UK Visa and Immigration

Below, we have summarised all of the different types of UK Visas so you can quickly get an idea of what visa you would be required to apply for to immigrate to the UK.

Academic Visit Visa: You may come to the UK for up to 12 months with a UK Academic Visitor Visa. Candidates that submit Academic Visitor Visa applications must be able to provide evidence that they have worked as an academic in an institution of Higher Education overseas. An academic visitor is someone applying to a British university to conduct research or take part in an exchange programme. Senior doctors and dentists coming to the UK for teaching purposes or clinical practices may also apply for an Academic Visitor Visa for the UK.

Ancestry Visa: UK Ancestry Visas enable commonwealth nationals who have a grandparent who was born in the UK, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man to enter the UK for a period of five years. Commonwealth nationals with a grandparent born in the Republic of Ireland prior to 31 March 1922 are also eligible to apply for a UK Ancestry Visa. A UK Ancestry Visa provides you with full freedom to work in the UK, including working as a self-employed person or establishing your own business.

Appeal: If your UK visa application to enter or remain in the UK has been refused, then you have the right to appeal this decision to the Asylum and Immigration Tribunal (AIT). Your appeal case will be heard by a specialist immigration judge in a separate court system. It is your only opportunity to get a decision changed.

Asylum: If you face persecution in your home country you may claim asylum. If you do not have a valid UK visa you are considered an illegal immigrant. You have a right to appeal a decision to the Asylum and Immigration Tribunal (AIT) if your visa has expired or you seek asylum without a visa or if you have breached your visa conditions.

Business Visit Visa: If you need to come to the UK on business then a Business Visitor Visa is for you. With the Business Visitor Visa you may visit the UK for up to 6 months. One condition with a Business Visitor Visa is that your salary should come from overseas and you cannot receive any pay from the UK Business you visit.

Bail: If you are in custody for a visa, our UK Visa and Immigration Experts can help get you get released from detention. Our UK Visa and Immigration experts can help you whatever your circumstances for being held in custody. We can; – Put in an application to make your stay in the UK legal, apply to get you released from detention, represent you in the Immigration tribunal.

Citizenship: UK Citizenship, or Naturalisation, entitles you to a life in Britain, a British passport, unrestricted entry to the UK, and free movement within the European Union (EU).It is possible to apply for UK Citizenship after being granted Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR). You may also qualify for British Nationality through Registration or through the Right of Abode in the UK.

Dependency Visa: Work Permits and Visas for the UK are designed to allow your family to share the benefits of living here. Once you are here, you can enjoy the same benefits as the British. Your spouse, partner and children can get a UK Visa and enjoy the same benefits as UK people, including free education, free healthcare and the ability to work in the UK.

Entertainment Visit Visa: If you want to come to the UK to entertain or take part in an entertainment event or series of events, then you should apply for an Entertainment Visitor Visa. Your stay should be no longer than six months and you are unable to receive payment for any work whilst you are visiting the UK. People from different sectors from the entertainment industry could visit the UK on an Entertainment Visitor Visa. Anyone who works in the theatre or in film, either as an actor or behind the scenes worker can apply. Whatever form of performance you are involved in you can apply for an Entertainment Visitor visa.

Entrepreneur Visa: If you want to run or be involved in a business in the UK then get the UK Entrepreneur Visa. You must also pass the points criteria for a General Tier 1 Visa. To qualify for an Entrepreneur Visa you must be able to speak English and be able to afford to take up residence in the UK and invest in a business.

Fiancé Visa: A British Fiancé Visa is for people who are planning to marry a British citizen or permanent resident in the UK may apply for a Fiancé Visa. Unlike most other visas of its kind, there is no requirement that the applicant and the sponsor have lived together before applying.

General Visit Visa: The General Visit Visa is for those people who wish to come to the UK as tourists or to visit friends and family. All applicants under the General Visit Visa category must be at least 18 years old, plan to visit the UK for a maximum of 6 months and leave at the end of that period. The applicant of the General Visit Visa must also have enough money to support their self while in the UK.

HSMP (Highly Skilled Migrant Programme): If you have a highly skilled profession and wish to work in the UK you may apply for a visa under the Highly Skilled Migrant Programme. It is part of the Points Based System in the United Kingdom. Tier 1 visa applications do not require a sponsor, it will be determined on whether you have successfully achieved 75 points in the Visa application. The points are based on your United Kingdom experience, English language skills, qualifications, previous earnings, age and available maintenance. Under the Highly Skilled Migrant Programme you will usually be granted 3 years to stay in the UK. With a Highly Skilled migrant programme after the 3 years you may have the opportunity of a 2 year extension. Following this extension you may apply for indefinite leave to remain (ILR).

Home Office Certificate of Approval: If you are in the UK and are subject to UK Immigration control, then before you can marry in the UK, you must firstly obtain a “Certificate of Approval.” This is a document issued by the Border Agency (Home Office). To apply for a Certificate of Approval, you should ideally have a UK visa that has been granted to you for longer than 6 months, and at the time that we submit your application for your Certificate of Approval, you should ideally have 3 months or longer left on your current permission to stay (i.e. your visa).

Human Rights: Our UK Visa and Immigration Experts may be able to use the Human Rights Act to make your stay in Britain legal. The Human Right to Life Act applies to anyone that faces persecution in their country of origin. You have a right to appeal a decision to the Asylum and Immigration Tribunal (AIT).

Illegal immigrants: If your UK Visa has expired, you have no Visa or you have breached your Visa conditions, you are considered as an illegal immigrant. If this is the case you may be held in detention and deported. You have a good case for UK Citizenship if you have lived in the UK as an illegal immigrant for a considerable amount of time. We can help make you a UK citizen.

(ILR) Indefinite Leave to Remain: The UK Immigration option which allows a person to live in Britain indefinitely, also known as permanent residency. An individual who has been living in the UK under a visa category which leads to settlement may apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) depending on the terms of their visa.

Investor Visa: Also known as the Tier 1 (Investor) Visa, the UK Investor Visa is for people who want to make a significant investment in the UK economy. You must have £1,000,000 available and be prepared to invest in Britain. There are a number of advantages to the UK Investor Visa. The UK Investor Visa is different to the Entrepreneur Visa because you don’t need to be able to speak English or set up any kind of business and you do not need to have an offer of employment.

Marriage Visa: A UK Marriage Visa, or Spouse Visa, enables your husband, wife or civil partner to apply for leave to enter, or leave to remain in the UK on the basis that they are married to a person who is present and settled in Britain.

OISC: The Office of Immigration Services Commissioner is responsible for regulating immigration advisers by ensuring they are fit and competent and act in the best interest of their clients.

Prospective Student Visa: Prospective students are people who intend to study in the United Kingdom but have not yet been accepted on a course of study. Prospective students can be granted a visa of up to 6 months validity in order to explore their educational options in the UK.

Schengen Visa: This visa is for leisure, tourism or business and has made travelling between the 15 European member countries much easier and less bureaucratic. Travelling on a Schengen Visa means that the visa holder can travel to any (or all) member countries in the Schengen area using one single visa, avoiding the hassle and expense of obtaining individual visas for each country. This is particularly beneficial for persons who wish to visit several European countries on the same trip. The Schengen Visa is a “visitor visa”. It is issued to citizens of countries who are required to obtain a visa before entering Europe. A Schengen Visa allows the holder to travel freely within the Schengen countries for a maximum stay of up to 90 days in a 6 month period. It is strongly recommended to plan your journey within the time frame of the Schengen Visa to avoid having to leave.

Special Visit Visa: Special Visitor Visas are the alternative to all other Visit Visas. If you are coming to visit the UK but you are not a tourist, business visitor, entertainer or sports visitor, you should apply for a Special Visitor Visa. You may be a child visitor, or the parent of a child student in the UK. You may be visiting for private medical treatment; however you cannot receive treatment on the NHS. You could be coming to get married or simply passing through. You are entitled to spend up to 48 hours in the UK, passing through without a Visa.

Sponsor License: The points based system is used in all tier 1 to 5 applications. Before they can apply anybody wishing to come to the UK must have a sponsor with a sponsorship license in the UK which plays a main part in the application for a UK Visa. All sponsors hold full responsibility of each candidate they sponsor. The UKBA will take away any sponsorship license if they feel a sponsor has not fulfilled the relevant criteria. A or B sponsor ratings are awarded to all sponsorship licenses. If awarded a B rating, the BIA has based this on a risk assessment and felt that the sponsor was unable to fulfil their role and that they pose a threat to UK immigration. Any sponsor on an A rating can be demoted to a B rating and if this is the case they are given an action plan to which they must work towards to regain their A rating sponsorship license. If you fail to meet the requirements of your action plan within the deadline, your company may not be permitted to sponsor migrant workers, and could be issued with a fine.

Sports Visit Visa: If you would like to come to the UK for up to six months to take part in a Sports event but in a non professional capacity, then you should apply for a British Sports Visitor Visa. This type of Visa is ideal for tournaments, competitions and sports events for all amateur sports people.

Student Visa: Candidates from visa-national countries (those who need a visa even for entry to the UK as a visitor) must apply for a Student Visa at the British Embassy/ Consulate/ High commission in their home country. Other candidates have the option of presenting the relevant documents to the Immigration Officer on entry, or may apply from within the UK to switch from another category to that of Student. Student Visas are normally granted for an initial period of one year, usually determined by the length of the course to be studied. Under the new Student Visa regulations, international students have permission to commence part time work of up to 20 hours per week and full time during holidays. The Student Visa also gives permission for the student to undertake a work placement as part of their university course.

Student Visit Visa: Student Visitor Visas are for temporary students who are studying on courses of 6 months duration or less. A new category of Student Visitor Visa has been introduced for short-term students who wish to study in the UK.

Tier 1: The UK Tier 1 Visa category applies to individuals that are considered as Highly Skilled Workers, investors and entrepreneurs. You must prove you have sufficient funds available to support your stay in the United Kingdom and meet all of the necessary requirements of the points-based system.

Tier 2: UK Tier 2 visas apply to candidates that are General or Sports skilled workers who have a job offer here in the United Kingdom. You must have a valid job offer from a licensed sponsor company and a valid certificate of sponsorship. You must also pass all of the necessary requirements of the points-based system.

Tier 3: The third tier of the UK based Visa system applies to individuals who wish to come to the United Kingdom to perform temporary low skilled work.

Tier 4: Tier 4 visas in the United Kingdom are for students who wish to come to Britain and study at a UK university. Students must have received their course acceptance letter as well as be able to provide funds to support their stay in Britain.

Tier 5: A Tier 5 visa applies to individuals that wish to immigrate to the United Kingdom on a temporary basis and looking to participate in a Youth Mobility Scheme, or for people looking for specific, temporary employment opportunities.

Tourist Visit Visa: If you want to come and visit the UK for up to six months to take a holiday and experience the British culture then a Tourist Visitor Visa is for you. With the Tourist Visitor Visa you cannot work or attend a place of study. You should be aware that you are coming as a visitor on a Tourist Visitor Visa so you are not entitled to receive treatment on the NHS during your stay.

UKBA (UK Border Agency): The UK Border Agency considers over a million applications for permission to enter or stay in the United Kingdom (UK) every year, as well as being responsible for securing the UK border and controlling migration in the UK.

Unmarried Partner Visa: The UK Unmarried Partner Visa (also known as the UK De Facto Visa) makes it possible for the unmarried partner of a UK citizen to gain entry to the UK on the basis that they are in a relationship with a person who is present and settled in the UK. The Unmarried Partner Visa applies to both heterosexual and homosexual relationships. You will need to be able to prove that your relationship is permanent and has been in existence for two or more years.

Work Permit: If your current visa does not allow you to work in Britain but you wish to, then apply for a UK Work Permit. If successful you will be able to live and work in the UK for up to three years. UK Work Permits have now been replaced by Tier 2 of the Points based system which requires at least 50 points. If you are considered a medium or highly skilled worker coming to work in the UK, you will require a Tier 2 Visa or UK Work Permit and you must have a sponsor in Britain who will employ you.

Worker Registration heme: The eight countries involves in the Workers Registration Scheme are: Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia. If you’re from one of these countries and you get employment in the UK for more than one month you must apply for the Workers Registration Scheme Visa.