please note that these are not an alternative to a visa that allows you to reside in the UK as your main home of residence and they do not guarantee your entry each time you visit the UK. Your eligibility to apply for a multiple- entry visit visa, and your eligibility to enter the UK on each occasion with this visa will be determined by UKVI who will carefully consider your reasons for visiting and your background. In order to help ensure a successful application, it is paramount that you provide the correct supporting documentation.

A Y & J Solicitors is a specialist immigration law firm , with extensive experience with multiple-entry visitor visa applications. We have an in-depth understanding of immigration law and are professional and results-focused. For assistance with your application or any other UK immigration law concerns, please contact us on  +44 20 7404 7933 or at Contact Us today. We’re here to help!  

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UK Multiple Entry Visa Rules

You may require a visa to enter the UK for a wide variety of different purposes – from travel and leisure to business and study. In terms of types of visas, there is a short term visitor visa which allows you to enter the UK for up to 6 months. Aside from this, there are also 2, 5 and 10 year UK multiple entry visas available for those who want to visit the UK on a regular basis.

New UK standard visitor visa

A visitor visa allows you to travel to the UK for up to 6 months – after this period, you must leave the UK. A standard visitor visa allows you travel for:

• Leisure purposes, like visiting for a holiday or to see your family and friends in the UK
• Business purposes or to take part in sports or creative events
• Other reasons, like receiving private medical treatment in the UK

Previously, there were separate visitor visas for particular purposes. These have now been replaced by one single visa known as the UK standard visitor visa. This acts as a UK multiple entry visa, and has replaced the following types of visitor visas:

• Family Visitor visa
• Child Visitor
• General Visitor visa
• Sport Visitor visa
• Business Visitor visa
• Entertainer Visitor visa
• Prospective Entrepreneur visa
• Private Medical Treatment Visitor visa
• Approved Destination Status (ADS) visa

UK multiple entry visitor visa rules

As mentioned, one standard visitor visa has replaced previous visas for different purposes. However, rules vary according to the purpose of your coming to the UK, although the eligibility rules remain the same. When you apply for a multiple entry standard visitor visa, you must show the following:

• You will leave UK once your visit is completed
• You are able to support yourself and dependents (if any) for the complete duration of your trip
• You can pay for your return trip or onward journey and all the other costs related to your visit
• You present the proof of your business activities - or any other activities - you want to undertake in the UK

There are also activities that are not permitted when you enter the UK under a standard visitor visa. For example, you cannot do any work (whether this is paid or unpaid), you cannot have access to public funds (like benefits) and you can’t marry or register a civil partnership.

How to apply for a multiple entry visa?

You can apply for a visit visa by making an application from outside the UK. You must do the following when applying:

• You must complete the online application process
• You must pay any fee that applies
• You must provide your biometric information (if required to do so)
• You must also provide a valid travel document

If there is no online application process available, you must follow the instructions provided by the local visa post or application centre on how you can make an application. 

Other types of visit visas

Other than the new standard visitor visa, there are other types of visitor visa routes depending upon the purpose of your visit. For example, a marriage or civil partnership visa allows you to enter the UK for 6 months, a permitted paid engagement visa allows you to enter the UK for 1 month, and a UK transit visa is valid for up to 48 hours. Within the period for which the visit visa is valid, you – as a visitor – may enter and leave the UK multiple times, unless the visit visa is endorsed as a single- or dual-entry visa. For more information of UK multiple entry visa rules or to apply for a UK visa, get in touch with us today.

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C-type standard visitor visa - confusion - United Kingdom Forum

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C-type standard visitor visa - confusion

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Hi, I had applied for Standard Visitor Visa (Tourism) for myself and my family from India a few weeks back. The main reason I had cited in the application was attending my PhD graduation. We got the visas last week (C-type visitor, multiple entry, 6 months), but I wont be able to go for my graduation. My query is- can we visit UK later (during the 6 month time period) with the same visa? Or do i have to apply for another visa, as my reason for visiting UK has changed?

If you have a 6 month multi visit visa you can come back at any time within that 6 months and must leave before/or on the expiry date even though the reason for your visit has changed.

The guys at Immigration will not know what you put on your form

My wife's family regularly do this

Can I work in the uk on a c visitor visa

No, of course not.

Hi I am a British citizen by descent and my wife is a Turkish citizen. We both currently live and work in Malaysia and we are expecting our first child in June. We are considering delivery in UK (all expenses to be covered by private insurance) and go back to Malaysia afterwards. My wife got a C type Visitor visa valid for 6 months. Would this C type visa be suitable as initially we will be coming to visit my family?

Thanks for your support.

This is not a question to which you can get an answer here, and - since it’s a rather important question for you – you should definitely seek proper advice via the help-line and/or an immigration specialist. There are however some things to be pointed out which may be of assistance.

The term "C Type" visa is no longer in general use here since we simplified our visa system. Several visa types have been consolidated into the "Standard Visitor" visa. You can apply for such a visa for multiple purposes including a family visit to the UK or for private healthcare UNDER SOME CIRCUMSTANCES.

However, when you make the application, you have to state the reason for the visit and – if it relates to private healthcare – there is a higher burden of documentary proof required. In particular, you must prove that you:

- have a medical condition that needs private consultation or treatment in the UK

- have made or paid for arrangements for consultations or treatment

- have enough money to pay for your treatment, support yourself without using public funds and pay for your return or onward journey

- will leave the UK once your treatment is completed, or when your visa expires

- are not a danger to public health if you’re suffering from an infectious disease, such as leprosy

The application also asks for any other relevant information in the additional information box, and a signed declaration that the information given is true and complete. Making an application for a family visit, but with the intention of seeking private healthcare (or deciding to do so after the visa has been granted) could be deemed a misrepresentation at minimum, or a false declaration at worst. Remember that the visa is a pre-entry clearance document only but you still have to satisfy immigration officials at the time you enter the country.

The point at issue is that the visa might not have been granted (or additional evidence would have been required) if the full circumstances had been known and declared. That could be particularly true in your situation since you are a UK citizen by descent with a foreign wife, living abroad, but not in her home country. Natural scepticism when evaluating the application would have embraced the possibility that she intends to overstay or settle with you in the UK, using a child born here as ruse to try and bypass the immigration rules. I would have expected that the strength of your ties to Malaysia as a home, with compelling reasons for returning there would have come under much closer scrutiny if the visa application had been made with the full facts.

Are you an Indian national? If so, you are eligible for a BIVS under the British-Irish Visa Scheme, which would allow you to visit both countries on a single trip. You have to apply to the country which is the first destination... ie apply to Ireland if you're going to Ireland and then the UK; or apply to the UK if you're going to the UK and then Ireland. Details here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/british-irish-visa-scheme/british-irish-visa-scheme

Thanks for your feedback. Yes I am Indian national. what I understood from your reply was there is a separate visa type BIVS that I need to apply for.

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UK Visa Guide 2023

• Anne Morris
• 16 March 2023

IN THIS SECTION

There are various different types of UK visa, depending on the purpose of your stay, from visiting the UK for a holiday to undertaking a course of study or starting a new job, or even starting a whole new life with loved ones.

UK visitor visas

If you are a citizen of a country that does not qualify for visa-free travel to the UK, known as a visa national , you will need to obtain a visit visa to obtain entry clearance prior to arriving at a UK port-of-entry. A visit visa is the permission given by UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI), the division of the Home Office responsible for the UK’s visa system, to be able to visit the UK for a short period of time. This could be for the purposes of tourism and leisure, or for business purposes, such as attending meetings or conferences.

There are two main types of visit visa: the Standard Visitor and Long-Term Visitor visas .

The standard visa will allow visitors to come to the UK for up to 6 months and allows visitors to come to the UK for a short stay for a number of permissible reasons:

• Tourism & leisure, for example on holiday or to see your family and friends
• Business , or to take part in sports or creative events
• Other reasons, for example to receive private medical treatment

For business, specific visitors provide guidance on what is permitted, but generally, only be business-related activity is allowed on a visitor visa – gainful (ie paid) employment is not and would require a work visa.

You cannot marry or register a civil partnership on a standard visitor visa , or give notice of marriage or civil partnership, but you can convertyour civil partnership to a marriage.

As part of your visa application you will need to demonstrate your visit to the UK will last no more than six months and that you will be leaving the UK at the end of the visit. Academic visitors and parents of children at school in the UK are entitled to stay in the UK for a maximum period of 12 months. You will also have to sufficient finds to maintain and accommodate yourself and any dependants without the support of UK public funds.

In contrast, the long-term visa is for those looking to visit the UK on a regular basis, allowing multiple entries over a validity period of 2, 5 or 10 years, limited to a maximum of 6 months per stay. However, visit visas can only be used to undertake activities permitted under the visitor rules, which exclude paid employment or anything more than a short course of study.

To be eligible for a visit visa you must be able to support yourself and any dependants during your trip, and pay for your return or onward journey. You must also intend to leave the UK at the end of your stay, where a visa must not be used to live in the UK for extended periods through either frequent or successive visits, or to make the UK your main home.

UK ETA permit 

The UK is launching its Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) scheme in 2023,  granting permission to certain non-visa nationals and Creative Workers to come to the UK. Under the scheme, travellers to the United Kingdom (other than British and Irish residents) who are visiting the UK or transiting through the UK and who do not currently require a visa for short stays (known as “non-visa nationals”) or who do not have a pre-existing immigration status, will need to apply for, and be granted, permission in advance.

Individuals who qualify will receive a digital travel authorisation to enter the UK.

UK Work Visas

When applying for a UK work visa, you will need to apply for the right type of visa based on your circumstances, meeting a number of various different route-specific requirements. The main immigration routes when it comes to working in the UK include:

Skilled worker visa

This is a sponsored work visa requiring the offer of a job within an eligible skilled occupation from a UK licensed sponsor that meets the applicable salary threshold. You must also meet an English language and financial requirement. If your application for a Skilled Worker visa is successful, you will be permitted to stay in the UK for up to 5 years. You can also extend your stay once you are in the UK as many times as you like, provided you continue to meet the relevant requirements, with the possibility of applying to permanently settle after meeting a 5-year continuous residence requirement.

Health & care worker visa 

The Health & Care Worker visa is open to individuals applying under the skilled worker route for entry clearance or leave to remain who and will be taking up a job offer in one of the occupations specified within a prescribed list of Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) codes,  which currently include qualified doctors, nurses, health professionals and adult social care professionals, among other healthcare professions.

As well as the role coming under one of the above SOC categories , to qualify for the visa an applicant must also have been offered employment from a licenced sponsor. The sponsoring organisation must also either be an NHS body or trust, a medical services provider to the NHS, an organisation providing adult social care, or one of several other medical and social care organisations listed in the official guidance.

High Potential Individual visa

The High Potential Individual visa allows recent graduates of top global universities to come to the UK to work or look for work. This means that the high potential individual does not need the offer of a job before applying, with no need for a Home-Office approved sponsor in the UK.

High Potential Individual visa-holders are permitted to work full time at any skill level and in any type of job. This includes self-employment and voluntary work, although work as either a professional sportsperson or sports coach will not be allowed. The applicant is also able to undertake a course of study which meets the requirements of the Student route, subject to the Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS) condition. This is a requirement to obtain an ATAS certificate before studying certain sensitive subjects at postgraduate level.

Graduate route 

This is an unsponsored immigration route that will allow recent overseas graduates, having successfully completed a UK course of study at bachelor’s degree level or above, to undertake work in the UK for either 2 or 3 years. This will provide the flexibility to work at any skill or salary level. Equally, if you secure a suitably skilled and well-salaried job role prior to expiry of this visa, you can apply to switch to the Skilled Worker visa, providing you with a potential path to settlement in the UK.

Scale up visa 

The Scale up visa is a hybrid route, allowing workers to come to the UK to do an eligible job for a fast-growing UK business, provided that role meets the minimum salary requirement. You must also meet an English language and financial requirement. Your prospective employer must be an eligible scale-up business and licensed to sponsor this category of worker, although your sponsorship will only last for 6 months. The Scale-up visa will run for a period of 2 years, enabling you to switch to an unsponsored role for someone else, although you must continue to meet the minimum earnings requirement. You can also apply to extend this visa as many times as you like by 3 years and, after continuously living in the UK after 5 years, you can apply to settle on a permanent basis.

Global Business Mobility routes 

The GBM routes are for specific types of workers undertaking work in the UK for overseas organisations:

• Senior or Specialist Worker route for senior managers and specialist employees being assigned to a UK business that’s linked to their employer overseas and who wish to undertake a temporary assignment in the UK.
• Graduate Trainee route for overseas workers on a graduate training course leading to either a senior management or specialist position and required by their employer to do a UK work placement.
• UK Expansion Worker route for overseas workers looking to undertake temporary assignments in the UK, where the worker is either a senior manager or specialist employee being assigned to the UK to assist with the expansion of the business.
• Service Supplier route is for contractual service suppliers employed by overseas service providers, or self-employed independent professionals based overseas, looking to undertake temporary assignments in the UK to provide services covered by a UK international trade agreement.
• Secondment Worker route is for overseas workers looking to undertake temporary assignments in the UK, where the worker is being seconded to the UK as part of a high value contract or investment by their overseas employer.

UK Temporary worker visas

The UK also offers a number of immigration routes for workers looking to undertake short-term employment. These Temporary Worker visa include:

• Creative Workers: overseas nationals who have been offered short-term work within the creative sector in the UK for up to 12 months, who can make a unique contribution to UK culture as either an entertainer or artist, or other type of Creative Worker;
• Charity Workers: overseas nationals who want to undertake voluntary work for a recognised charitable organisation in the UK for a period of up to 12 months;
• Government Authorised Exchange Workers : overseas nationals who want to come to the UK to take part in an approved internship, training, work experience or research programme for a period of up to 2 years;
• International Agreement Workers : overseas nationals who want to provide a service in the UK covered under international law, such as employees of international organisations or private servants in diplomatic households, in most cases, for a period up to 2 years;
• Religious Workers : overseas nationals who want to support the activities of a UK religious institution by undertaking religious work, such as working in a religious order or doing non-pastoral work, for a period of up to 2 years;
• Seasonal Workers : overseas nationals who want to come to the UK to do seasonal horticulture work with an approved scheme operator for a period of up to 6 months.

UK Business Visas

Following recent changes in the UK immigration rules, including the closure of the Tier 1 investor and entrepreneur visas and the Start up route for new businesses, the UK visa route for business owners is now the Innovator Founder route .

The innovator founder visa effectively replaces the Innovator route, with the following key features:

• No £50,000 minimum investment requirement
• Reduced ‘check in’ requirement with endorsing body – only two, down from 3 under the start up rules
• Secondary employment permitted in certain conditions
• Path to UK settlement – time spent in the UK under this route can count towards indefinite leave to remain residence requirement

The innovator founder route will allow the successful applicant to come to the UK to put their business plans into practice. They will be permitted to work for the business that they have established, as well as other employment, provided that employment is in a role that requires a skill level of not less than RQF Level 3, equivalent to UK A Levels. They will also be allowed to undertake a course of studies alongside running their business.

An innovator founder will initially be granted permission to live and work in the UK for a maximum period of 3 years, at which stage, provided they meet the relevant requirements, they can apply for indefinite leave to remain, otherwise known as settlement.

The immediate relatives of an innovative founder can accompany or follow to join them in the UK. This includes the partner and any dependent children of the principal applicant or primary visa-holder. As dependants of the innovative founder, any partner or children will be permitted to undertake any type of work during their stay, including self-employment and voluntary work, except as a sportsperson or coach. They can also pursue any studies.

UK Student Visa

You can apply for a UK Student visa if you are aged 16 or over, have been offered a place on a course by a UK licensed sponsor, and can support yourself and pay for that course. In addition to the financial requirement, you must also meet an English language requirement.

The length of time that you will be permitted to stay in the UK on a Student visa will all depend on the length of your course. For example, if you are aged 18+ and your intended course of study is at degree level, you can typically stay in the UK for up to 5 years, but if your course is below degree level, you can usually only stay for up to 2 years.

UK Family Visas

If you are not just coming to the UK to visit friends and family, but to start a whole new life with a loved one already living in the UK, you will need to apply for a category of family visa. There are various different types of family visa, including for the spouse or partner of someone settled in the UK, for children joining a parent living in the UK or for parents of children living in the UK, as well as for adult dependant relatives in need of long-term care.

When applying for any one of these types of visa, whether you are eligible is primarily about whether your UK sponsor falls into one of the accepted categories. For example, the Partner visa is for the spouse or partner of either a British citizen or someone settled in the UK, or someone with refugee status or humanitarian protection. You must also meet the requisite relationship requirement, such as being married to or in a relationship akin to a marriage with your UK sponsor. However, even if you do not meet the requirements for any one of the family visas, you may still be granted a visa on the basis of your right to private and family life under Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights.

If you are applying for a family visa from outside the UK, you will be granted a visa for 2 years 9 months as either a partner or parent, or 2 years and 6 months from inside the UK. After this you will need to apply to extend your stay. However, you can also apply to settle in the UK on a permanent basis after meeting a 5-year continuous residence requirement. In other cases, the length of your visa will depend on the status of your family member.

If your spouse, partner or parent is in the UK temporarily on either a work or study visa, you can instead apply as their dependant. For example, if you are the husband or wife of someone applying or already in the UK on the Skilled Worker route, you can apply to join or accompany your spouse under the same immigration route. This does not mean that you will also need a qualifying job meeting the minimum skill and salary requirements on this route, but you will need to satisfy other criteria, including a relationship requirement. The length of your dependant visa will typically match that of the primary visa-holder.

Spouse visa

A Spouse visa allows non-EEA nationals to enter or remain in the UK where they are married to a British citizen or a person with UK settled status, ie someone who is living in the UK lawfully with no time limit on their stay.

You are eligible to apply for a spouse visa if you and your spouse are 18 years old or over, are legally married and have met each other and plan to live together permanently.

If you already hold a UK fiancé visa, work visa, or student visa valid for more than six months, you may be eligible to switch to a spouse visa UK.

If you are applying for a spouse visa from outside the UK, you are eligible for an initial visa period of 27 months. If you are already in the UK on a visa, you will be given extension of stay for two years.

You must complete two years as a spouse before being eligible to apply for leave to remain as a spouse.

You can apply for naturalisation after 12 months of indefinite leave to remain .

Children of the marriage who are under 18 years old are allowed entry to the UK as dependants, and can make their application at the same time as the applicant spouse. Your spouse has to earn a minimum of £18,600 per year or has to have enough savings to be able to support you without claiming public funds. If you have dependent children, the minimum financial requirement is higher.

As part of your visa application you will need to demonstrate your spouse is either present and settled in the United Kingdom, or will arrive with you to be admitted for settlement. There must be adequate accommodation for you and any dependants, and that you will be able to maintain yourselves and any dependents without the support of UK public funds.

You must satisfy the English language requirements.

Civil Partnership visa

A Civil partnership visa  allows non-EEA nationals to enter or remain in the UK where they are in a civil partnership with a British citizen or a person with UK settled status, ie someone who is living in the UK lawfully with no time limit on their stay. To qualify for entry to the UK, you will need to be granted entry clearance prior to your arrival.

You are eligible to apply for a civil partner visa if you and your civil partner are 18 years old or over, in a legal civil partnership and have met each other and plan to live together permanently.

If you already hold a UK fiance visa, work visa, or student visa valid for more than six months, you may be eligible to switch to a civil partner visa.

You can apply for a civil partner visa from overseas or from within the UK. Once the civil partner visa has been granted, you are eligible to work or study in the UK. After a total period of three years in the UK if you meet the residence requirements you may then apply for UK citizenship.

Children of the partnership who are under 18 years old are allowed entry to the UK as dependants, and can make their application at the same time as the applicant civil partner.

Fiancé visa

A fiance visa allows a British citizen or a person with UK settled status to bring their non-EEA fiancé to join them in the UK with the intention of getting married within the six months period of the visa.

If you are returning to the UK to settle, your partner can apply for a UK fiancé visa to join you at the same time.

You are eligible to apply for a fiancé visa if you and your fiancé are both over 18 years old, have met each other and plan to live together permanently after your marriage.

Dependant visa

Family members and spouses of UK settled individuals can apply to join them in the UK under a dependant visa , without work restrictions. The eligibility criteria will change depending on which type of UK visa your ‘sponsor’ previously held.

Where eligible, you will need to show your sponsor has sufficient financial means and willingness to support you.

If your application for a Dependent Visa is successful you will be granted leave to enter the UK and freedom to live in the UK without restriction.

UK settlement visas

Indefinite leave to remain.

With Indefinite Leave to Remain , you are granted permission to stay in the UK without time restriction. Eligibility is largely based on completion of a qualifying period of time spent in the UK on a qualifying visa route.

For example, Tier 2 (General) visa holders generally become eligible after 5 continuous years in the UK, whereas the Tier 1 investor visa can offer expedited ILR eligibility where specific levels of investment are met.

If you are aged between 18 and 64 then as part of your  ILR application  you will need to pass the Knowledge of Life in the UK Test and dempnstrate your English language ability.

Naturalising as a British citizen

You may be eligible to apply for British citizenship if you are 18 years old or over; you have held Indefinite Leave to Remain  in the UK, or as an EEA national have  permanent residence  in the UK for a minimum of 12 months (unless you are married to a British citizen, in which case you can apply to naturalise as soon as you hold ILR or PR); you do not have a serious or recent criminal record and have not broken any immigration laws or conditions while in the UK. You must satisfy the English language requirements and have passed the ‘Life in the UK’ test.

What is the UK visa application process?

You can apply and pay for most visas online. When making an online UK visa application, you will need to visit the GOV.UK website and select the correct visa type. You will then need to complete your application and pay the fee. You will also need to prove your identity, provide documents to show your eligibility and enrol your biometric information. The way in which you do this will depend on your nationality and passport type.

You may have to attend an appointment at an overseas visa application centre (VAC) if you are applying from outside the UK, or at a UK Visa and Citizenship Application Services (UKVCAS) service point if you are applying from in the UK. In some cases, you may be able to use the ‘UK Immigration: ID Check’ smartphone app, where you will find out if you need to attend an appointment or use the smartphone app when you start your visa application.

If you need to attend a VAC or UKVCAS service point, as these are run by third party providers, you will get a link to their website where you can schedule an appointment to provide your biometrics, ie; your fingerprints and photograph. You can also use this appointment to provide your evidence in support of your visa application, unless you have already uploaded this online. For example, if you are applying for a Skilled Worker visa, in addition to having a valid CoS number as proof of a genuine job offer with a licensed UK sponsor, you may also need to provide evidence of your ability to speak English. If, on the other hand, you are applying for a Partner visa, amongst other things, you may need to provide your marriage certificate or proof of your relationship with your UK sponsor.

What are the costs of UK visa applications?

When it comes to the costs of a UK visa application, there is a fee for each visa. This fee will depend on which visa you apply for, ranging from just £100 for a Standard Visitor visa to £3,250 for an Adult Dependant visa. The fees will also vary depending on whether you are either applying from overseas, to extend your stay in the UK or to switch to another visa.

If you have dependants who would like to come to the UK with you, each individual will need to apply and pay separately, where the fees are the same for each person. You may also each be liable to pay the healthcare surcharge. This surcharge is to grant you access to the UK’s National Health Service and is currently set at £624 per year of stay. This must be paid upfront, although for students and children the charge is reduced to £470 per year.

What are the processing times for UK visa applications?

The length of time it takes to obtain a visa will depend on the visa type and whether you are applying from overseas or within the UK. For example, a family visa application made overseas can take up to 6 months, compared with 8 weeks from within the UK. In contrast, a work visa will take 3 weeks when applying from overseas and 3 weeks from the UK.

In some cases, you may be able to pay for a faster decision on your UK visa application depending on the type of visa sought, how you apply and where you apply from. However, this does not necessarily guarantee a faster decision on your visa if your application is not straightforward, nor any guarantee that your application is more likely to be successful.

It is always best to seek expert advice before making a UK visa application, not only to ensure that you select the right visa type, but that you meet the relevant requirements and provide the right documentation, so as to maximise the prospects of a successful outcome.

Need assistance?

DavidsonMorris are specialists in UK immigration. We can help you understand your UK visa options and guide and support you through the Home Office application process.

You will need to ensure you are applying for the most appropriate category and that your application is complete with full supporting evidence of your eligibility. All Home Office applications are subject to general grounds for clearance such as the good character requirement. If you are concerned about a past criminal conviction or immigration period of overstay in the UK, take advice prior to making your application to ensure eligibility and that you are correctly representing your circumstances within the application.

We can also assist where you have had a visa application refused, assessing whether you have the right and grounds to appeal or whether a new application will be necessary.

Speak to one of our UK immigration specialists today.

UK visa FAQs

How to apply online for uk visa.

When applying online for a UK visa, you will need to visit the GOV.UK website and select the correct visa. You will need to complete your application, pay the fee, provide evidence in support and enrol your biometric information.

How much is UK visa fee?

The fee for a UK visa can vary depending on the visa sought and length of stay, from £100 for a visit visa for up to 6 months to £3,250 to live in the UK as a dependant relative.

How long does it take to get a UK visa?

The processing times for UK visas vary depending on the visa type and where the application is made, for example, a family visa application made overseas can take up to 6 months compared with 8 weeks from within the UK.

What are the requirements for UK visa application?

The requirements for UK visa applications vary, although how you apply not only depends on your visa type but whether you are overseas, or instead inside the UK and extending your current visa or switching from a different visa.

Last updated: 16 March 2023

About DavidsonMorris

As employer solutions lawyers, DavidsonMorris offers a complete and cost-effective capability to meet employers’ needs across UK immigration and employment law, HR and global mobility .

Led by Anne Morris, one of the UK’s preeminent immigration lawyers, and with rankings in The Legal 500 and Chambers & Partners , we’re a multi-disciplinary team helping organisations to meet their people objectives, while reducing legal risk and nurturing workforce relations.

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Blog The Education Hub

https://educationhub.blog.gov.uk/2024/04/02/how-to-claim-15-hours-free-childcare-code/

Thousands of parents of two-year-olds benefit from 15 hours free childcare - here's how

We’re making the  biggest investment  by a UK government into childcare in history, doubling the amount we expect to spend over the next few years from around £4 billion to around £8 billion each year.  

We've already started to rollout the first phase of the expansion. As of April 2024, eligible parents of children who have turned 2-years-old before 1 April are getting help with their childcare costs by accessing 15 hours of government-funded childcare.

The rollout of support is part of our plan to help families – freeing thousands of couples from having to choose between having a family and a career.

This builds on existing government-funded childcare and later in the year the support will be extended to include some children from when they turn 9-months-old.

• Currently, eligible working parents of 3 and 4-year-olds can access 30 hours of childcare support.  
• Eligible working parents of 2-year-olds are also now able to access 15 hours childcare  support.
• From  September 2024 , 15 hours childcare support will be extended to eligible working parents with a child from 9-months-old.  
• From  September 2025 , support will reach 30 hours for eligible working parents with a child from 9-months-old up to school age.  

When can I apply?  

Applications are now open for eligible working parents whose children will be 2 or older by the 31 August to receive 15 hours childcare, starting from September 2024.

And from 12 May, eligible working parents whose children will be aged between 9- and 23-months old on 31st August, can apply to receive 15 hours childcare starting from September 2024.

It’s important to remember that codes need to be renewed every three months, so parents applying close to 12 May will need to renew their code prior to the offer starting in September.

You are able to claim your place the term after your child turns the relevant age. This gives local authorities and childcare providers enough time to prepare.

How do I apply?   

You apply online here on   Gov.uk once you have checked our  eligibility criteria .  

You’ll need to make sure you have the following information to hand before starting the application:  

• your national insurance number (or unique taxpayer reference if you are self-employed)  
• the date you started or are due to start work  
• details of any government support or benefits you receive  
• the UK birth certificate reference number (if you have one) for your child.  

You may find out if you’re eligible straight away, but it can take up to 7 days.  

Once your application has been approved, you’ll get a code to give to your childcare provider.  

Eligible parents are also able to access Tax-Free Childcare through the same application system. You can apply for Tax-Free Childcare at any time. However, you don't need to apply for Tax-Free Childcare to be eligible to apply for the 15 hours childcare scheme.   

What happens once I receive my code?  

Once you receive your code, you’ll need to take it to your childcare provider, along with your National Insurance number and your child’s date of birth.  

Your childcare provider will process the code to provide your place.  

Places will be available for September in every area of the country, but a significant minority of settings hold waiting lists of over six months. If you have a preferred nursery for September, you should reach out now to secure a place for your child ahead of receiving your code.  

Your local authority can provide support for finding a government-funded place in your area.  

What if I’m already registered for Tax Free Childcare?  

Parents must reconfirm that they are still eligible for Tax-Free Childcare every 3 months.  

Parents who are already claiming Tax-Free Childcare and need to reconfirm their eligibility between 1 April and 12 May will be automatically issued a code in the post from HMRC soon after the 12 May.   

This is to ensure every parent can give their code to their provider in good time. This code will be valid to apply for 15 hours of government-funded childcare from September.   

If I receive a code in a letter from HMRC, does this make my code on my Childcare Account invalid?  

No. Both codes will be valid.   

Do I need to wait for my reconfirmation window to add another child to my account?  

A parent who is already using the childcare service for another child can add a new child to their account at any time.  

Your reconfirmation cycle for your current Tax-Free Childcare will not affect this.  

How are you making sure there will be enough childcare places for eligible parents?  

Parents that have a preferred place for September should reach out now to their local provider to secure a physical place for their child ahead of time.  

To make sure there are enough places available, we’re investing over £400 million in 2024-25 to increase the hourly rates paid to local authorities.  

The Institute for Fiscal Studies has independently reported that the average funding rates for two-year-olds and under 2s paid by government from April 2024 are projected to be substantially higher than the market rate paid by parents last year, and we have committed to further increases to provider rates for the next two years.  

We have also committed to increasing hourly funding rates over the next two years by an estimated £500 million, to make sure providers can increase places at each phase of the rollout.    

You may also be interested in:

• Budget 2023: Everything you need to know about childcare support
• Before and after school childcare: Everything you need to know about wraparound care
• Free childcare: How we are tackling the cost of childcare

Tags: 15 hours free childcare , Applying for 15 hours free childcare , Childcare , Free childcare 2024 , Free childcare eligibility , tax-free childcare , When to apply for 15 hour free childcare

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Earth Day 2024 is fast approaching - here's everything you need to know

This year's theme is a big one...

Taking place in April every year, Earth Day is an annual event that aims to bring the world together in a continuing bid to tackle some of the most serious issues facing our planet – such as global warming, pollution and health issues as a result of damaging environmental practices.

When is Earth Day?

Why do we mark earth day, earth day 2024 theme and how to take part.

So, what do you need to know about the significant global event?

Below are all the important details for 2024 – including this year's theme – and what you can to do make your mark for Earth Day...

What is Earth Day?

If you’re unfamiliar, Earth Day is an annual event created to highlight the serious need to support our environment as it battles with a range of challenges, usually caused by us humans. It is designed to highlight the various threats and challenges to the health of our planet, raising awareness of – and attempting to fix – issues such as global warming, pollution, and the depletion of the earth’s resources.

It was first established in 1970, after peace activist John McConnell proposed holding a special day to honour the Earth during a UNESCO conference.

Though it began in the United States, it soon became a worldwide event, and 20 years later (in 1990), a collection of events marking Earth Day took place in 141 different nations.

So far, Earth Day has made some significant strides in prompting change. In 2016, the landmark Paris Agreement was signed by over 120 countries including the United Kingdom, the United States and China, the first international treaty on climate change.

Every year, Earth Day takes place on 22nd April, which is a Monday in 2024 . It's said that this date was decided on, as many of the first big events were held as schools and colleges in the US, and the late April date landed conveniently between spring break and student’s final exams.

Nowadays, Earth Day is often marked across the week of 22nd April rather than just the day, and is even sometimes referred to as Earth Month, with a host of initiatives taking place across the entire month of April.

Earth Day came about in 1970, at a time when environmental considerations were arguably much more lax, and when the world was commonly exploiting many of the earth’s natural resources – such as fossil fuels, leading to the continued and significant damage to our planet.

As such, the event was considered to be an important movement towards better caring for the planet and everything within it. And of course, that sentiment has only increased in importance as the years go on; because while in some areas, things have improved, huge steps are still required to save our planet from climate change.

While Earth Day is only technically one day, the wider movement at large is all about making positive and impactful changes in order to protect and conserve the environment.

And with environmental issues reaching somewhat of a breaking point in 2024 (something causing all of us significant eco-anxiety ), it’s arguably never been more important to mark the occasion.

For 2024, the theme is Planet vs. Plastics, highlighting the enormous negative impact single-use plastics have on our environment.

The organisation explains that this year, “for Earth Day 2024, EARTHDAY.ORG is unwavering in our commitment to end plastics for the sake of human and planetary health, demanding a 60% reduction in the production of ALL plastics by 2040.”

In order to achieve this goal, the organisation is aiming to raise awareness of the impact of microplastics on babies and children, as well as putting forward a proposal to end single-use plastics, with a commitment to this goal in the United Nations Global Plastic Treaty on Plastic Pollution.

It’s also aiming to champion policies aimed at reducing the impacts of fast fashion.

How can you get involved?

There are a number of ways to positively contribute to Earth Day 2024, from small changes to your daily habits, to bigger impacts you can make in your local community.

• Change your own habits : Of course, every big change starts with a small step, so one of the biggest ways you can make an impact this Earth Day is to consider your own use of single-use plastics or consumption of fast-fashion. If possible, make as many economical plastic-free swaps as you can to reusable plastics (a reusable water bottle is a great place to start), and, if possible, stay away from fast fashion retailers in favour of more sustainable shopping options, or, not shopping at all. And of course, be sure to recycle as much as possible.
• Share social posts: The Earth Day organisation is also encouraging people to sign up to their " Social Squad ", where you'll receive posts to share on your Facebook, Instagram or Twitter promoting the message of better environmental habits.
• Sign the petition: You might want to sign the Earth Day Global Plastics Treaty , which has been created to encourage governments around the world and the United Nations to make certain environmental promises, ASAP.
• Participate in local events: There are a number of events happening across the globe for Earth Day that you can participate in; for example, there are a swathe of community clean-up events being hosted across the UK.
• Organise your own march, rally or clean-up: If there aren't many events taking place around you, there's also still time to plan either a march, rally or clean-up in your local area (if you're feeling ambitious) in order to call for a 60% reduction in plastics by 2040. You can, for example, register a clean-up, here .

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• Entering and staying in the UK
• Visas and entry clearance

Entry clearance visas by length

• Home Office

Published 22 May 2014

© Crown copyright 2014

This publication is licensed under the terms of the Open Government Licence v3.0 except where otherwise stated. To view this licence, visit nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3 or write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: [email protected] .

Where we have identified any third party copyright information you will need to obtain permission from the copyright holders concerned.

This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/entry-clearance-visas-by-length/entry-clearance-visas-by-length

1. Introduction

This statistical short story provides further information on the entry clearance visas data published in the Before entry topic brief of the quarterly ‘Immigration statistics, January to March 2014’ publication. Ad hoc short stories supplement the regularly published data with other data characteristics and disaggregations; providing further statistical information and context and help meet identified user needs.

Definitions: This short story presents data about the length of visas issued, and trends over time for short term visas (less than 1 year) and long term visas (1 year or over). The definition for long term visas corresponds with the Office for National Statistics (ONS) definition of a long term immigrant as an individual changing their place of usual residence to the UK for 1 year or over. Visa length refers to the length of time that the visa is valid, from the start date until the expiry date. Visa length does not represent the amount of time a person spends in the UK on any particular trip.

Coverage: Entry clearance visas are issued outside the UK to those non-EEA nationals who are subject to immigration control and require a visa to enter the UK, and therefore do not represent immigration flows of all nationals to the UK. The total shown excludes visit visas and transit visas, and includes visas for work, study and student visitors as well as categories for family, dependant joining/accompanying, and other visas. Visit visas allow stays of no longer than 6 months (or 180 days) per visit. Visit visas can be valid for long term periods (1 year or more), facilitating multiple visits. Additionally, those using visit visas are in general more limited in the activities they are permitted to undertake while in the UK. Transit visas allow individuals to pass through the UK in transit (on the way to another destination). For further information see the user guide .

In line with the Before entry topic brief , this short story focuses mainly on visas for work, study and student visitors which accounted for the large majority (85%) of total visas granted (excluding visit and transit visas) in 2013.

Context: The trends shown reflect both trends for different categories of visas and also specific changes to the immigration system as specific categories are closed or replaced, or immigration rules are changed. Some categories are entirely short term, such as student visitors, and others are largely long term, such as family visas.

Quality: The figures shown are marginally different from those previously published up to and including 2013 in the quarterly ‘Immigration statistics, January to March 2014’ , as they are based on different data extracts. Further information relating to data quality, and definitions used in this short story, is given in ‘About the figures’ at the end of this short story.

2. Key facts (excluding visit and transit visas)

All comparisons are with the previous calendar year unless indicated otherwise. Figures in the text below are given in thousands or, where appropriate, to the nearest hundred. Data include dependants unless indicated otherwise. Visit and transit visas are excluded.

• The majority of work (60% of 155 thousand), study (72% of 219 thousand), and family (92% of 34 thousand) visas issued in 2013 were long term visas (1 year or more). All of the 78 thousand student visitor visas were short term (less than 1 year).
• There was a 5% (24 thousand) increase in total visas (excluding visit and transit visas) issued in 2013, to 532 thousand. This was accounted for by a 13% increase in short term visas (less than 1 year), alongside a 1% fall in long term visas: * Short term visas increased by 27 thousand to 235 thousand, mainly accounted for by student visitor visas (up by nine thousand), short term study visas (up by nine thousand), and short term work visas (up by five thousand); * Long term visas fell by three thousand to 297 thousand, largely accounted for by a fall in family visas (down by seven thousand), partially offset by a rise in long term work visas (up by five thousand).
• Student visitor visas are issued with a maximum length of 6 months to study a short course or 11 months for an English language course; visas for both types of course contributed to the 13% (nine thousand) increase in student visitor visas issued in 2013.
• The increase of five thousand in short term (less than 1 year) work visas was largely accounted for by: * a five thousand increase in the number of short term (less than 1 year) skilled worker Intra-company Transfer visas; * an increase of over one thousand visas for overseas domestic workers (all of which are short term); * a fall of two thousand in short term Tier 1 General visas (due to the closure of the route).
• Long term visas (1 year or more) accounted for between 67% and 71% of total visas (excluding visit and transit visas) issued from 2005 to 2010, but have since fallen to 66% in 2011, 59% in 2012 and 56% in 2013.

3. Long term trends in visas issued by length (excluding visit and transit visas)

As the chart below indicates, trends in long term visas (1 year or more) follow a similar trend to the International Passenger Survey (IPS) estimates of the number of long term non-EU immigrants. The IPS estimates the number of individuals changing their place of usual residence to the UK for 1 year or over based on their stated intentions.

3.1 Chart 1: Long term and short term visas issued (excluding visit and transit visas)

The chart shows that the number of long term (1 year or more) visas issued is higher than the IPS estimates of how many people entered the UK with an intention to stay for 1 year or more, who were resident outside the UK for the previous 12 months. This is likely to be due to a range of factors, for example:

• some individuals may obtain a visa but do not then travel to the UK;
• some individuals may obtain visas that are longer than their intended stay e.g. because of uncertainty on exactly how long they will wish to stay;
• dependants who are named on the visa application of a main applicant are granted the same length of visa as the main applicant; however some of these dependants may intend to stay for a shorter period than the main applicant, for example choosing to arrive later or leave earlier.

As chart 1 above shows, the numbers of long term visas (1 year or more) have fallen since 2010, while the number of short term visas (less than 1 year) has risen; hence the long term visas share of total visas (excluding visit and transit visas) issued has been falling. Long term visas accounted for between 67% and 71% of total visas (excluding visit and transit visas) issued from 2005 to 2010, and then fell to 66% in 2011,59% in 2012 and 56% in 2013.

The fall since 2010 in the proportion of total visas (excluding visit and transit visas) that were long term (1 year or more) is accounted for by multiple factors, such as:

• falling numbers of family visas, which are typically long term; these fell from 9% of the total in 2010 to 6% in 2013;
• closure of the Tier 1 (General) category, which had fixed visa lengths, in favour of Tier 2, where visa length depends on the length of the job on offer in the UK;
• higher numbers of (short term) student visitor visas issued, which have a maximum length of 6 months to study a short course or 11 months for English language course, up from 49 thousand in 2010 to 78 thousand in 2013;
• higher numbers of (short term) visas being issued for intra-company transfer, which have grown from 11 thousand in 2011 to 27 thousand in 2013.

4. Visas by purpose and length

4.1 chart 2: visas issued in 2013 by purpose and length (excluding visit and transit visas) (1).

4.2 Table 1: Visas issued in 2013, by purpose and length (excluding visit and transit visas) (1)

Chart/Table notes: (1) The total shown excludes visit and transit visas and includes visas for work, study and student visitors as well as categories for family, dependant joining/accompanying, and other visas, corresponding to the Before entry topic brief . Hence the columns for Work, Study, Student Visitors do not sum to the total shown. For further information see the user guide . (2) The student visitor category was introduced in September 2007. Student visitors are allowed to come to the UK for 6 months, or 11 months if they will be studying an English Language course, and cannot extend their stay. The figures shown include those who applied on the ‘Short-term student’ endorsement prior to the introduction of the student visitor category. For consistency and comparability over time, student visitor visas have been excluded from study-related totals. (3)Totals may not match sums of rows or columns due to rounding. The figures shown are marginally different from those previously published up to and including 2013 in Before entry topic tables as they are based on a more recent data extract. (4) Corresponding data for previous years is included in the ‘Entry clearance visas by length: table’ .

Following the introduction of the Points Based System, which began in 2008, visas for work are generally based on the length of the contract, where appropriate. Visas issued under different categories allow different maximum lengths of stay.

5.1 Short term work visas

40% of the 155 thousand work visas issued in 2013 were short term (less than 1 year).

Most of the eight thousand work visas issued for ‘Less than 3 months’ were in the Tier 5 Creative and Sporting category (five thousand) or Tier 5 Government authorised exchanges (one thousand). The majority of the 25 thousand visas issued for ‘3 months to less than 6 months’ were for overseas domestic workers (17 thousand) and Intra-company transfers (five thousand). Overseas domestic worker visas allow individuals to stay for up to 6 months (see Domestic Workers in a Private Household visa ). Intra-company transfers also accounted for the large majority of visas issued for lengths ‘6 months to less than 1 year’ (22 thousand, or 75%).

The top five nationalities collectively accounting for 72% of the 62 thousand short term (less than 1 year) work visas issued in 2013 were India (30 thousand or 48%), Philippines (eight thousand or 12%), United States (three thousand or 6%), Russia (two thousand or 3%) and Indonesia (two thousand or 3%):

• the large majority of the short term visas issued to Indians were for Intra-Company Transfers (24 thousand), and almost all the short term visas issued to Philippines and Indonesian nationals were overseas domestic worker visas (seven thousand and two thousand respectively);
• by contrast, most short term visas issued to Russians were in the Creative and Sporting category (1,800). Over half of the visas issued to United States nationals were Tier 5 Youth and temporary workers (1,900 including 1,100 in Government Authorised Exchange schemes) with most of the remainder being Intra-Company Transfers (1,300).

5.2 Long term work visas

In 2013, 60% of the 155 thousand work visas issued were long term (1 year or more).

The 20 thousand work visas of length ‘1 year to less than 2 years’ were issued for a variety of reasons, including skilled work sponsored by an employer (12 thousand), youth mobility and temporary work (five thousand) and high value individuals (three thousand).

Work visas of length ‘2 years to less than 3 years’ included similar numbers for skilled work (15 thousand) and high value workers (two thousand), but a much higher number of Youth Mobility and Temporary Work visas (23 thousand), of which 21 thousand were in the Youth Mobility category. Youth Mobility visas allow individuals from certain countries, aged 18 to 30, to come to live and work in the UK for 2 years or less, subject to meeting savings and eligibility criteria (see Tier 5 (Youth Mobility Scheme) visa ).

The 29 thousand work visas of length ‘3 years to less than 4 years’ were largely accounted for by skilled work (24 thousand) and high value (four thousand) categories (the latter is known as ‘Tier 1’). The Tier 1 Entrepreneur and Tier 1 Investor categories generally allow individuals to stay for a maximum of 3 years and 4 months (see Tier 1 (Entrepreneur) visa and Tier 1 (Investor) visa ).

The 4,300 visas of 4 years or more almost entirely consisted of UK Ancestry visas (4,200). UK Ancestry visas allow Commonwealth citizens to stay in the UK for 5 years, subject to proving that one of their grandparents was born in the UK, being able and planning to work in the UK, and meeting other eligibility criteria. (See UK Ancestry visa ).

The top five nationalities collectively accounting for 66% of the 93 thousand long term (1 year and over) work visas issued in 2013 were India (24 thousand or 26%), Australia (15 thousand or 16%), United States (12 thousand or 12%), Canada (six thousand or 6%) and New Zealand (five thousand or 5%):

• most of the long term visas issued to Indian and USA nationals were either Intra Company transfers or other skilled work (Tier 2) visas (15 thousand ICT visas and six thousand other Tier 2 visas to Indians; correspondingly five thousand ICT visas and a further four thousand other Tier 2 visas to USA nationals);
• by comparison most long term visas issued to Australian, Canadian and New Zealand nationals were in the Youth Mobility category (respectively 11 thousand, four thousand and four thousand).

The ‘Migrant journey: fourth report’ describes the progress of individuals through the immigration system. For example, 9% of migrants issued skilled work visas (with a potential path to settlement) in 2007 appear to have had some form of valid leave to remain five years later and a further 25% had been granted permission to stay permanently (settlement). For those issued temporary work visas (not leading to settlement) in 2007, the corresponding proportions were much lower, at 5% and 2%, respectively.

6. Study (excluding Student visitors)

Following the introduction of the Points Based System which began in 2008, visas for study are generally based on the length of the course.

6.1 Short term study visas

In 2013, 28% of the 219 thousand study visas issued were short term (less than 1 year).

The top five nationalities collectively accounting for 61% of the 62 thousand short term (less than 1 year) study visas issued in 2013 were China (26 thousand or 41%), United States (six thousand or 10%), Saudi Arabia (two thousand or 4%), Iraq (two thousand or 3%) and Hong Kong (two thousand or 3%).

6.2 Long term study visas

In 2013, 72% of the 219 thousand study visas issued were long term (1 year or more). This is likely to reflect the high proportion (80%) of sponsored applications for study in 2013 which are accounted for by the university sector (Higher Education Institutions) (Source, Before Entry table cs_09, volume 1 ).

The top five nationalities accounting for 49% of the 156 thousand long term (1 year or more) study visas issued in 2013 were China (37 thousand or 24%), India (12 thousand or 8%), Nigeria (11 thousand or 7%), Malaysia (nine thousand or 5%) and United States (eight thousand or 5%).

It is also the case that length of visa does not provide a full account of how long individuals stay within the immigration system, or the final outcome of their journey through the immigration system. For example, some students obtain extensions, possibly to study at a higher level (see the Extensions topic ) and others may obtain settlement via other routes.

The ‘Migrant journey: fourth report’ describes the progress of individuals through the immigration system. For example 14% of migrants issued student visas in 2007 appear to have had some form of valid leave to remain and a further 1% had been granted permission to stay permanently (settlement) five years after their initial arrival as students.

7. Student visitors

Student visitor visas are issued for 6 months to study a short course, or 11 months for an English language course, and cannot be extended. (See Student Visitor visa ).

In 2013, 65 thousand (83%) student visitor visas had lengths less than 6 months and 13 thousand (17%) were valid for 6-11 months. A full report on the student visitor route is available at ‘Student visitors’ .

8. About the figures

Data corresponding to Table 1 for previous years is included in the ‘Entry clearance visas by length: table’ .

Visa length has been calculated based on the number of days that a visa is valid, from the start date until the expiry date. The visa length categories account for leap years; they include lower limits and exclude upper limits. For example, the ‘1 year to less than 2 years’ category shown in Table 1 includes visas issued for exactly one year (365 or 366 days) and visas less than 2 years, but excludes visas issued for exactly two years (730 or 731 days).

When interpreting the data, it is important to understand that the length of the visa does not directly equate to how long an individual actually stays. This is because most visas allow the holder to enter and leave the UK multiple times until the visa has expired and is known as “multiple entry”. A person may also leave the UK before a visa expires or arrive some time after its start date. Additionally some individuals subsequently obtain an extension of stay whilst in the UK, where permitted (see the Extensions topic ). However, visa length data may provide an indication of the intended length of stay, particularly for the shorter length visas where factors such as length of course or contract strongly influence the expiry date of the visa granted.

Following the introduction of the Points Based System, which began in 2008, work and study visas have generally been based on the length of the contract or the course, as appropriate. Family visas provide a route to permanent stay (settlement) in the UK, typically following a minimum probationary period of at least 5 years for spouses and partners (for cases dealt with under the new rules). Family visas are, for the most part, valid for 33 months and suggest an intention to stay beyond such a period (see the Settlement topic ). By contrast, student visitor visas are mostly issued with a maximum length of 6 months to study a short course, or in some cases for 11 months for study on an English language course, and cannot be extended.

Obtaining a visa requires applicants to pay a fee, and considerable attention is given to ensure that visas of the correct length are issued, to match fees paid. The data used in this analysis are therefore considered to be reliable and of high quality.

It is important to understand that the numbers of visas granted do not equate directly to the numbers of passenger journeys, firstly due to multiple entry visas, and secondly because some individuals may choose not to travel.

8.1 Definitions of categories

The Total shown excludes visit and transit visas, and includes work, study, student visitor visas shown as well as categories for family, dependant joining/accompanying, and other visas, corresponding to the Before entry topic brief . For further information see the user guide .

Work: From 2008, the Points-based system ( PBS ) in part rationalised the immigration control processes for people coming into the UK for work, four of the five Tiers (Tiers 1, 2, 3 and 5) relate to permission to work:

• Tier 1 provides a route for high value individuals;
• Tier 2 provides a route for skilled workers with a job offer;
• Tier 3 relates to unskilled workers (never implemented);
• Tier 5 is for temporary workers and youth mobility

The figures shown for work include visas issued under Tiers 1, 2, 5 and pre- PBS equivalents, as well as data for work categories which were not incorporated into the PBS in particular overseas domestic workers (17 thousand visas issued in 2013) and the UK Ancestry route (four thousand visas issued in 2013).

Study: The points-based system ( PBS ) in part rationalised the immigration control processes for people coming into the UK for study. The PBS has five “tiers”, one of which (Tier 4) provides a route for students to study with an approved education provider. Tier 4 was implemented in March 2009. Data shown for Study includes visas issued under Tiers 4 and pre- PBS equivalents.

Student visitor: The student visitor provisions allow for individuals to come to the UK to undertake short courses/periods of no more than six months at a specified type of educational institution. Unlike Tier 4 this study can be at any level and does not have to lead to a qualification.

In addition to the six month route there is a concession for those studying English language courses longer than six months in duration, which allows individuals to study on English language courses up to 11 months in duration. The intention of these provisions is to enable an individual to study up to the level required to qualify for Tier 4 of the points-based system.

The Family route covers visas where an individual is applying for a visa on the basis of their relationship to a person settled in the UK or a British citizen. The Family route: child includes adult offspring of the settled person or British citizen. The Family route: other encompasses dependants who are not offspring or partners, such as elderly relatives.

The family route statistics now also include:

• (following changes to the rules from July 2012), ‘post-flight’ family members and adult dependant relatives joining those who have been granted refugee status or humanitarian protection within and without grant of settlement;
• family members of those granted refugee status and who had gained settlement, or who had yet to gain settlement status if the individual coming to the country applied for a visa prior to the second quarter of 2011.

The data shown in this short story (and the corresponding total in Table 1) include family visas granted under the old (pre-July 2012) and new rules.

Family visas provide a route to permanent stay (settlement) in the UK. For cases dealt with under the new rules it is possible to apply for permanent stay after a minimum probationary period of at least 5 years for spouses and partners. In 2013, there were 34 thousand family visas issued, of which 31 thousand (92%) were long term (1 year or more including 30 thousand visas issued that were 2 years or longer, reflecting the standard visa grant of standard visa grant of 27 months (old rules) or 33 months (new rules). Of the three thousand short term (less than 1 year) family visas, the majority (2,400 thousand) were fiancé(e) and proposed civil partner visas.

8.2 Coverage

Transit visas and visit visas are not included in this short article. Visit visas differ from the work, study and student visitor categories described above in Table 1 in a number of ways. In particular, most visit visas permit stays of no longer than 6 months (or 180 days) per visit, although they are often valid for long term periods (1 year or more), facilitating multiple visits. Additionally, visitors are in general more limited in the activities they are permitted to undertake while in the UK. There were 1.94 million visit visas issued in 2013, of which the large majority (83%) were issued with a length of less than 6 months, mainly with lengths of 3-6 months (1.55 million or 80% of the total).

Transit visas are needed by some individuals in order to pass through the UK in transit. To be granted a transit visa individuals must be:

• in transit to another country with enough funds and the intention to travel on;
• able to prove they can enter that country;
• able to show that the only purpose of their visit to the UK is transit.

Source: Visa to pass through the UK in transit

Non-visa nationals: Nationals of some countries can normally visit the UK for 6 months or less without a visa and such visits are not recorded in visas data.

The data used in this report is based on different extracts than those used to compile data in the Before entry topic and Before entry tables . Hence, figures in this short article differ marginally from those in the Before Entry topic and tables.

A review into the quality of ONS migration estimates has found that evidence from the 2011 Census shows that the IPS did not adequately estimate migration flows between the 2001 and 2011 Censuses. More information is available at Quality of Long-Term International Migration Estimates from 2001 to 2011 .

9. Other related data

The Before Entry topic and Extensions topic of the quarterly Immigration Statistics provide overall trends in entry clearance visa applications, grants and refusals, and in extensions granted inside the UK, including breakdowns by category and by nationality: Immigration statistics quarterly release .

The Migrant Journey analysis is able to explore migrants’ journeys through the UK’s immigration system. It provides information on a forward-view and backward-view analysis of the extent to which migrants achieve settlement in the UK or are recorded as still having valid leave to remain: ‘Migrant journey: fourth report’ .

Office for National Statistics publish data on long term migration and on short term migration at: International Migration .

It is also important to note that not all foreign nationals require a visa to enter the UK, depending on the purpose of their visit. Further information regarding non-visa nationals can be found in the user guide .

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• International

April 11, 2024 - Israel-Hamas war

By Heather Chen , Antoinette Radford, Tori B. Powell , Aditi Sangal and Elise Hammond , CNN

Our live coverage of Israel's war on Hamas in Gaza has moved  here .

UN committee fails to reach consensus on full Palestinian membership, Security Council president says

From CNN’s Richard Roth and Michael Rios

A specialized UN committee failed to reach a consensus Thursday on Palestinian membership in the United Nations, according to the president of the UN Security Council.

Two-thirds of the committee members were in favor of moving on with membership, with many countries arguing that “Palestine fulfills all the criteria that are required” to be granted full state member status, Malta's Ambassador and Security Council President Vanessa Frazier said. 

She added that no one explicitly objected to the membership qualifications.

Frazier also said she would circulate a draft report on the deliberations as soon as Friday. If the committee doesn’t agree on the report, it could hold another meeting to iron out any differences.

Asked whether the process of deliberating Palestinian membership in the committee is now over, Frazier said, “Unless the next step of agreeing (to) the report of the committee warrants another meeting to iron out the differences, it’s not foreseen that there would be any further committee action.”

But she noted that any UN Security Council member can still table a resolution to vote on Palestinian membership at any time, regardless of the committee's report.

The US and Middle East brace for a possible Iran attack that could escalate the conflict. Here's the latest

From CNN staff

Concerns about a possible Iranian attack against Israel has prompted many diplomatic conversations around the globe.

Here are some developments on diplomacy around the threat of an attack:

• Iran's statement: The imperative for Tehran to "punish" Israel for the deadly strike on the Iranian consulate in Damascus last week might have been avoided if the attack had been condemned at the United Nations, Iran’s Mission to the UN said Thursday.
• US and UK diplomacy: US Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke with the foreign ministers of Turkey, China and Saudi Arabia on Wednesday night and Thursday morning to tell them that countries should be urging Iran not to escalate the conflict in the Middle East after  threats made by Tehran against Israel,  according to a State Department spokesperson. The top US general for the Middle East is also in Israel . Additionally, Britain's foreign secretary warned his Iranian counterpart on Thursday that Tehran “must not draw” the Middle East into a wider conflict .
• Israel receives US support: Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant spoke with Blinken and US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin. The US officials expressed the country's support for Israel against Iranian threats. Gallant warned that such an attack could lead to a regional escalation.
• Travel restrictions: The US State Department restricted the travel of US government personnel in Israel in the wake of public threats against Israel by Iran. “The security environment remains complex and can change quickly depending on the political situation and recent events,” the alert noted. US officials  are on high alert  for a potential retaliatory strike by Iran or its proxies against Israel.

Meanwhile, here's some other updates:

• Hamas on hostages: A member of Hamas' political bureau said   a prisoner-hostage exchange is being discussed as part of larger ceasefire negotiations. "Part of negotiations is to reach a ceasefire agreement to have enough time and safety to collect final and more precise data" on the hostages held in Gaza, Basem Naim said in a statement on Thursday. "Because they (hostages) are in different palaces, (being held) by different groups, some of them are under the rubble killed with our own people, and we negotiate to get heavy equipment for this purpose."
• Updates on aid to Gaza: It is clear that Israel is working to ramp up humanitarian aid to Gaza, but it has not yet implemented all of the measures it has announced, a top United Nations humanitarian official said. Aid coming in trucks from Israel has to be "segregated from water, from food, from medical items" before it goes into Gaza, said Jamie McGoldrick, the UN’s humanitarian coordinator in Jerusalem. “Getting 400 trucks from Kerem Shalom doesn't mean 400 trucks go into Gaza,” he said, adding that the logistical complications are numerous, and take time to resolve. He also said Israel’s restrictions on movement inside the strip complicate matters.

Anera charity resumes work in Gaza after pausing when Israeli strike killed 7 World Central Kitchen staff

From CNN's Tala Alrajjal and Mohammed Tawfeeq

American Near East Refugee Aid (Anera) has resumed Gaza operations "after a temporary pause" following an airstrike that killed seven World Central Kitchen (WCK) aid workers on April 1.

"As you know, the decision to temporarily pause our operations was not an easy one. We followed the direction of our staff in Gaza, who've faced death, loss, and destruction since the start of the war," Sean Carroll, the president and CEO of Anera, said in a statement on Thursday. "After the killing of Anera staff member Mousa Shawwa , followed by the attack that killed seven aid workers from World Central Kitchen, we made the difficult but necessary decision to pause aid operations on April 2," Carroll added in the statement.

Carroll said Israeli authorities informed him during a meeting Thursday that "certain measures would be taken to protect humanitarian aid workers in Gaza – including Anera's staff."

"With the full support of our Gaza team, we have determined that the circumstances have changed sufficiently to resume our vital humanitarian work in Gaza," Carroll said. 

Anera on Thursday resumed "full operations in Gaza to deliver meals, food parcels, hygiene kits, tents, medical treatments, and more to families in dire need," according to the statement.

Iran says its imperative to punish Israel could have been avoided had UN Security Council condemned attack

From CNN’s Natalie Barr and Adam Pourahmadi

The imperative for Tehran to "punish" Israel for the deadly strike on the Iranian consulate in Damascus last week might have been avoided if the attack had been condemned at the United Nations, Iran’s Mission to the UN said Thursday.

“Had the UN Security Council condemned the Zionist regime’s reprehensible act of aggression on our diplomatic premises in Damascus and subsequently brought to justice its perpetrators, the imperative for Iran to punish this rogue regime might have been obviated," the  mission said on X.

The UN Secretary-General António Guterres condemned the attack on April 1, according to a statement from the UN spokesperson Stephan Dujarric. A Security Council discussion was held on April 2 to discuss the attack, but differences among members prevented any formal action or condemnation from taking place.

The United States is on high alert and actively preparing for a “significant” attack by Iran targeting Israeli or American assets in the region  in response to the strike in Damascus  that killed top Iranian commanders.

UK foreign secretary warns Iran not to draw Middle East into wider conflict

From CNN's Natalie Barr

Britain's foreign secretary warned his Iranian counterpart on Thursday that Tehran “must not draw” the Middle East into a wider conflict following a series of escalating threats made by Iran toward Israel.

British Foreign Secretary David Cameron told Iran's Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian that the United Kingdom was "deeply concerned about the potential for miscalculation leading to further violence. Iran should instead work to de-escalate and prevent further attacks," according to a post on X .

Iran's state-aligned Tasnim news agency on Thursday reported that Amir-Abdollahian had told Cameron that the silence from the UK and the United States following Israel’s attack on the Iranian consulate in Damascus last week only served to encourage Israel to continue waging war in Gaza and expand its conflict in the region.

US and Israeli defense leaders discuss fears of Iranian attack

From CNN’s Michael Conte in Washington, DC, Tamar Michaelis in Jerusalem and Larry Register in Atlanta

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin spoke with Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant today to “reaffirm the US ironclad commitment to Israel’s security against threats from Iran and its proxies,” according to a Pentagon spokesperson.

The call comes a day after Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Israel " must be punished and it will be" following a strike on an Iranian embassy compound in Syria that killed seven Iranian officials.

Israel “will not tolerate an Iranian attack on its territory,” the statement read, adding that the two defense leaders also discussed detailed preparations “for an Iranian attack against the State of Israel.”

Gallant said an Iranian attack on Israel could lead to a regional escalation.

It is the second discussion held between Gallant and Austin over the past week, according to the statement. Gallant expressed his appreciation for Austin’s personal commitment to the security of the State of Israel and for the deepening cooperation between the defense establishments of both countries, as well as between the Israel Defense Forces and US CENTCOM.

State Department restricts personnel travel in Israel amid concerns over Iranian threats

From CNN's Jennifer Hansler

The US State Department has restricted the travel of US government personnel in Israel in the wake of public threats against Israel by Iran.

“Out of an abundance of caution, U.S. government employees and their family members are restricted from personal travel outside the greater Tel Aviv (including Herzliya, Netanya, and Even Yehuda), Jerusalem, and Be’er Sheva areas until further notice,” a  security alert  posted by the US Embassy Thursday said. “U.S. government personnel are authorized to transit between these three areas for personal travel.” “The security environment remains complex and can change quickly depending on the political situation and recent events,” the alert noted.

State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said he would not “speak to the specific assessments that led to us to restrict our employees and family members’ personal travel, but clearly we are monitoring the threat environment in the Middle East and specifically in Israel.”

“We have seen Iran making public threats against Israel in the past few days,” Miller said. “Israel is in a very tough neighborhood and we have been monitoring the security situation. You saw us slightly adjust for travel warnings at the beginning of this conflict and we conduct ongoing assessments all the time about the situation on the ground.”

US officials are on high alert for a potential retaliatory strike by Iran or its proxies against Israel.

Hamas says ceasefire with Israel is essential to collect data on hostages held in Gaza by different groups

From CNN's Abeer Salman and Mohammed Tawfeeq

A member of Hamas' political bureau said   a prisoner-hostage exchange is being discussed as part of larger ceasefire negotiations.

"Part of negotiations is to reach a ceasefire agreement to have enough time and safety to collect final and more precise data" on the hostages held in Gaza Basem Naim said in a statement on Thursday. "Because they (hostages) are in different palaces, (being held) by different groups, some of them are under the rubble killed with our own people, and we negotiate to get heavy equipment for this purpose," he added.

Naim's statement was in response to questions from media outlets about whether Hamas has been rejecting the latest proposal, which was made in Cairo over the weekend, because it can not release 40 hostages in the first phase of a three-stage ceasefire deal.

According to an Israeli official and a source familiar with the discussions, Hamas indicated it is currently unable to identify and track down those 40 Israeli hostages, raising fears that more hostages may be dead than are publicly known. 

CNN's record of the conditions of the hostages also suggests there are fewer than 40 living hostages who meet the proposed criteria.

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